The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-05-30
University Alumni Hold Enthu- siastic Meeting in Afternoon
FERGUSON AGAIN PRESIDENT
Congressman Towne's Speech Was a Brilliant Effort and He Seemed at His Best Despite Ills
 Recent Illness.
BY PAUL COOK.

BY PAUL COOK.
 Tuscaloosa, May 9.-(speeial)-The feature of today's programme at the Uni versity of Alabama was an address de- llvered to the Society of the Alumni py Congressman Charles A. Towne Of the Fourteenth congressional district of New York. The speaker was introduced by Congressman Bowie of Anniston
 Mir. Townes speech was a brilliant ef- fort The distinguished orator seemed at his best, despite hIs recent illness ana delivered an address which Is considered one of the abest ever heard in Clark hall. Handsome. magnetic and intel lectual, combining a striking personality with rare gifts of mind, MT. Towne is an admirable speaker. He began his ad- dress by saying that seventy-fve years Is not long time in the history of university. but that period covered by the existence of the University of Ala bama was the most eventful in the worlds history. He traced the wonderful changes that have taken place since the birth of the American republic. the rapid rise of the United States to power, the great cataclysm of the Civil war and the sacrifices made in this struggle by the south.
 Destiny of Reunited People.
 The sneaker then referred to the des- tiny of a reunited people saying that the country, again become. one exerted be- nign influence over the whole world and made 1t better.
 MT. Towne discussed the theory of edu- cation in an able manner, saying that the student educated by the state repays the debt in after life by his services to the commonwealth.
 q 1,1rnjng to the question of American izenship Mr. Towne said we get so .-z seustoned to being American citizens x V 1t we sometimes forget what 1t means. swhy It took 5000 years to prepare for American citizenship" he said. When the patriots of America founded this country they founded 1t on liberty and equality, but as we have grown and de- yeloped a change has come over the face of things Theories are being advanced and the conceptions of liberty and jus tice are changing. Men are sapping our original convictions. but l maintain that in spite of the modern trend of thought the constitution as originally drafted is still applicable to all citizens.
 ''The august supreme court of the United States has decreed that the Philip nine islands may come under our law without joining the union. This means that all territory we may acquire in the future is entitled only to such liberty as we are willing to give, regardless of the constitution.
 Conceptions of Liberty and Law
 .'It is the fundamental conceptions of liberty and law, as embodied in our con stitution, that the universities should teach young men, so that they may be able to cope with the great questions of the day when they get out In the world.
 We were the pioneers in form of government. America had the first free government. representative in character and federated in convention Federation and representation solved the riddle of the ages. Greece and Rome had their so-called republics, but that of the United States was the first real republic In the worlds history.
 Tendency Toward Generalization.
 'Nowadays the tendency of politics is to center power in the national govern rent to the disadvantage of the states. Take, for example. the railroad freight bill. Here is a measure giving the fed eral government Jurisdiction over rail- road rates. This bill serves to further centralize power in the national govern ment and infringes states rights. There is a tendency to overdo centraliza- ton. We are continually magnifying the central power of the government.
 ''The reason for this situation of affairs should be studied in our universities. Students should be equipped with the fundamentals of government.
 "I cannot fully approve of some of the departures that are being made. but suppose that I must reconcile myself to this increasing aristocracy due to the. acouirement of possession across the seas. I must yield to the march of events. a natural result of the Anglo-Saxon long ing to reach out for greater domain.
 Love for the Old Days.
 But I cannot stfe my love for the old days and the old government which will last. I suppose. as long as l live There is no reason why the United States should pose as military world power. Even in the early period of history this coun- try exerted the greatest influence the world had ever felt, and who shall say that this government is not great by right not of armed authority, but of liberty? ..The United States constitution was the first ever written and 300 have been copied from it. Since the drafting of this docu- ment no event so molnentous has been recorded in history. It has three times reformed the British parliament 1t has yielded an influence over Germany and Italy. Today we see it dominating the new Russian parliament. It has invaded the orient. extending to Japan and China
 Was Always World Power.
 Tt Is late day to say that only now Is the United States world power. Lib erty rather than armies should be our method of colonization. I suppose that some sort of navy is necessary. due to q mistaken policy. do not believe the world could hurt us much, even without a large standing army, for in a little while the citizen soldiery would prove superior to any machine made soldier who ever carried a guns The heroes of Marathon, the Roman legion. the Eng fish Yeomanry, the troops of Washing ton and the contendng armies of the civil war prove the worth of the citizen soldier. We do not need large stand ing army and we would not have to main tain big navy. had we not been so un- lucky a to acquire the Philippine Is