The news & observer., 1905-10-13
UNIVERSITY DAY
Bold and Thoughtful
Speech of Col. Bingham.
Exercises at Chapel Hill Yesterday
in Celebration of The One
Hundred and Tenth An
niverSary.
niversary.
Especial to News and Observer

Chapel Hill, N. c., Oct 11.-This
is university Day" on the Hill and
it has been appropriately observed
At eleven o'clock, in Gerard Hail.
there were appropriate exercises and
an address by Col. Robert Bingham. a
distinguished alumnus; in the after
noon on the athletic field there was
a match game of football: and at
night an elegant reception was ten
dered the seniors and visitors to
Chapel Hill. There We're not a great
many visitors Three members Of the
executive committee of the board OF
trustees-Maj. John w. Graham, OF
Hillsboro, and DR.. r. II. Lewis and
Mr. Josephus Daniels, of Raleigh
were present, as was Mr. John Sprunt
Hill, a trustee from Durham. and
others.
When the exercises opened with
prayer by Rev. J. W. Wildman at Il
o'clock, every seat in the chapel was
occupied. 1t was a splendid and ali
inspiring audience, and an apprecia-
tive one us well. The University ar
chestra made fine music and six hun
dred voices rendered the three Univer-
sity hymns with fine effect. There is
no music equal to the singing of sew
eral hundred college students, led by
few fine male voices.
President Venable made a brief and
exquisite address on what constitutes
a true university, and set before the
youth q noble ideal He then intro
duced Col. Robert Bingham, the orator
of the day. Col. Binghams father.
Col. Bingham, and Col. Bingham's
son graduated at the University here,
and for three generations many of the
hoe r, ,lct, te, rod
for college at Bingham School. Liv-
ing at Asheville, where his school is
ffouriShing, Col. Bingham is not here
so frequently as when he lived in an
adjoining county, but his heart is as
loyal and true to his alma mater and
be rejoiced in the many evidences of
Improvement seen here on every side.
His address touched upon Southern
conditions in the days before the War
Between the States; on the horror OF
Reconstruction and its resultant evils;
on the present grand outlook for
the South in the proper discharge of
it's duty with reference to the great
world problems that must be solved.
1t was an original and virile paper.
pursued no beaten tracks. but cut
across the fields and made new roads
where he thought them necessary. 4
deep student of history and current
events he Illuminated his paper with
historical incidents and gave graphic
prophecies of large movements in
the world growing out of the Japanese
victory and the acquisition of the Phil
ippines. He does not doubt that with
in fifty years every foot Of land liz
North Carolina will be a portion of the
American Republic, AMI that it's des-
tiny is, with England, to dominate the
world. He is pessimistic with refer
ence to the negro question-the
gravest of questions. He did not say
SO. but the logic of his speech was
colonization or eXterminatiOn He
believed the first impractical and
hoped the last could be averted. The
address abounded III strong and Wig
orous and fresh statements and was a
discussion showing the result of forty
years of serious thought and investi-
cation. A brave Confederate soldier.
Col. Bingham rejoices that the Union
forces won and urges the young men
to turn their faces to the future and
to fight to overthrow the protective
tariff. one agency of the plutocrats.
that makes it impossible for America
to get a large share of the worlds
markets.
At the conclusion of Col. Bingham's
address. which was warmly applaud
ed, the following hymn, to the tune
of annie Laurie" was sung and the
morning exercises were over:
Every person present had been in
structed and interested, for aside from
his bold utterances. Col Bingham's
address abounded in facts and Incl
dents that make it valuable.
The exercises were closed by the
singing of the following Song of the
Old Alumni" six hundred voices join
ing in the words that swelled forth
to the strains of "Auld Lang Syne:"
Fair Hill! thy woodlands, lawns and
streams.
Deep graved in memory's truth
Full oft have mingled with our
dreams.
And called us back to youth.
Ref-Advance anew the White and