The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-01

Preceding DR.. Sheldon on the pro-
gramme Mrs. Frank S. Thomas sang
Snow Flakes and Little Thief" Miss
Gertrude Tracy was the accompanist.
Mr. r. E. P. Cline. of the department
of elocutfon of Ottawa university, re-
cited zone Touch Of Nature Eugene
Fields Little Boy Blue" and H Ci
Burners ''One, Two. Three"
In his address on the subject of 1.-THE
Product of a True Education" Dr.
Sheldon said:
There was a time when political
economy was taught in the colleges
with scarcely any reference made from
beginning to end to the matter of the
ethical relation of men to men in bust
ness. The whole affair was treated
from purely technical standpoint.
Long chapters on the relation of supply
to demand, extensive treatiSeS on the
benefit of protection or free trade,
learned dissertations on theories of gov
eminent or trade or finance. but scarce
ly Il word on the relations of man to
man or of man to God. One Of the
most hopeful things about our educa-
tional life today is the fact that a
man could scarcely write a book on po-
htica1 economy now without making
very large account somewhere in it of
the factor of human sselfshnesS and the
need of human Righteousness. But it
is fair at this point to ask how much
ethical teaching can there be or will
there be in any college or university
along the line of right ways of making
money, when the university or college
takes with thanks and eulogy endow-
ment from men who have made their
money in absolutely dishonest and un-
Christian wavs.
gerous education or any more false edu-
cation than that which leaves a young
man or woman without positive convic-
lions in the matter of everyday ethics
as they have to do with the market
place. 1t is in order today without
question to establish in our schools and
universities and colleges, large and
small, chairs of applied ethics where
young men and women are taught
plainly that it is Just as wrong to steal
million dollars by mean, selfish and
Ioveless business methods as 1t is to steal
one dollar by taking it out of a mans
pocket.
There are thousands of young men in
admiration to the great captains of
industry who have amassed their
wealth, let US not be afraid to say it,
by absolutely dishonest and unchristian
processes, and because these men have
acquired, mot made for no man can
make money in such ways) because
these men have acquired such vast
sums, thousands of young men 1 say
all over this republic regard the indi-
yiGuals who have done it with adrnira-
copy the example of the master of
finance What place has education in
the matter of setting the young mind
right on this great question? What a
magnificent opportunity for the Chris
tian scholar, for the well equipped po-
litical economist to give his classes the
truth about these mattersl And there
are schools today where such profess
sorships are being established.
THE time is not far distant when
every college and university that has
not been Inundated and dishonored by
the reception of tainted money will have
as one of the first men among it's in
structorS a man with great intellect and
a great heart, who will lecture to young
men and women on the application of
the facts of life to the conduct of life
It is simply absurd to think of turning
out of school and college year after year
groups of graduates who know every
thing except the golden rule and the
mighty lesson of love of man to man.
To talk glibly about the settlement of
labor questions, to write learned papers
on sociological matters, to know the his
tory OF great historic movements, but
to be ignorant of the fact that the most
necessary thing for the settlement of
any of these differences is the actual
love of men for men, is to acknowledge
pitiable failure in our educational
systems.
There is also in the near future
believe the largest possible opening for