The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-06-19
IMPORTANT Of
lat. ! ] WIN. WILSON | 5 !!
One Unveiled at Washington and
Lee University.
THE DEGREES CONFERRED
.Forty-three Graduates Given Their Di-
plomas. Three of Them Being Mas
tiers Of Arts and Seventeen
Bachelors Of Law.
THE DEGREES CONFERRED
Especial Dispatch to The Times.)

Especial Dispatch to The Times.)
LEXINGTON. VA, June 1S.-!To-day
marked the conclusion Of the commence
Eent exercises at Washington and Lee
University, and consisted OF the delivery
of certificates. announcements of homer
airy appointments. presentation of Uni-
yersity prizes and the comforting of de-
grtes A large number of graduates re-
ceived degrees, forty-three in all-twenty
bachelors of arts, two bachelors OF sci
ence. three masters of arts. one doctor
of philosophy and seventeen bachelors OF
law.
The law class Grafton was delivered by
Edmund Randolph Preston, of Licking
ton, Va, and the valedictory address by
Humphrey Robinson Keeble. of Abilene,
Texas.
WILLIAM l.. WILSON.
The unwilling of the oil portrait of the
late President William Lyme Wilson,
with an address by his longtime friend
Hen. Isador -Straus. of New York. was
imp. essive in the extreme. Mr.. Stratus
said in part:
Wien I was thrown in close personal
contact with him through serving in the
Same Congress I soon learned the differ
ence between the unselhsh statesman and
the self seeking Politician; between the
one who views all questions with sin
gleress of purpose which looks to the
| best interests of the whole country, and
the other who never rises above the con-
fines of his own district.o The struggle
between the House and the Senate on the
| Wilson bill left Mr.. Wilson almost a ply
steal wreck through the indefatigable la
Dor he had devoted to it. The harasSing,
rever-ceasing opportunities Of selfish in
| te::ttts, together with the appeals from
| Office seekers and others to a man as ap-
- NJ. i1~NV, cd t1o
necessity of procuring for hi mat least
re: during the hours he could snatch
| frc,, his task for meals and sleep. and
| I induced him to leave the rooms where
| they had been accustomed tct disturb him
at all hours and prevailed upon him to
| join me in my apartments.
shortly after this occurrence I found
Mr.. Wilson sitting behind the screen III
his committee room with his head between
his hands, sobbing as if he had lost one.
near and dear to him. On questioning
| him he said: 1T is bad enough 10 have
one life's work mutilated as this bill has
been but I have received a blow from
an unexpected source, and that almost
| breaks my heart. The President made a
rcn7a rk to me this morning which cut me
to the quick.
told him that I was convinced that
the President vas incapable of saying
anything that could reflect either upon
the manner in which he had done his
work or the methods employed, and that
he ,N1r. WILSON, was surely laboring I'M
der a misap prehension. which must be
cleared up. I Immediately went to see
the President and narrated to him the
facts, and he expressed the greatest
astonishment that he should have either
by word or implication, been guilty OF
anything that could hurt or wound Mr..
| Wilson. He instantly wrote a letter which
r ~ ,31d :
| have never been made public believe
| it will not be out of place to convey it
| to you en- this occasion.
CLEVELAND'S LETTER
Executive Mansion. Washington,
August 10. 1894
Il suppose man very much depressed
and disappointed may write word of
sympathy to another in like situation.
We both hoped and wrought for better
| things; but now that we know our fate.
I shall not let a moment pass before I
acknowledge the great and unselfish work
YOU have done in an attempt to bring
about an honest and useful result
Much has been developed which has
shocked and surprised you and me: and
I have within the last hour found myself
questioning weather or not our partly is a
! tariff reform party. This, however, is
only temporary. and such feeling is
quickly followed by my old trusts in Demo-
cratic doctrines, and the party which
| processes them.
But I only intend to express my sym
| pathy with you and my attitude for the
| fight you have made for real. genuine
| tariff reform.
81 hope now that you will be mind
| full of yourself. and that you will try
and repair a strained. mental and ply
steal condition by immediate care and
| Yours very Sincere1y
(Signed) GROVER CLEvELAND.'
| Hon. William L. Wilson.
| 1t is no wonder that the man VINO
penned this letter. should. on an
| other occasion. have written after our
friend had gone on his last Journey
"Our public life will never see better,
purer, or more patriotic man..
THE Scholar in Politics." may not
have been originated to apply to Mr..
Wilson; there is. however no more doubt
that during his life it was invariably
referred to him as the epithet. The
Grand Old Man. was used to single
out Mr.. Gladstone.
POLITICAL ECONOMY
From the time he became connected
with this institution. he saw the neces-
sity of having sound economic doctrines
taught to the youths who came here
for their training. He deplored that there
was not a single university In the South
which had a property equipped chair of
Political Economy, and one of MS first
innovations after assuming the presi-
dency OF Washington and Lee was to
look around for professor to take
charge OF this important subject.
The salary for this chair was largely
provided by himself from his own scant
individual means. 1t is by virtue OF
this personal sacrifice on his part as ar
earnest of his conviction. Of the impor
lance of the subject. that his friends
thought no more fitting monument could
be erected to his memory than a fund.
the interest of which would perpetually
support a Chair. OF Economies and Poll
teal Science. ! trust that the promi-
nent position that it will give to ash
ington and Lee among the universities
of the South, will bear such fruits as
were the aims and hope of William
Lyme Wilson.
MR.. GOODIES ADDRESS
Then followed the presentation Of an
oil painting of the late Judge John w,
Brockenbrough to the university the adj
dress being made bYstOne of his former