The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1909-12-31

Ter excuses for not sending its sons
and daughters to the college, because
the college in its Astounding usefulness
Is so near TO the home
But the question Is asked: Are not
our citizens the most Industrious. the
most frugal, the most intelligent, the
most moral, the most religious in all
the world? "A man can love America
his motive land or the land of his adop-
tion--rnore than any other country in
the world-and at the same time see
points where we fall short of other
lands--When one reads Of the growth
or our great cities-like New York.
Chicago, San Francisco-of the vice
unspeakable walking without bIushing
the streets when one learns OF the pro-
lection of crime by officials who are
sworn to enforce law-does not one
teach the conclusion that there is
plenty of room for the Improvement Of
citizenship-at least In the great CEN
ters of population
When one reads of lynchinrs in
certain parts of our country-more fire.
quently of the innocent than the guilty
and no one ever punished for the
crime-one cannot but ask is there not
When one hears of Night Riders-a
terror to the community, a disgrace to
a ommonwealth-wh one learns Of
family feuds-in certain sections Of our
land-resulting in the killing of score
OF persons and outdoing the clan feuds
Of Scotland a few centuries ago-one
cannot but ask--where is the room for
boasting? When one visits the coal
breakers of eastern Pennsylvania and
finds there hard at work for twelve or
fourteen hours each day the fraii boy
Of 10 and IL, deprived OF school privil-
eyes and made a physical and mental
wreck to satisfy mans greed; or IL one
looks into the Georgia cotton factory
and sees the pinched face and bent
form of che young girl dwarfed in body
and mind; or IL one can stand the sight
glace into the crowded sweat shop of
New York, where men and women
shorten life by one-half in order that
the manufacturer may life in palace
can one after sights like these-and
their number can be increased 100 fold
reach any other conclusion than that
there are wrongs that must be cor
rected before this country Is safe.
Did you ever stand at Castle Gar
den and see the immigrants from every
nation under the sun-and thousands
in single day-a million in a year
placing their feet for the first time up
on American soil and not ask again
and again where did they all come
from, what kind Of people are they So
cially-pure or impure-what are their
political views-how many of them are
ArnAriran fx1 cv,ty.iB hoFov.n 49,1xv
how many like the Irishman are 'agin
the government'-whata are they moral
ly and religiously--how many of them
love the Bible and the Sabbath-and
how many have brought with them the
Continental Sabbath'-how many of
them bring the teachings Of some other
sage rather than the message of Jesus
how many bring the heather temple
rather than the christian church?
ut is enough to startle the thought |
full man when he thinks of such a
country in such an age-with such |
mighty forces at work-governed by
the people-many Of whom cannot |
grasp it's tremendous problems, but |
who are alas too often the barter of |
the political demagogues with his yell |
low newspaper.
Leaven Of College Man.
college men must go out into the |
world to leaven its passions with the |
leaven of thinking that Is as wide |
in its generalization as ii is strong and |
clear in it's processes.
"Our peril is often found in men who |
seem to take delight in lighting the |
match and tanning the flame of |
and |
"The eighteenth century it has been |
said was theological age, the nine
teenth was a scientific one, and all |
thoughtful people know that the pres
ent century is to be sociological age. |
Great wisdom and thorough training is |
needed for the leaders who are to |
transform communities and produce |
righteous commonwealth. Where but |
to our higher institutions of learning |
shall we go for trained leaders?
but one asks: Are not all of our
college and university men thoroughly /
awake touching questions of patriotism |
and good citizenship-are they not by |
teaching and life and activity in the
community regarded as leaders In all |
that makes for purity and temperance |
and good government?
"If all our professors in North Dako- |
Ia are models touching the points just |
named then this state has something |
more to boast of than her wheat fields /
the richest in the worId-and her per /
capata wealth the greatest in the Unit |
ed States. If such Is true of this state |
why spend time in the discussion OF a
topic which has no practical bearing /
upon the needs OF the people? What
ever may be true of our own great
state-of which we are justly proud
there can be no doubt but that college
and university men In many cases are
falling to do their full duty as citizens
NOT to speak of inspiring those under
them to become leaders in civic move
ments.
"One Of the leading clergymen in an
eastern city-an author of distinction
and noted social reformer-told me
of q movement in the university city
where he lived having for its object the
closing of saloons and other disrepu-
table places that they might no longer
ruin scores IL not hundreds of the
students from ali nartg of thn land VINO |