The Washington herald., 1907-02-24

Special 20 The Washington Herald.
Cambridge, Mass, Feb. 23.-President
Roosevelt, IN his address before the Har-
ward Union. paid attention to the State
rights doctrine in a few terse paragraphs.
An interesting assertion in the Presi-
dents address was that the doctrine OF
State rights is being put forward in
connection with legislation to curb cor
porations by men who know that the
States cannot effectively exercise sueh
control. The revival in this connection
OF the doctrine was described by the
President as being as short-sighted as the
invoking of the doctrine in ante-bellum
days TO protect special slaveholding in
terests. The invoking Of the doctrine
when it stands for national weakness or
impotence at home or abroad is also
condemned,
Talks on College Topics.
The text Of the Presidents speech fol-
lows:
In speaking here at the Harvard Tn
ion I wish to say first a special word as
one Harvard man to his fellow Harvard
men. I feel that We can none OF US ever
be sufficiently grateful to Col. 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 sense Of scli-
darity so that they can all join to work
together in the things that are of most
concern 70 the college.
Tt is idle to expect, nor, indeed. would
It be desirable that there should be, IN
Harvard a uniform level of taste and
association. Some men VIII excel in one
thing and some In another, some in things
Of the body. some in things of the mind,
and where thousands are gathered to-
getheT, each viii naturally find some
group Of specially congeniaI friends with
whom he will form ties Of peculiar social
intimacy.
FHNOrs Groups In College Life.
These groups-athletic artistic. scien-
tific, social-must inevitably exist. Ny
plea IS not for their abolition. Ny plea
IS that they shall be got into the right
focus in the eyes of college men: that
the relative Importance Of the different
groups shall be understood when som
pared with the infinitely greater life rfI
The college as a whole Let each man
Lave his special associates, his special
interests. his special studies and DUR
suits, but let him remember that he can
not get the full benefit or life I'm college
II he does nothing but specialize: and that.
what Is even more important, he cannot
90 his full duty by the college unless his
hrst and greatest interest is in the col
lege itself, In his associates taken IS q
mass. ana not in any small group
value of intercollegiate Sports.
One reason why I so thoroughly be-
heve in the athletic spirit at Harvard is
because the athletic spirit IS essentially
democratic. Our chief interest should not
lie IN the great champions in sport
On the contrary. our concern should be
most OF all to widen the base. the foun- 1
dation in athletic sports; to encourage n
every way healthy rivalry which shah (
give to the largest possible number sor
students the chance To take part I'm Wig /
orous outdoor games. It is Of far more /
Importance that man shall play some /
thing himself, even if he ulays if bad1v /
Than that he shall go with hundreds of
companions to see some one else may
We'll; and it is not healthy for eithe
students OF athletes If the terms are nm
tually exclusive. But even having this
aim especially in view. it seems n me
We can best attain it by giving proper en-
'ouragement to the champions i'm the
sports and this can only be- done bv
encouraging intercollegiate spor.
Wants No MoIIycoddIcs.
As I emphaucally disbeIieve in seeing
Harvard OF any other college turn our
mollycodd!es instead of vigorous men. 7
may add that I do not in the least object
10 sport because it is rough. Rowing.
baseball. Ia crosse, track and field games
hockey football are all of them good
Moreover. it is to my mind simple non-
sense, a mere confession Of weakness. to
GeSife 20 abolish game because tendeu-
cies show themselves. o.. practices CROW
uh which prove that the game ought IA
be reformed. Take football for int5nce
ne preparatory schools are able IN zsan
football clean. and to develop the right
spirit in the players without the slightest
necessity ever arising to So much as
consider the question of abolishing if
4hefe Is no excuse whatever for colleges
failing TO show the same capacity and
there Is no real need for considering che
question of the abolition Of the game
Reform Instead of Abolish Game.
II necessary. let the college suti,orI-
ties interfere to stop any excess or .Da--
version. making their interference .as rr-
lie ofhcious as possible, and yet as rio
orous as is necessary to achieve the end
But there Is no Justification for stoDping
thoroughly manly sport because II IS
sometimes abused. when the experience. OF
every good preparatory school shows thar
TIE abuse IS in no shape necessarily al
tendant upon the game.
We cannot afford To turn ONT Of 90,
ige men who shrink from physical effort
or from little physical pain. In anv re-
public courage is a prime necessity for
the average citizen If he is to be q rood
citizen. and he needs physical courage
no less than moral courage. the courage
that dares as well as the courage that
endures, the courage that will fight val
lantiy alike against the foes of the souI
and the foes Of the body. II
Athletics Develop Courage.
Athletics are good. especiallyfin their
rcugher forms. because they tend 10 de-
Neiop such courage. They are good also
because they encourage a true demo-
cratic spirit for IN the athletic field the
man must be judged not with reference
Ia outside and accidental attributes bar
10 that combination of bodily vigor ana
moral quality which go to make up