Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1908-06-19
BRYCE OF BRITAIN
Talks TO STUDENTS
AMBASSADOR SEES SERIOUS DAN
GER IN CONTEMPLATION
OF KNOWLEDGE.
GIVES ADDRESS AT MADISON,
English Diplomat Points Out Application
of Science to Agriculture in
Wisconsin.
THE LOVE OF TRUTH a VIRTUE.

MADISON, Wis, June 15.-L Special |
A new danger" to which the univer-
stiles, not only of America. but of Eu-
rope, are exposed is tendency to en-
phasize knowledge which is useful TO get
dollars. This trend of university in
StructOn was pointed out as Il fatal mis-
I TAKE. by the Rt-Hon. James Bryce,
bfltlSh ambassador to the United
states, yesterday afternoon. in bac-
calaureate address to the graduating
class OF the university He said:
universities are in our time exposed To 4
new danger. said Mr.. Bryce The progress
Oh science has been rapid and the results
obtained by the application of science ia
all forms of industry and commerce. have
been WONDERFUL Here in Wisconsin, for in
stance, you have by judicious application
or science to agriculture. practically dou-
Dled the output of your soil
Temptation Felt Everywhere.
Accordingly the cagerness of every man
to secure wealth. and of every nation 10
outstrip its rivals in material progress has
grown SO keen that there is Il strong temp
taton to favor those branches of uniycr-
sity teaching from which direct maternal
advantages may be expected. The tcmpta-
tion Is felt everywhere, in Europe no less
than in America, and there are many per
sons who, while ready to spend large sums
IN the development of the So-calCd practlcaI
departments of the university, such as agri-
culture, INNING ana engineering, dlSDaraEC
the study of theoretical science ana deny
the value of SO-Called human subjects.
such as history, economies, philosophy or
language
This is Il fatal mistake. in physical sci
ence. for Instance, those who began to cX-
anime the phenomena which we now call
electrical, had not the least idea that the
telegraph and the dynamo would one day
issue forth from the experiments they were
conducting. Abstract science is the source
and strength of all applied science ana
/,
at the bottom of all progress and all
branches of knowledge, whether they re
late to external nature or to man, is the
cultivation of the power to think. What
ever nation or an individual achieves Is
the result Of keen observation and reason
ing.
Work of University.
The university exists for the sake or
training men to observe and reason If it
Is to do this effectively it must provide
training for them in all branches of thought
and give them the opportunity of acquiring
all kinds of knowledge. Any nation which
so narrows it's energies as to follow what
are called purely practical lines would soon
fall behind its competitors and see its intel
lectual life fade and wither. Any univer-
sity which so restricts its field would be
unworthy of its hight calling and would
discharge even the practical part Of its
functions far less effectually. The loss of
worthy ideal means the loss of spirit OF
aspiration, OF faith, Of vital force.
knowledge Placed First.
little knowledge is not dangerous so
long you know it is little. IT'S only
conceit that is dangerous, and conceit is
the child of ignorance, not of learning, be
it little or great"
To keep them straight in the path where
in they Should walk the politician and the
Journalist need Il love of truth at least as
much as do the historian and the ecUno-
mist. Love of truth is virtue in all
walks of life"
after Mr.. Bryce finished speaking the
degree of doctor of laws was conferred
on the ambassador. Dean Z. A. Birge
presented the speaker to President Van
Hisc who conferred the degree.