The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1909-07-07
Nv Associated Press.

Murray Butler president Of Columbia
university was the principal speaker
At the general session Of the National
Education association today In ms
sddress the subject Of which was The
csu 10 Citizenship" President Butler
said the educational instrumentahties
m the country, schools, colleges ana
universities alike. have before them
here a task which takes precedence Of
Ali questions OF school organization
and management. Of programs OF study /
and curriculum, Of teachers salaries
and tenure Of Office. Of general versus
vocational training. Of secondary and
aucilHary questions Of every sort-the
task, namely. Of preparing intelligent
American citizens 70 take up each his
own share Of the nations responsiDiii'
ties
THE unrest which is abroad IN the
,vorld and which is found alike In Eu-
rome and In America, in the uncnahs'
ing east as well as in the restless and
rapidly.moying west. is in no small
mart due to the lack OF understanding
Of what is going on in the world ana
what has gone on hitherto" said the
sneaker. "The world has been for
more than hundred years under the
gpeeI Of abstract principles, admirable
IN themselves, and yet the world IN
large measure lacks the ability or the
capacity so 10 organize itself and It's
business that those principles shall
find Just and equable expression. EV'
erywhere old beliefs, old traditions
and old customs are giving way before
the corroding tooth OF time, and as
the time-honored creeds, political ana
religious, lose their hold, others equal
" controlling and imperative DO not
come forward to take their place. I'm
mense masses OF men are left, there
fore. with almost boundless opportuni-
ties for good OF evil, but without guid-
ing principles with which to WORK
This leads to intellectual political and
moral restlessness.
"There are many who feel that the
rising generation Of Americans Is
growing up without any proper know
ledge of fundamental principles OF
American institutions and American
government. Because Of this lack oi
knowledge. well-meaning men lend ear
quite too readily TO demagogs who pro-
nose TO them all sorts OF schemes
without any relation, save one OF an
tagonism. TO established political prin-
cipIes. From listening to demagogs' y
is but a short and easy step TO state
OF mind In which envy, greed, ana nate
are elevated to the lofty place which
should be occupied by respect and con
fidence. as we'll as by political insight,
political knowledge, and political ex'
perience. The Americans OF an earlier
day got their training in the funda-
mental principles of citizenship from
the stern facts which faced them To-
day, however, one hears much less OF
these fundamental principles. There
are those among us, some OF them IN
places of responsibility and great In
nuence. who call them outworn, anti
ouated. obstacles to popular govern
ment. and who would substitute the
passing desire OF today for the care
fully wrought design of all time. The
courts are attacked as usurpers OF an
authority which the people themselves
have given them for the peoples pro
lection. The carefully built guards,
which have been about individual
rights and liberties are denounced as
fortresses of privilege by those who
seek privileges for themselves at the
expense Of the rights of others.
There are only two really deep
seated and influential enemies of hui
man happiness and human order ig-
norance and seltlshness. These do
pretty much all the damage that Is
done in the world. and they are the al.
ways present obstacles 20 improving
the condition OF mankind. II is the
province OF intellectual education to
address itself to the FIRST OF these and
Il is the task of moral education to
deal with the other
III one, seeking to know the story
Of civilization, casts his eye back over
the pages OF recorded history, he will
find that the record Of progress can be
written in a single sentence. II is the
development OF liberty under law.
Liberty and law are the two words |
upon whose true and faithful exposi.
tion all training for citizenship must |
rest. He who truly understands the |
meaning Of liberty and the meaning |
of law. and the relation OF one to the |
other. is ready to face his full luty as |
an American citizen.
"An intelligent citizenship, which is !
also good citizenship, implies. however, |