The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-02-23
TO HARVARD men
President Roosevelt Delivers an
Address at Cambridge
In Which He Discusses Impor-
tant Public Questions.
KNOCKS ON KNOCKERS.
Those Who Do Nothing Them
selves Should Not Criticise.
States Rights, When Peoples
Rights, Should Be Preserved.
But Not When They Mean the
Peoples Wrongs.
KNOCKS ON KNOCKERS.

Boston, Feb. 23.-President and
Mrs. Roosevelt. who came to Massa-
| chusetts to pay a flying visit to their
| sons at Harvard and at Groton school,
arrived here today. The president was
driven to the home of DIR. w. s. Bige-
law. a Harvard college classmate, and
Mrs. Roosevelt with her daughter,
Miss Ethel, and Mrs. Nicholas Long
worth to the home of Mr.. and Mrs.
George c. Lee, where they remained
a short time before taking train for
Groton, where Kermit Roosevelt is at
school. They planned to remain at
Groton until joined by the president
tomorrow at noon, and later the whole
party will return to Boston, prepara-
tory to the return trip to Washington,
leaving at p. m.
At breakfast at DR.. Bigelow's home
the guests beside the president were
Prof Arlo Bates of Massachusetts In
stitute of Technology President LIE
Baron R. Briggs of Radcliffe college,
and Rev. Samuel Crothers, pastor of
the First Parish (Unitarian) church.
Cambridge.
After a brief rest the president rode
to the home of his friend, Captain Guy
Murchie. to attend the christening of
the latter's infant son. Bishop Law
renee of the Episcopal diocese of
Massa chusetts, off1ciated at the chris
tening.
From the Murchie residence. Presi-
dent Roosevelt was driven to the
studio of a portrait painter, where he
had a sitting. Afterwards he visited
book store and from there returned to
DR.. BigeloW's h ONE, from. where after
a few moments the president and DR..
Bigelow started in an automo bile for
Cambridge where the chief executive
was to spend the rest of the day as
the guest of the undergraduates.
The trip to Cambridge was made by
90 Rran n
president might stop few minutes
at the home. of Mrs. Lee the mother
of the first Mrs. Roosevelt. With DR.:
BigeIow, he arrived at the Sphinx
Representative Longworth and Assist
ant Secretary of State Robert Bacon
had arrived at the club house just
previouslyA They We're guests OF the
subsequently the president spoke as
follows:
The Presidents Address.
In speaking here at the Harvard un-
ion 1 wish to say first a special word
as one Harvard man to his fellow Har- |
ward men, 1 feel that We can none of
us ever be sufficiently grateful to Col !
onel Higginson for having founded this |
Harvard union, because each loyal
Harvard man. should do all he can to |
foster in Harvard that spirit of real
democracy which will make Harvard
men feel the vital seuse of solidarity |
so that they can all join = work to-
gether in the things that are CT lnost
concern to the college. 1t is idle to ex-
pect, nor indeed would it be desirable
that there should be, in Harvard uni
form level of taste and association.
Some men will excel in one thing and
some in another; some in things of the
body, some in things of mind; and
where thousands are gathered together
zach will naturally find some group OF
specially congenial friends with whom
lie will form ties of peculiar social in
imacy. These groups-athletic, ar
istic scientific, social-must inevita-
,ly exist. MY plea is not for their
sbolition My plea is that they shall
De got into the right focus in the eyes
# college men; that the relative Inn
)ortance of the different groups shall
,e understood when compared with
he infinitely greater life of the college
IS a whole. Let each man have his
pecial associates, his special interests.
lis special studies and pursuits, but let
lin remember that he can not get the
ull benefit of life in college If he does
lothing but specialize; and that, what
lis full duty by the college unless his
Irst and greatest interest is in the col
eye itself, in his associates taken as
. mass, and not in any small group.
eve in the athletic spirit at Harvard {
because the athletic spirit is es-
entially democratic. Our chief inter- s
st should not lie in the great cham
oncern should be most of all to widen
he base. the foundation in athletic ]
ports; to encourage in every way a ,
ealthy rivalry which shall give to the {
argest possible number of students !
he chance to take parto in vigorous {
utdoor games. 1t is of far more i'm +
ortance that a man shall play some }
hing himself, even if he plays it bad !
', than that he shall go with hundreds :
companions to see some one else !
lay we'll; and it is not healthy for :
Their students or athletes if the terms
re mutually exclusive. But even hav- :
lg this aim especially in view, 1t ! !
GEMS to me we can best attain it by !
living proper encouragement to the :
hampions in the sports, and this can :
My be done by encouraging intercol-
.giate sport. AS 1 emphatically dis I
elieve in seeing Harvard or any other !
olIege turn out mollycoddles instead /
{ vigorous men, I may add that I do v
OF in the least object to a sport be- c
ause it is rough. Rowing, baseball. c
| crosse track and field games, I
ockey. football are all of them good. +
borrower, it is to my mind simple nom i
snse. a mere confession OF weakness, i
, desire to abolish a game because a
,ndencies show themselves. or prac- C
ses grow up, which prove that the v
anne ought to be reformed. Take O
,otbau for instance. The preparatory t
.hools are able to keep football clean t
nd to develop the right spirit in the f
ayers without the slightest necessity O
yer arising to so much as consider the o
lestion of abolishing 1t. There is no d
reuse whatever for colleges failing 70 "
low the same capacity, and there is V
} real need for considering the ques- n
on of the abolition of the game. If =
ecessary, let the college authorities in