New-York tribune., 1901-06-23
No DISGRACE.

President Schurmans recent address 10 Tie
graduating classes of Cornell University III
which he declared that ''in the things OF the
intellect we still live on the bounty or EUROPE
is eyoking many comments, and perhaps ne Is
entitled 10 thanks for projecting an lhleies'Ihs
topic into the field Of discussion at rather uuii
time II Is true that some OF ms criucs "ie
making excursions rather than replies. but from
the general point OF view that is not 10 pe
regretted. Thus Professor van Dyke OF frlnce
ton comes forward with pleasing ANIMATION III
defence OF a position which President Schur-
man probabJy did not intend 10 dispute main
tanning, If we understand him. that the PROD
ucts of intellectual activity In this country are
at least as large and valuable in the aggregate
as those of Europe; that In fiction particularly
we can now hold our own with England peyohd
Question and in criticism are slightly I'D the
lead Similar opinions are expressed by Others
and we are not at all disposed to reject them;
but we shall be surprised II the president OF
Cornell does not in turn reply that his propo-
sition has not been accurately comprehended.
II Is fair 10 admit that DIR. Schurman's asser-
ton. which we quote at the beginning or thls
article. is liable 10 an Interpretation which he
would not be willing 10 accept, but fhe context.
which may not have been at the command OF
-
His grateful acknowledgment OF high general
average was Immediately followed by the dec
laration that, apart from the domain OF poll
"tics and invention. America has not produced
"a single man or woman whose name will shine
Gin the intellectual armament with Rafael,
"Shakespeare, Copernicus. Newton, la Pace,
Goethe and Darwin That we suppose 10 be
the charge which he designed 10 prefer. ana
there need be no hesitation in eonceding IL 10
be true. But II seems 10 us 10 he much less
serious charge than he accounts It. Made III
different manner IL might have fitted naturally
and appropriately into almost any discourse
upon an educational topic. but President Schur-
man announced IL as a momentous fact on
which he desired 10 fix the minds Of his hearers
by way of reproof and admonition His intro
duciion was elaborate and solemn, but its
gravity was ont Of all proportion to the slgnn-
canoe of the truth which he finally enuncated.
1t is TO be regretted that America has not
launched upon the food Of time" productive
intellects of the very highest order. But there
is nothing extraordinary and discreditahle In
the fact II was an amazing piece OF good
fortune for England that Shakespeare was born
on English soil to speak the English tongue.
Goethe fOr1uitously conferred unfading lustre
on the German name 1t would he cause for
profound pride and JOY If another Shakespeare
or Goethe should appear in the United States
with indubtable credentials. Nor is ii abso-
lutely Necessary to conclude that this country
can never receive and share so prodigious
gift, or that its chance is not so good as that
of any other nation. But in the mean time we
cannot admit that we should hang our heads
in shame. II woud be almOst-indeed. for
aught can see. quite-as reasonable 10 dis
parage England because she has produced only
one Shakespeare in a thousand years, or 10
blush for the human race because within that
circle none burst walk but he