The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1905-07-12

because others take it. Put on no
man 8 coat because it is becoming to
him. Make your point Of view YOUR
standpoint. Don't proclaim it as
the hub of the universe, it is onlv
firing line, but stand on it and
fire.
Don't chase the easy dollar. Mon.
ey is good, but money will come if
you do your work we'll. Give the
world full value, and the world will
prize and pay you for the character
your honest effort will have developed.
ana even the bad world appreciates
character. Did you not notice how
'e~ weeks ago one of the great finan-
oiai institutions, under charges Of
financial graft, searched this country
to find a man of national reputa-
ton aud of shining purity of char
acter?
det that character and reputation,
get for yourselves the benefit of the
exercise of mind and body that comes
from earning money, but let your dol
lars be but the evidence of the recoe-
nized value of your work in the
world.
Having that, however, having char
aeter, require it Of others. Help to
create a demand for honesty. Hav-
ing done your duty as man or as A
woman to yourselves, do your duty
to the rest of us-do the work of a
member of society, of citizen Of the
world.
In free democratic nation such as
ours, we-you who are at your COM
mencement and I who have como back
here to the beginnings-I tell you
that we need men and women who
not en!y will not lie, or steal, or cheat,
or bribe, but will make crimes crimi.
nal and fraud and graft disgrace,
even though the wrongdoers live next
door, belong to our club, 60 to our
church.
That l may not in any wise be mis-
understood l say to you again that
this indictment of our business life il
not based upon an inherent, incurable
defect in our American character,
but, on the contrary, these evils are
an outgrowth of our American strenu-
osity in the riotous race for the easy
dollar and the many dollars. 1 wish
to distinctly avoid leaving the impress
sion upon your minds that an unduly
large proportion Of the American peo.
pie are Of the class which I have
sought to call to account. Rather let
me, in conclusion, point you to the
silver lining to this cloud; emphasiz-
ing the fact that although the indict-
ment is well founded, nevertheless,
we may rest assured that in the hearts
OF the genuine men and women, the
plain people as we'll as those who have
had the advantages of higher eduoa-
tion, and I will not include those Who
have had the advantages or disadvan-
tages, as you may choose, ccmps-
tency, there is an appreciation Of the
Importance Of character; that the rank
and file of the American people not
only believe in, but stand for right
living and conscience uudimmed
and unfettered by business environ
ments.
Therefore, right and honesty will
triumph; saturnalia Of graft and an
era Of grab will find itself short lived,
eliminated by the uplifting influences
Of educated men and women of char.
.acter, Q contamination which will re-
eeiye fresh vigor and renewed impulse
from those who today are .."back to
beginnings"
You and I have enough Of the opti-
mist in our makeup, we have suffi-
oient faith in the ultimate destiny Of
our country, to feel convinced that
there is no Indication Of the presence
of an ineradicable disease in our ma.
tionsl life. In fact, I have spoken
thus plainly because am convinced
that cure is possible and that this
cure will come through the efforts of
men and women such as you.
Wherefore, ladies and gentlemen of
Oberlin, 1905, start right, steer right,
stay righ: and-make the rest of us
come stbaok to hep;unin1a