The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1906-09-06
DREAM OF ANCIENTS
REPUBLIC OF LETTERS NOW ON
POINT OF REALIZATION.
Scientific Spirit of the Age Removes
the Barriers Between Nations
Interesting Re-
suits.

The ideal of a republic Of letters is
approaching nearer and nearer toward
full realization in the modern world
What was partially accomplished in
the prime Of medieval Europe by the
use Of common language In the ex-
preston OF common religious faith
more with characteristic differences
says the London Morning Post 1t is
the scientific spirit of the times that
has removed the barriers between ma
interchange of knowledge and Of the
ideals basel upon knowledge. The
modern world, by which is understood
not only Europe. but the American.
African aud Australian continents and
the Indian, Japanese and Chinese en-
pires, has 10 common language; but it
has a common faith in the power Of
scientific principles to advance knowl-
edge and TO prepare for its further ad-
vancement. We record to-day a fur
ther stage in the progress toward in
ternationel unity In scientific and
educational endeavor. Columbia uni
versity has established In the Univer-
sity of Berlin a professorship Of the
history and institutions Of the United
States, to be held by series of Amer
lean scholars of repute for one year
each. The trustees of Columbia uni
Iversity will nominate American schol-
ars for the Theodore Roosevelt"
chair at Berlin, and the Prussian min
lister Of education will make the op-
pointment. These professors are to
be men of acknowledged eminence in
their special studies: they are to give
instruction in German to the Berlin
students, and they will be so chosen
as to present in successive years an
outline of the history, the constitu-
tional and administrative law, the ed
ucational, scientific and technogical
work, the art and literature and the
economic and sociological movements
of the United States. In Deturn the
German government will establish
similar chair at Columbia university,
with the object of presenting in Eng
lish TO the students OF that seat of
learning an outline of German history
and German institutions
The praise due for the bold con-
ception and prompt fulfillment of this
scheme for the international exchange
of ideas and of ideals through the me-
dium of professors qualified to ex-
pound them with scientific exactness
in the language used by the students
In either country must be divided
among the German emperor and DR..
Nicholas Murray Butler, who. we un-
derstand, discussed it last August at
Wflhelmshohe; DR.. Athoff, of the
Prussian ministry of education, to
whose advice the scheme owes much:
President Roosevelt, after whom the
chair at Berlin will be named, and
whose wide outlook upon the world
has given so great an impetus to
the intellectual life of his country
men, and last. but not least. James
SpeyeF, whose splendid gift Of $780,
900 has given substance to what would
otherwise have remained a mere as
piration. We are gratified that the
visit which DR.. Butler paid to this
country during last summer should
have left upon his acute mind 80 IA
vorable an estimate of the work done
by the English universities that he
should express hts hope for an IN
terchange of the same kind between
one or other of them and his own
University of Columbia. That. too,
is an aspiration, and It remains for
some rich Englishman to give it sub
stance. The professorship of colonial
history recently established at Ok
ford by the munificence of a South
African is an effort in the same di-
rection. We are of opinion that an in
terchange of professors between Brit
sh universities, old and new, and
colonial universities, such as the Nc
CHI university, of Montreal. would do
much to promote that intimacy be-
tween the component parts of the
British empire, which Is for this coun-
try even more important than interna-
tional amity. Charity should begin,
but should by no means end, with
hose who are of the same household.