Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-01-20

- N last 10 AAAC
Journal allusion was made to the
possible value to the nation Of Mr..
Andrew Carnegie's proposed univer-
sity at Washington City. 1t was sug-
gested that by reason of it's character
and location 1t would tend to the uni
flying Of the various peoples incorpo-
rated in this great republic.
Let me recur to the subject again.
and in the outset of these reflections
let me say, that the best way TO pre-
serve the union is not by forging leg
islative bands and with them binding
the sections together; but it is rather
by fusing the people Of all sections. to-
gether in a homogeneous mass by
mental and moral processes OF
unifcation. When the mere mechani-
cal union is stronger than the vital
unity of the people there is necessarily
present a measure of suppression that
may easily become oppression. The
difference between the strength of the
governmental union and the strength
of national unity is always the exact
measure of perilGus strain upon the
structure of the republic.
AS therefore national territory is ex-
tended and as the. things which make
IOI u DIVERSITY VI OpllilOAl anu AANCACoNo
among the people are multiplied, uni
flying influences must be proportion
ately increased, and intensified, or else
the centrifugal forces of our federal
system will presently so far exceed
the centripetal as to unbalance and
endanger that most skillfully construc-
ted machinery which the wisdom and
patriotism of the fathers devised. To
forefend against so great ant lament
able a disaster no effort to centralize
the government will avail.
The remedy is TO be found not in the
Capitalization of the government but
in the unifcation of the people. The
friends of Capitalization are, and al
ways have been, the worst enemies of
the federal union. If the convention
which framed the federal constitution
had followed their counsel we should
never have had the union of the states.
and in every succeeding crisis OF our
national history their advice has tend
ed always towards strife, disunion
and revolution. They were never more
active and more dangerous than now,
and as an offset to the perils which
they produce, the country needs every
possible instrument that can promote
the unihcation of all the people of all
the sections.
oCACNAh6 NAAdL ME Lar pro-
posed university will do much in fur
therance of such unihcation, it seems
to me that he well deserves the admir-
alton of all thoughtful patriots. That
we may appreciate its possibilities in
the direction indicated, let us revert
to some educational history in the Old
World.
When Spain wished to consolidate
the Netherlands she founded the Uni
versity Of Dounay in 1872.
When Germany, after the battle Of
Jena, wished to recover from the effects
of her political and military bruises
she commenced by founding the Uni
vcrsity of Berlin, in 1870 OF it's future,
while it was yet little more than a
bare proposal, Schleiermacher said:
when that scientific organization is
founded it will have no equal; thanks
to its interior force It will exercise its
benefcent rule to the borders. of the
Prussian monarchy. Berlin will be-
come the center of the entire intellec-
tual activity of northern and Profess
tant Germany, and a solid foundation
will be prepared for the accomplish
ment of the mission assigned to the
Prussian government.
The institution has in its results ex-
ceeded the predictions OF Schleier-
macher. 1t has promoted German unity
and has made it's influence felt far
beyond the bounds of the empire.
After the F'ranco-Prussian war, in
order to confirm the victory of Sedan,
the University of Strasbourg was en-
tirely reconstructed.
In the light of these examples dare
affirm that such an institution as Mr..
Carnegie proposes to establish at the
national capital cannot fail to operate
nightly for national unity. Being
different from and supplemental to all
the other colleges, and universities of
the country, 1t will draw from every
section the noblest minds. They will
come to know each other as otherwise
they could not, and through the per-
sonal acquaintance of these ablest
men in the land there will come to
pass a better understanding between
the sections represented by them.
General Washington, who was de-
voted to the idea of a national univer-
city, clearly perceived it's value in this
direction In his eighth annual mes
sage, delivered on December Z, 1895, he
said: among the motives to such an
institution the assimilation of the
principles, opinions and manners OF
our countrymen, by the common edu-
cation of a portion of our youth from
every quarter, will deserve attention.
The more homogeneous our citizens
can be made in these particulars the
greater will be our prospect of perma-
nent union"
From Washington's time until the
present the proposal for a national
university has been up periodically for
discussion. 1t has commonly been
pressed as an object for congress
sional appropriation.