The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-05-05

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trs.i.ntions because they see there an
ornortunftv OF doing permanent WORK ia
r. raiuyenotfon and rcconstruction u
Southern life. Their names are not
known bv many people in his audience
they are not In the public eye. but WINE"
Tho next decade you vii! see the achieN'-
meuts OF this band OF scholars VINO
xyorkine in the name OF truth for the
widening OF the horizons OF human Know
edge. -.
with the advance OF scholarship IN 'he
South and with the scholar fecosh'
tion OF hi3 place IN q democratic ofiei,
there have come and win come. more anu
moro freedom OF thought and freedom
of speech. Scholars are bringing to bear
,,non southern life the infaence OF no
dorm ideas ard insisting on open-mind-
edness and cosmopolitanism rs the prime
virtues of q progressive people. Teachers
or literature and are bringing young men
into a larger world of thought- On
amber ether, a divine air =
striving to put them in touch
with the best revelation of genius
and the artistic record of their race.
Teachers of history. with scientific acura-
cv ana yet a vital feeling for the past.
are bringing to US tho experience OF inc
world as a guide for our future lie, anu
are writing the history Of THIS sect1oh
not according to the demands OF sent!-
ment. but with the accuracy OF truth.
Teachers of political science are giving
due Interpretation to the new industrl'i
order now so manifest. and are bringing
10 the new- social problems engendered
thereby the results OF the best experience
of England and the North. Teachers OF
and theOreticat-arn
making US familiar with scientific prin-
ciples and methods, and are bringing INTO
our thought those truths that have reVo-
lutionized modern philosophy. Teachers
of Biblical literature. loyal TO the essen
tial ruth of the old faith, are yet brave
enough to accept truth from whatever
source it may come and to abide by the
truth wherever it may lead.
Such scholars cannot do their work
without exciting opposition and preiu-
dice. The question of academic freedom
is a live question here, as elsewhere IN
the country. More than many have real
lied. freedom of speech has won It's
place in southern institutions. Professor
Trent was attacked severely by some
Southern newspapers and public men for
his life OF William Gilmore Simms and
Southern Statesmen of the Old Regime,
but the University of the South was
thoroughly loyal to him while many men
in other institutions rallied about MIN.
Professor Houston was attacked for GER
tain opinions of Southern history, but
he is today ct the head of, a leading insti-
tuition of Texas and highly honorcd
throughout the South. The recent fore
ed resignation of Professor Sledd would
not have taken place in some southern
institutions with which I am acquainted
and whose faculties unhesitatingly con
o...1 +ha cotton nF tho Fronru Cn11ppn
trustees. A book containing the adj
dresses of a dozen Of the most prominent
presidents and professors OF Southern
colleges would be a surprise to the aca-
demic circles of the North that have not
watched closely the development of tho
most recent phases Of southern life. The
Sewanee Review that has just completed
ten years successful history and the South
Atlantic Quarterly, now in it's second
year, have given notable expressions to
the most thoughtful opinions of Southern
scholars.
While giving due attention to these un-
Unstable evidences OF increasing freedom
and cosmopolitanism, l would not mini
mize the struggle yet to be made before
they shall be generally recognized and
established. Unfortunately, many lead
ers of educational work are iatterers.
rather than leaders of the people. and SO
stand in the way of genuine progress.
| nave heard more than one president
of prominent southern institutions make
light of men who were independent in
their thought and free in their utterancc.
Tradition, conservatism, bigotry, prejl-
dice, here as elsewhere, must stand in
the way of the children of light. In the
South. least of all, should a scholar be
dumb, or the institution of learning hide
it's light under q bushe! The Southern
college needs to become a more vital
factor in the life of the people: not
timid or overcautiOus, but brave, even as
those who love truth and are the friends
of progress. You cannot write the his
tory of modern Germany without record
ing the heroic work of German scholars.
Thc story of the renascence of New Eng
land is but half told when Harvard Col
lege is omitted. In the industrial. edu-
cational and intellectual progress of the
Southern States the colleges that will de-
serve most consideration from the future
historian are those that will at the
present time become the leaders and the
inspirers of the people.
I have just one fear about the notable
utterances made by northern men at this
conference. There is a danger that ir
all that is being said by them in the way
- SiH oQL4it HEROES, ana d0ODt-
ing Southern points of view, We of the
South may become confirmed in our pro-
vincialism, established in our isolation
with regard to some things. This VIII
not happen If we meet the sentiments of
these gentlemen with equal
equal candor and equal magnanimity. If
we are all rejoicing that Southern me,
are seeing some of their mistakes ord
are learning from us, we must not blind
ourselves to the fact that We have much
10 learn from them, much to unlearn from
ourselves We must remember hat we
nave defects, limitations that can ou,v
De overcome by the largest possible con-
tact with other men and other civiliza-
lions. We were all profoundly stirred
by the discriminating and heartfelt eulo-
gies OF Jackson, Lee and Grady bv the
gifted orator Of Brooklyn. viii South
ern men speak just as discriminatineIv
ana heartfelt tributes to Sumner. Web
ster and Lincoln-the champion of free
DOM, the interpreter Of the nat,ona, iaoo
the preserver of the Union? Shall we moi