The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-06-05
COMMENCEMENT At VARSITY
-Four Hundred and Thrty-fve Diplomas Awarded Mem
orial Exercises in Late Gov. Pillsbury Honor.

their labors in founding them In the early
days, and notably in New England, colleges
had their small beginnings in the labors Of
devoted men, generally in the service of re-
ligon, and the ultimate development into
great. Influential and benefcent seats Of
learning, perpetuated their memory. Still
other noble men have established seats of
learning by endowment, and by thus linking
their names with their beginnings have be-
come illustrious. But Governor Pillsbury is.
believe, the first man who has lndissolubly
weaved his personality into the building up
OF a state institution, and the inestimable
endowment he bestowed upon *itgwas a part
Of his life. f reE l35c ~ -.
Mr.. Clark detailed the conditions of the
university prior to the time when Jonn
S. Pillsbury, then a,young man, took hol1
of it with his wonted force and energy.
He related the story of Mr.. Pillsbury,s
regency, pointing out that his first work
was one of extrication. He was mem
Der Of the state senate in 1864 and had
a bill passed by which the, whole official
family of the university was wiped out,
and o. c. Merriman, John S. Pillsbury
and John Nichols were made the only
regents with full power to adjust and
settle debts and to use $4,000 acres of the
land grant for the purpose. In 1868 the
ture, ready for its mission.
In closing Mr.. Clark said
Friends of the University: We give thanks
to God that we have had him; and for his
manifold services, it is the part of us who
are left, regents, who are charged with it's
management, faculty, who are charged with
it's instruction; alumni, who are charged
with it's illustration; people, who are charged
with it's support, to take up the burden, dis
tributing 1t, for there Is no one to pear IL
alone, and carry forward with stout hearts
and manly courage the work of the continued
and uninterrupted development of the univer-
sity; so that accelerated by the impulse he
gave it, it shall go on with constantly in
creasing power to the full accomplishment
of it's mission to elevate, adorn and bless the
state of Minnesota; to see to 1t, so Tar as
in US lies, that the institution to which he
gave so much of his life, shall receive no
detriment from his death. In this way shall
| we best honor the memory Of John 5. Pllls-
| bury. ...r =.
Address by Stephen Mahoney.
Stephen Mahoney spoke especially Tor
the alumni and students Of the university.
In part he said: --sf
How many times have these walls resound-
ed with the acclamations of Joy because John
S. Pillsbury stood upon the platform To-
day they are hushed to silence at the men
ton Of his name because he will stand mere
no more. The loud applause gives place to-
The silent melody of thought that sings
A ceaseless requiem to the sainted dead
We come with no inconsolable lamentation
on our lips. He desired mo moaning OF the
bar when he put out to sea- We thank
heaven for the inestimable blessing SO early
bestowed and so long continued to this IA
vored institution, and we bow to the infinite
| will and wisdom that has taken it away He
| lives in the potent influence which his life
! and character still exerts on our lives ana
characters He lives in the homage and graf
! itude of every student who ever graduated
! from the university, and will continue SO to
live as long at least as any OF these shall live.
In no manner can. we better show our ap-
probation of Governor Pillsbury than by en-
ulating his pure, patriotic, unselt1sh life Our
resolve on this occasion should be to en-
| body in our, lives the beautiful qualities OF
| the life we commemorate and to take up
| his work and carry it on By SO doing we
/ shall honor him and immeasurably benefit
| ourselves. All things fully weighed and de-
| liberately considered, I declare without hest:
tationS or exception that the best and mos,
lovable man ever knew was John Sargent
Pillsbury. Iii. .--l sr..,.. " 80, =. x
Eulosy of Ex-Gov. Lind.
Governor Lind's address was in part al
follows:
1t is one of my most cherished memories
! Of public life; to have been q colaborer with
Governor Pillsbury. dare hardly say thai
| I knew him. For none of us did wholly
Tho future historian of our state will assign
him the rank and place among his contem:
poraries that his public spirit and his public
| services deserve.
The value Of services in public position
cannot be determined by the number of Office!
held or the years of occupancy. The true
measure is the work done for the publ:
good. We have the contribution :of John S
Pillsbury. We know that it was for the good
Governor Pilsbury's magnificent donations
to this institution and for other public pur
poses refer to only in proof of his democ
racy and Of the public spirit of the man
Public spirit and patriotism are the charac
teristics Of all his bounties. bad they beer
dictated by ostentatiousness or selfish pride
he would not have chosen the state-the pub
lic-proverbally the most thankless Of bene
fciaries, to be the recipient Of his most gen
erous gifts. With the money which he do
mated to the state, directly and indirectly
he might have endowed a church or a de
nonninatonal~ or private school, after tn
fashion of most millionaires, sufficiently II
create a cult to perpetuate his name an,
memory. But with the insight OF the patriot
as the true benefactor of his kind, he CAV
, of his means and of his time not to the up
, building of any class or section of the com
munty, but to the service of society as
whole. ,s. t-.s.- 81,
We Of to-day think Of the friend whom W
knew, rather than of the public benefactor
We remember the kindly man better than TIL
, statesman. The intuition Of the people doe
| not analyze; it passes sentence. The judg
ment Of the people on the public services O
John s. Pillsbury is Well done!
President Northrop. -
President Northrop, among othe
, things, said:
This is probably the first commencement
of the University of Minnesota at which Gov
ernor Pillsbury has not been present, an
if it is possible for spirits in the other worl
, to revisit the scenes of their earthly labor
and interests, I doubt not that he is here wit
us to-day. 1t is eminently appropriate tina
on this first commencement since his death
we should specially remember him.
have no wish to make careful analyst
Of the powers or characteristics of our dc
parted friend. I choose rather to speak {
him as he presented himself to the worlt
3 He was man. With marvellous judgmer
and common sense he raised himself fro1
. an ordinary business man to statesnfa.
nobly meeting the needs OF the. common
wealth, and, as governor, guiding the stat
: away from the path Of dishonor and dis
honesty to that of honor and good faith.
His greatest monument is the Universit
of Minnesota, which was so dear to his hear
and for which he gave so generously of hi
time and strength and means, and his men
Dry as a. noble benefactor and friend will.