, 1905-06-19
PRESIDENT T|SDEL
TO THE GRADUATES

s
power has been passed on to the plain
people. The wealthy me the ari- ID
cratic are still powerful. They Al, FEB"
control legislatures Il dictate gov
ernmental policies; but then influence
is not direct Il autocratic, as Of old,
it has ceased to be authoritative. To
prevail it must either persuade ol
hoodwink the people. The ultimate
power belongs to the plain people and
upon the plain people rests the respOn
sibility for the success of our civil
cation.
Now it has long been the function Of
the university to educate the ruling
classes; consequently this increase OF
the ruling classes has enlarged in
measurably the function of the uniycr-
sity.
Authority II leadership belong not
to ignorance. If the plain people are
to rule they must somehow learn how
to rule well. If the plain people are to
guide the destiny of our civilization.
they must acquire the wisdom which
belongs to competent guides. In
America we have a sublime faith in the
wisdom of the people; and ii is well
But We rely not upon the blind in
stincts of men; we rely upon their en-
lightened common sense. We make a
mistake if we put a blind confidence in
the Instability of a majority just be
cause it is a majority. If the majority
does not register a thoughtful and EN-
lightened judgment. it will be right
only by chance. Indeed, it is upon
this theory that the state supports a
public school system and insists at
tendance of the children. 1t is upon
this theory That the state offers to
all the people through its university
the privileges of the higher education.
Our modern democracy cannot under
stand itself and its function by in
stinct and inspiration. 1t is the func-
ton of ~educucation, especially of Il
soH>A " ~ ~
cy to itself. The university has a much
larger duty to perform than to teach
young people how to make a living,
great as that function is. The state
needs men who can take care Of them
selves and develop the material re-
sources of the community, but this is
only a part of good citizenship in its
highest and broadcast sense The uni
versity must educate the leaders and
teachers of modern democracy. It must
send out men who have the power to
make sane and just judgments on mat
tiers of public concern. We have
ceased to look for guidance to the
wealthy and the aristocratic. To whom
shall We look if not to the enlightened
and the educated? The university has
a large share in the responsibility of
moulding the popular will. it must
interpret democracy to itself and point
the way for advancement.
In the first place the university must
interpret to democracy the lessons of
the past. Patrick Henry in his famous
speech in the Virginia house of repre-
sentatives said. Il have but one lamp
by which my feet are guided and that
is the lamp of experience. | know of
no way of judging the future but by
the past" Modern democracy should
be guided by the lessons of the past
and the university is the conservator
n Interpreter of the past. Perhaps
the n thing which the past emDha-
sizes above others is the universally
n in%violability of law. The history
OF the material universe is a history
OF law. All the mighty worlds which
sweep through space have come into
being by due process of law and they
move along determined pathways in
constant obedience to law. Men are
porn into a world of law and all our
health and wealth both as individuals
and as communities depend upon our
learning these laws, and obeying and
utilizing them. Mr.. Lyman Abbott
phrases the point well when he says,
Every man is born into a world of
law as regards himself. He must find
OUT what are the laws of health. Nor
Is 1t enough to find out what are the
general laws of health; he must find
u what are the laws of his own
health, what his brain can do. and his
stomach, and his arms, and he must
ADJUST his place in life to the laws of
MS own being. Law is not an evil.
Liberty and law are not antipodal. We
10 not como into liberty by setting
aside law. Liberty is not the right
OF every man to follow his own sweet
VIII; liberty lies in living in harmony
Win these laws In conformity to these
Jaws, 1 n obeying these laws and then
IN making these laws our servitors and
our upbuilders. Obedience is the con-
dltion Of liberty" The liberty which
we worship is not the liberty of the saw
age. The most important thing about
q savage Is not his liberty; it is his
limitations. Our liberty is the result
OF civilization and civilization has been
developed according to the fixed laws
a -. NvNn&fnp,a1 nm -o~o o