The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1901-06-21

deavorcd as far rs [ could to got away
from an address of this kind for tho
reason that tho word literary carries
with it moaning which involves Il
kind Of speech or address that my
training has not fitted mo for. My
drill rs a speaker has been in debate
on tho hustings whore thoro wore
appeals to passion, to patriotism, to
feeling, rs much rs to reason. To
como bcforo an audience liko this
involves something Of an obligation
to indulge in Il limo Of thought that
is moro olovatng, moro refined, more
polished, moro intellectual, possibly.
And while | do not pretond to say
or to acknowledge tho accusation
which has been made against mo to
be truo, that am lacking in that
knowledge of literature and Of histo.
ry which would onnble mo to pro-
pare reasonably decent address; it
would involve Oh my part tho writ
ing out Of such speech, and tho
endeavor to commit i! to memory,
something | can not do. TO undcr-
take to get up before an audience of
young men and young women, for
this audience is mostly composed of
young mon and young women, and
road II speech, however polished or
eloquent or philosophical, would
mean that you would feel bored and
tired before 1 got half through and
you would he sorry that ovor bo-
gan it. Therefore, in accepting this
invitation-and by tho way, this
kind OF invitations camo 80 thick and
fast that l became exceedingly
alarmed. Newberry'5 came in first
and | accepted it first. Thon Clom-
son and Ersliinc, and several others,
and thcro seemed to DO conspiracy
along tho route Of tho Columbia and
Grccnvillo railroad to SEQ whether L
did have any culture or not, and al
ready I am booked for another
speech Friday at Clemson. But |
have had to do with education somo.
what in South Carolina. have al
ways been deeply concerned about
tho educational interests Of tho
State, and have always dono all
could to holp the cause Of education.
But concoss that havo boen soro-
ly perploxod in my own mind as to
how was going to make two speech
es without any serious preparation
on two similar occasions and not ro-
peat, in part at least. had enough
ammunition and have enough ammini-
ton now in the way of powder and
ball to load double barrolled gun,
but declare to you l have not been
ablo to formulate them into two car
tridges. Therefore, | am hero ut
your mercy, Or rather you arc at my
mercy, thank God, and 1 will have
to ask you to boar with me while
glvo you few IleHs that have come
to mo as matters Of experience and
observation in regard to education,
life in general, and all that kind of
thing.
The arena in which | havo boon
working for tho last six years, the
United States Senate, is ono whore
thcro is SO much talk, such a porpot,
ual flow Of talk, that the voriost
glutton on speech making who over
lived or died would become satod
with such things. used to lovo TO
make speeches and whom tho condi-
tions arc Of tho kind with which
am familiar, when I can get out in
tho open and fight, SO to speak,
enjoy making speech occasionally
now, but | doclaro do not like the
idea of preaching sermon. | have
no subject tonight. Therofore, |
loavo zach ono of you to interpret
and try to think out for himself whom
he gets home, what topic I triod to
discuss. | am just going to slosh
around, so to speak.
The literary societies arc to be con
graduated, and tho students Of Now
berry College arc to be congratulated,
upon tho tlourishing condition in
which that institution appears to bo.
Your graduating class this year is
larger than any you have ovor sont
forth. These young mon arc going
out into the world to begin lifo for
themselves, after careful preparation
at tho hands Of this faculty. No
doubt thcso young mon and ladies',
for I believe you have ladies' in the
class, feel when they got their diplo-
mas in tho morning that thoy will
havo precious certificate or evidence
Of certain curriculum through which
they have passed, Of II certain amount
OF preparation for tho battle Of life,
through which they have gone. OF
what value is that diploma to them
How far hrs it succeeded, or how far
has your preparation succeeded in
preparing them to become useful
men and women2 That depends on.
tiroly on them. Their teachers have
done their best, and the fact that
they have had the tenaclty Of pur
pose to hold ont to tho end and to &C
through the mental strain necessary
1 l>t,