The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-02-24

MS L4A~A1 AAo ~ o. "a s~@t ~
uplifting them spiritually and material
~. Here at home we are obeying this
maxim of W~ashin.gons just so far as
we help in every movement, whether
Undertaken by tha Government, or as
is, and should be, more often the case,
by voluntary ac ion among private cit
liens, for the betterrnent Of our own
people. Observe that Washington
speaks both OF justice and beneyoIence,
and that he puts justice fl
De generous, We must hep L p03r=r
brother, but above all We must renen
her to be just; and the first step toWard
securing justice is to treat every man
on his worth as a man, showing him
no special favor but 50 far as may be
holding open for him the door Of op-
~portunity SO that reward may wait
upon honest and Intelligent eadeavor.
Again Washington said: '1Cherisl
public credit" Just at Ghe moment
there is no attack on public credit, but
If even the temptation arises again let
our people at the outset remember that
the worst because the most inSidiouS
form of the dishonest debtor is that
man who would persuade him that =
is anything bUs dishonest for him D
repudiate his debts.
Finally, it is peculiarly appropriate,
when I have come to this city as the
guest of the University of Pennlsy1va-
mia, to quote another of Washing,pn's
maximS: Promote, as an object of
primary Importance, institutions for
THE general diffusion of knowledge. Jn
proportion as the structure Of a gov
gives force Ito public opinion,
it is essential that public opinion
should be enlightened" Education may
not make a good citizen, but moss GER
tainly ignorance tends ito prevent his
being a good citizen. Washington was
far too much of a patriot, had far too
much love for his fellow citizens. to
thy to teach them that they could gov
erm themselves unless they could de-
Velop a sound and enlightened puolic
opinion. No nation can permanently le-
tain free government unless it can re-
tain "a high average of citizenship; ana
there cam be no such high average of
crtlzensh1p without a high average Of
using %he word in it's broad
est and trueSt sense to include the
Things of the IL as wei as the thin, IS
of the mind. School education can nevAr
supplant or take the place of self-edu-
cai1on, still less can it in any way AXE
the place of those rugged and manly
qualities which VIE group together un-
der the ultaIne Of character; but it can
De OF enormous use In Supplementary
b0tn. 1t is a source of just pride to
every American THAI our people have
SO consistently acted in accordance
with W~ashingtCn's principle of pronot-
ing institutions for the diffusion Of
knowledge. There is nothing dearer 10
our hearts than our public school sys-
Tenn, by which free primary education
IS provided for every one within our
borders. The higher education. such as
is provided by THE University of Perm
s~ylvanfa and kindred bodies, mot only
confers great benefits to those able to
talk advantage of 1t, but entails upon
Ehem corresponding duties.
The men who founded this nation had
to deal with theories Of government
and the fundamental principles Of free
institutions. We are now concerned
with a different set of questions, for the
Republic has been firmly established.
its principles thoroughly tested and
fully approved. To merely political is
sues have succeeded those of grave So
cial and economic Importance, the solu-
ton of which demands the best efforts
Of the best men. We have a right to
expect that a wise and leading part
in the effort to attain this solution will
be taken by those who have been ex-
ceptionally blessed in the matter of
obtaining an education. That college
graduate is but a poor creature who
does not feel when he has left college
that he has received something for
which he owes a return. What he thus
owes he a as a rule only pay by the
way he bears himself throughout life.
1t is but occasionally that a college
graduate can do much outright for his
alma mater; he can best repay her by
living a life hat will reflect credit
upon her, by SO carrying himself as
a citizen that men shall see that the
years spent in training him have not
been wasted. The educated man is en-
titled to no special privilege, save the
inestimable privilege Of trying to show
that his education enables him to take
the lead in striving to guide his fell
lows Alright in the difficult task which
is set to us of the twentieth century.
The problems before us today are very
complex, and are widely different from
those which the men of Washington's
generation had to face; but we can
overcome them surely, n we can
overcome them only, if we approach
them in the spirit which Washington
and Washington's great supporters
brought to bear upon the problems OF
their day-the spirit of sanity and OF
courage, the spirit which combines
EdrO common SENSE Win the lOIlteSi4
idealiSfn,
CABLEGRAM FROM EMPORER
WILLIAM.
The following cablegram from EN-
peror William was received by Provost
Harrison:
cdr. Charles c. Harrison, provost
of the University or Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia:
ST am truly glad that the Universe
ty has rendered me at the same time
with President Roosevelt the academic
honor that once clothed George Wash
ington. T beg YOU to accept with my
thanks my best wishes for the contin-
ued growth and prosperity OF the uni
versity.
fSigned) ssWuHELM."
. ENTERTAINED AT LUNCHEON.
Tho President -oo khis a~ffArnonn |