The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-11-02
EFFECT 0F UNIVERSITIES
Carnegie Says They Unfit A
Man For Commercial Work.
FAVORS PUBLIC SCHOOLS
University Education Tends to Make
Clergyman a Religious Anaroh.
ist-The Inconsistency Of Com
peIllng Sailors to Study the
Classics.

pelIlns Sailors to Study the
Classics.
An American who was recently
guest of Andrew Carnegie at Skibo
Castle sends to the New York World
from Scotland an account of his visit,
from which the following is an ex-
cerpt:
The subject of education came up A
learned Dutch baron declared that
many people are over-educated.
"Yes," remarked Mr.. Carnegie, Lord
Reay, here, who speaks five languages,
knows too much"
In reply to a question, the philoso-
pher of Skibo launched out this way:
zone of the alterations of the age
is the sacrifice of time to ancient clas-
sizes on the part of young men prepar-
ing for a business career. A man with
a university education is man lost to
commerce. A young man who begins
business at Is is very much better off
than he who spends three or four years
in a university studying old ruffians
skirmishes among savages in the clas-
sizes is no preparation for man going
into the iron. steel or coal business.
Greek and Latin are no more use than
ChoCtaw, except to the few. why
should English sailors have to learn
the language of Virgil, Horace and Cic-
ero? English officers study classics.
What's the result? They have foolish
courage Instead of saving themselves
they allow themselves to be shot and
say they are dying for their country.
prefer an officer who would make an
intelligent run when necessary and
then come back and live for his Coun-
try"
DO you condemn university educa-
tion for all?"
"By no means. | am speaking of the
uselessness of university education for
the young man who has to make his
way in life. The man who is born to
wealth can do as he pleases. He has
no interest for me. He rarely amounts
to anything, any way. Those prepar-
ing for professional pursuits should go
to the university by all means"
do you make any exception"
YES; clergymen. University educa-
tion Injuries them. 1t leads them to
higher criticism. They begin to pick
begin that they are done for; they are
no good for religion. They lead to in
tellectual and religious anarchy"
A remark by Mr.. Carnegie about
looking to the masses of the people to
cure social ills led to q conversation
upon democracy.
Are you still as devout a believer in
the people as when you wrote 'Trium-
phant Democracy Mr.. Carnegie" |
Queried.
Yes" he replied. Years have made
me love that teaching more and more.
If democracy does not succeed then
there is no hope for humanity. The
getting a show. | have no fear for
democracy in America. When things
begin to go seriously wrong there the
people set them right with sudden
jerk"
What is the greatest American in
stitution?" | asked.
THE public school house"
What makes America so great?"
Equality and the fact that its foun-
dation was laid by colonizing race"
Does your republicanism diminish
by absence?"
mo. 1t increases. / am more re-
publican than if ] had been born in
America, for | realize better the mean
ing of the word republic. The great
thing is to be a citizen and not a sub
ject."
Talking of annexation, he said: Can
ada will yet annex us; so will Mexico.
Both will ask the privilege of coming
into the Union. We will not force
them. The request If properly prof
fered will not be refused. We should
have taken Canada in the War of Inde-
pendence. 1t would have been Just as
easy"
From this the conversation drifted to
temperance. Turning to one of his
guests, who had the stuff of a social
Il have the best temperance lecture
in Scotland. | give an increase of 10
per cent in their wages to all my men
who come TO me at the end of the year
and tell me they have been total alb
stainers. 1t works like a charm. They
are all temperate; all have money in
the bank. My young chauffeur might
retire tomorrow, and the interest on his
money would bring in 5000 year"
DO they ever pretend to be abstain
ers when they are not?" | asked
mo. A Scotchman will not lie to
you. He knows his Bible and his
Burns. 1t may be the Bible, but [
think 1t is the influence of the national
poet, who taught them that "a man is a
man for a that"