The Minneapolis journal., 1904-06-02
JUDGE WILSON'S ADDRESS
Deals with Relations of Educated PeO-
pie to Great Problems.

In the address which Thomas Will
son, LII. D. of the board Of regents
delivered to the graduating students
this morning he considered compre-i
hensively the problems with which the
American government and the Ameri-
can people have to deal and of the
practices which menace the true and
proper solution of those problems.
With this general thought in mind he
made specific statements regarding the
duties Of university men as citizens.
A short statement of the great COM
mercial movements in the country
showed America to- be one Of the fore
most in the world, in the amount OF
accumulated capital, in natural re-
sources and productiveness, as we'll as
in the ability of her statesmen and
Accomplishments of her scholars. With
such evidences Of progress and pros
perity, perplexing duties and obliga-
tions have arisen but if they are dis
charged wisely, the speaker asserted,
there is no reason why the future of
America should not be beyond the
brightest dreams.
In the comparison between the
American government under present
conditions and as planned and out
lined by the trainers Of the constitu-
ton it was seen that new political or
CARNATIONS and new forces have arisen
which put a very definite restraint
upon the government and impair Its
strength Not until the civil war, said
subjected to any strain and such con-
Gitions guarantee good citizenship,
but since that time, with the develop
ment Of corporate power, with the in
| f1uence it exertS upon state and ma
| tional legislatures, there had grown
| the illegal methods Of obtaining
wealth, the speaker said in part: 81
do not hesitate to affirm that, in my
| opinion, the corporations of this cOun-
| try, by the issuance and sale of their
capital stock, back Of which there is
not dollar of money or property, are
collecting from the people millions of
dollars annually"
The growth of unions was defended
as natural and just, tho the lawless
| means and methods to which they
sometimes resort was deeply re-
GREETED.
The conditions existing in America
for caring for those men of the great
| commercial army who are injured
or in caring for those who are de-
pendent upon those killed at their
work, were contrasted with the condi-
tions in other countries much to the
detriment Of the United States.
The speaker dWelt upon the polit-
ical degeneracy of the country as
shown by the growth in the number of
| "self-seeking parasites, professional
politicians and public disgraces
(which inevitably result by giving these
men power and placing them in public
office. Regarding the man who de-
pends upon the professional politician
for his advancement the speaker said:
"He has mortgaged himself and
must pay the debt or b eforeclosed.'
AS evidences Of his statements
cases of officials on the bench, in
Alaska, the Philippines, state legis-
latures and city councils were cited
One Of the principal causes of this de-
generacy Judge Wilson considered the
apathy with which the more educated
/ and forceful men regarded public
/ duties, in this way throwing power
into the hands of the wire puller and
political boss.
A university education, as defined
by the speaker, is intended more fol-
the benefit of the state than the in
dividual student, by broadening anC
Strengthening morally and mentally
the men who seek their training ir
that institution, fitting them to cope
successfully with the great govern
mental problems.
The speaker was, not pessinistit
about the conditions prevailing witt
people in general but declared tha
the majority were patriotic tho in neec
Of educated, capable men to take thu
initiative. To do this, he contended
I was the privilege of the qualified uni
versity graduate and in this case, op
portunity was the correlative of duty
i