The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1906-02-08
DREAM OF ANCIENTS
REPUBLIC OF LETTERS NOW ON
POINT OF REALIZATION.
Scientific Spirit of the Age Removes
the Barriers Between Nations
Interesting Re-
suits.

suits.
The ideal of n 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 a common language in the ex-
preston of common religious faith
is in process of accomplishment once
more with characteristic differences.
says the London Morning Post II i9
the scientific spirit of the times that
has removed the barriers between ma
tion and nation, to allow of the free
Interchange of knowledge and of the
ideals based 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 ho common language; but It
has a common faith In the power Of
scientific principles to advance knowI-
edge and TO prepare for its further adj
vancement We record to-day fur
ther stage in the progress toward In
ternational unity in u scientific and
educational endeavor. Columbia um
versity has established in the univcr.
sity of Berlin a professorship of the
history and institutions of the United
States, to be held by series OF Amer
ican scholars OF repute for one year
each. The trustees OF Columbia uni
versity will nominate American schol.
ars for tho 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 emnence in
their special studies; they are to give
| instruction in German to the BerlI.
students, and they will be so chosen
as to present in successive years an
outline Of the history, the constttu.
tional and administrative law, the ed.
ucational, scientific and technogcal
work, the art and literature aud the
economic and sociological movements
of the United States. In return the
German government will establish a
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 exactncss
in the language used by the students
in either country must be divided
among the German emperor and Dr
Nicholas Murray Butler, who, we TN
derstand, discussed II last August at
Wilhelmshohe; DR.. Athof, of the
Prussian ministry of education. "a
whose advice the scheme owes much,
President Roosevelt. after whom TIC
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
Speyer, whose splendid gift OF $50,
900 has given substance 10 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 so Ia
vorable an estimate OF the work done
by the English universities that he
should express his hope Tor 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 II remains toI
some rich EnglishmaD to give II sub
stance. The professorship of colonial
history recently established at Ok
ford by the munificence OF South
African is an effort in the same dl
rection. We are of opinion that an in
terchange OF professors between Brit
ish universities. old and new. and
colonial universities. such as the Me
Gin university. OF Montreal. would do
much To promote that intimacy be
| tween the component parts of the
British empire, which is ior this coun'
try even more important Than intorna
tional amity. Charity should begin
but should by no means end. with
those who are OF the same household