Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1901-06-19

fortunate in having selected college and
State for the commencement of the de
velopment Of OF your minds which have
so many propitious environments.
He then reviewed the history of the
college and its noted alumni Continu-
ing he said
"The alumni of this college should
also be a stimulus to you to emulate their
example. They embrace many of the
most distinguished men our country has
produced. 1t may be said that the ma
ton would never have had that beauti-
full national anthem but for your college,
for it was here that Francis Scott Key
obtained the mental training, without
which he never could have written this
patriotic song Would William Pinkney
have been the jurist and diplomat if ST.
Johns College and its predecessor had
never existed? The training of mind
and body within the walls and campus of
this college made, or helped to make, of
Lieutenant James Lockwood the hero he
was, and who extended the boundary of
known land twenty-eight miles nearer the
pole, and who reached the most north
erly point of land that has ever been at
tanned by man. Commander Dennis
Mullan may have thought of St. John s
when he was heroically battling with the
hurricane in Samoan waters. II must be
pleasant to you to know that in future
you are to be numbered as fellow alumni
with these heroes.
"While these things are true of St.
Johns, and are calculated to please those
who claim her as their alma mater, it is
not improper to remind you that the State,
which founded and has aided this college
and in which you have lived during your
college life, is eloquent in incident and
association. The feet of the Father of
his Country have trod the streets of the
town in which is located your college. In
yonder Senate chamber the greatness of
the George Washington was displayed
when, after having won the independence
of his country, he comes and surrenders
his commission and sword to the Con-
gress which had conferred them, and re-
tired into private life.
Maryland has ever been the friend of
education. One of the first Acts of the
General Assembly of Maryland, in the
year I64o, was the passage of law for
"a free school for Latin-Greek writing
and the like. >
"The fight of the century is against
the consolidation of power, the concen-
tration of capital, the dwarfing of the in
dividual citizen. The equipment in the
individual against this evil of consolida-
ton and concentration is the manly de-
termination not to rely upon these aggre-
cations, but upon his own individual eff
fort Such determination is sure TO be
attended with individual independence,
which will make you better citizens,
happier men and safeguards of our Re
public. The beginning of your earnest
life is coeval with a new century, the
watchword of which is Py9gyeSS.
1--WE know in the physical world GER
tain well-dehned powers, as gravitation,
electricity, steam and others. Let me
suggest to you another power, which in
the age in which you live is as much a
power as those enumerated, and this is
brain bOw2y. 1t is this power which is
continually in demand, and which brings
the possessor certain success. Your
training has had for its chief object TO
teach you to think 1t is the gymnasium
which has given the needed mental exer-
else, and with il mental strength and
capabilities. 1t is now for you to so de-
velop the mental faculty along special
lines if you choose. so that the power in
cident to this development will be yours.
Select as your avocation something
adapted to your tastes, and then concen-
tIate all your powers on this calling
Don't permit your specially to warp your
intellect, but endeavor TO preserve a
symmetrical development at the same
time.
"a distinguished United States Sena-
tor recently advised graduating class.
which he was addressing, to keep out of
politics. do not think his advice was
either wise or correct. Why should the
politics of our country be deprived of the
benefit OF the eduuated men of our uni
versities and colleges? Under our form
OF government a sovereign walks under
every hat, and why should the educated
sovereigns have no voice or participa-
tion in the affairs of government 1t is
the first duty of every patriot to take the
deepest interest in the faffairs OF his gov
ernment, and this he cannot do if he
keeps out Of politics. The times demand