The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-04-29

 opinions which I can put into the same sentence. The conferences have taught me why and how absolutely it is not sectional; not merely a southern but a national problem This stirring note of nationality rings clear and distinct in a score of southern addresses and thus upon that higher ground of a common sympathy and a common devotion south ern and northern opinion meets in these conferences.
 "A wise and kindly southerner tells me until I came to one of these confer ences 1 had a secret pleasure in all the bad things I heard about the north; now only the good things l hear will give me pleasure l see that 1t is as bad to have ills happen in the north as Tn the south
 Another southerner gives me this cheering opinion, Every year as the con ference closes I go away with stronger hope. The more We get done for educa- tion the less I fear the difficulties ahead
 Many of us have noted that the genu- inc cynic and pessimist about the educa- tion of the democracy is rarely the man hard at work at the problem.
 ITO organize workers in a good cause is, at the same time, to create an atmos- phere of hope. An old definition of a pes snst runs thus-A pessimist is a man who. when two evils are presented to him to choose between, takes both of them. But this passion for all the evils in sight Is almost never the affllction of one who is absorbed In any positive and construc- tive social work.
 Practical Pessimists.
 "we often quote the dear old lady who said I have had many troubles in my life, but most of them never happened and l knew a doctor who said that the hardest patients he ever had to cure were those that had nothing the matter with them.
 Let me speak frankly about one kind of practical pesslmist who is not only the watch for both evils, but for a lot O. evils that never will happen. We have tlem in the north, you have them in the south It is that variety of political dem- agogue who sees his personal advantage in exaggerating every point of difference between north and south; turgidly over stating every sectional Jealousy and ev- cry political antagonism. This has al- ways been the devils own way of keep ing evil things alive in this world Against no common nuisance do we more need to be on our guard
 There is an old story of two, boon companions doing their zig-zag best to get home after an evening in the tap room. They fall out on the way and be- gin boozy alteration, which ends in one turning his back upon the other, who says to him: You needn't turn your back on me, that don't do any good. because you are drunk all through We'll. these demagogues are bad all through, and should not fool us, much less direct our attention from the main work of con- ctructive social and educational better ment.
 There are personal as we'll as national quarres so old that the only fitting treat ment is to bury them decently, but thor oughly. There is a quaint medieaval le- n Of ha 1\fGta r1a fa which the Almighty was rather too famil- iarly represented upon the stage, though it was not thought to be blasphemous in those days. In one of these an oldish man who Is still harping on a quarrel in his youth meets the Lord, who says to him: My child, have a word of counsel for you. You had a sorry wrangle many years ago. That was bad, but it was not half so bad as never to forget it. But how said the man, can forget It.? The Lord replied: Nothing Is easier Begin to reckon up the good quality in all the people you have to do with. Every good trait you note down will weaken little your bitter memory, and when your list of good traits reaches the number of years in a generation your mind will be so full of good that evil memories will have lost all their power over you
 His Last Witness.
 This leads to my last witness, who gives tribute that seems to me very precious. Before 1 came south my mind was filled rather with the points upon which the north and south arc likely to differ. Every conference has helped to change that Those points of disagree ment have steadily sunk into the back ground and more and more prominently have come into my mind the points of agreemnt
 Now. almost instinctively, I try to find not how we differ or what separates us, but what 1t is that unites us in the common work of making our whole nat onal life strong and safe. I wonder if one could express in filter phrase the deeper faiths at the heart of this con ference work, an increasing purpose to find those ways along which with the knitted strength of all together, north, south east and west, we may as one peo- pie carry on that highest hardest task given to the new century of education- l will not say others-but ourselves with others so that our national life and will may become not only strong and safe but humane and just"
 Professor Mitchell.
 In the absence of Governor A. J. Monta- gue of Virginia, who was unable to at tend the conference, Prof. s. c. Mitchell of Richmond, Va, was called upon to address the conference on "The Present
 
 Revolution, Which?"
 The speaker made a strong impression and was often applauded by the audi ence He referred to Governor Montague of Virginia. Governor Aycock of North Carolina, Governor Frazier of Tennessee, the Hon. Hoke Smith of Georgia in flat tering terms for the interest manifested by them in all educational movements in their respective states. He also paid a glowing tribute to the press of the south. He declared that the negro has made phenomenal progress since the civil war
 Bishop Sessums.
 The Right Rev. Davis sSessums, L. l.. D., Protestant Episcopal bishop of Louisi- ana, was called upon by President Ogden to give some of his impressions of the conference. Ills tribute to the hospitality of the people of Birmingham was grace ful and hearty and brought forth much applause. In his remarks Bishop Ses- sums referred eulogistically to Bishop Galloway, President ogden and others who participated in the conference He amused the audience by declar- ing that 'in South Carolina education has not gone to the dogs but on the other hand the dogs have come to education" He also referred briefly to educational conditions in Alabama, Tennessee. Miss issppi. Louisiana and other southern states presented by the representatives from those several states to the confer ence for education in the south.
 The Negro.