New-York tribune., 1910-04-24

Paris April eS.-Theodore Roosevelt.
in his address At the SOrbonne this af-
ternoon. spoke as follows:
Strange and impressive associations rise
in the mind Of 4 man from the New World
who speaks before this august body in this
ancient institution Of learning. Before his
ewes pass tho shadows Of mighty kings and
Warlikc nollcs. Of great masters Of law
and theology: through the shining dust OF
the dead centuries he secs crowded figures
that toll OF the power and learning and
splendor Of times gone by: and he sees also
the innurnerable host of humble students
70 whom clerkship meant emancipation. q
whom il was wellnieh the only outlet from
The dark thraldom Of the Middle Ages.
This was the most famous university Of
medieval Europe at A time when no ono
dreamed that there was A new world TO
discover. Its services TO the cause of hu-
man knowledge already stretched far back
into the remote past az tho time when my
forefathers. three centuries ago, were
among the sparse band OF traders plough
men. p'oOdchoppers and fsherfok who. in
hard struggle with the iron unfriendliness
Of the Indian haunted land. were Laying
the foundations ~ what has now become
tho giant Republic OF the West To con-
ouer continent, To tame the shaggy rough
snd the generations engaged in il cannot
keep. stil less add TO. the stores OF gar
nered wisdom which once were theirs. and
--siich arc stiu in the hands Of their bre4h-
ren who dwell in the old land. To conquer
fhe wilderness means 20 Wrest victory from
the same hostile forces with which man.
sind struggled IN the finmemorial infancy
~ our race. Tho prmeval conditions must
70 mot ny prtmeyal qualities which are
Incompatible with tho retention Of much
that has been painfully acquired BY hu-
u1anitv as through the ages n has s,rive7
upward toward civilization. In conditions
50 primitive there can he but primitive
culture Al first only the rudes' schools
can be established for no Others would
r1eet The needs Of the hs-d-1rf,-e1. sineu-v
folk who thrust forward tre fro,,tis- -;
TIE teeth Of savage man and savage nature
sn0 many wears elspse before snv NJ tbero
schools can develop jnto seats or biEr.-
learning and broader culture.
Tire Espidlty Of Civilization.
Tho pioneer dsys pas. tho stump do,
sd clearing expand into aet stretches
~ fertile farm land. tho stocksded clus-
ferF ~ log cabins change into towns. the
hunters ~ game. the fellers Of trees the
rude frontier traders and tillers Of the soil
through the wilderness a. tho heralds and
hsrbingers ~ an oncomiuE civilization.
themselves vanish before the civilization
for which they have prepared the way
Tho children ~ their Successors and SUP
planters. and then their children and chill
drer's children change and develop with
extraordinary rspidity. The conditions &C.
centuatc vices and virtues. energy and
r'Ithlessness. sll the good qualities and sll
tine deferts Of ar intense individualisn
self-reliaut. solf-ceutred. far moro con
soioUs ~ las rights than - ITS duties and
bird so it's own shortcomings. To the hard
r1aterislism OF the frontier days succeeds
tho hard materialienl of an i1dustria lisn
oven mari intense and absorbing than that
of Tho older nations. although these them
selves have likewise already entered on the
~" of = complex aud predominsrtlv indus
trial civilization.
A. the country grows. its people who
hs'o won SUCCESS in so many lines turn
hack 20 try TO recover the possessions Of
she mind and tho spirit which perforcs
t'oir fathers threw aside IN order better 10
wage the first rough battles for the CON
fIuent thoir children inherit The leaders
81 thought and Of action gropc their way
forward 20 new life. realizing. sometimes
dinly sometimes clear-sightedlv. that The
a
or an individual. is Of value only as = foun-
dstion. only as there is added 20 " tho up-
lift that CONES from devotion 10 loftier
ideals. The new life thus sought can in
psrt he developed afreSh from What is
round about in the New World. but IT can
he developed in fun only by freely drawing
upon the treasure houses OF the old World.
rIpon the treasures stored in she ancient
shodes or wisdom and learning, such As
this where I speak today. IL is a mistake
Tor any nation merely 10 copy another.
bu, il is an even greater mistake. IL IS 4
ll-oof Of weakness in any nation, not to
De anxious 10 learn from another and
willing and able TO adapt that learning TO
tae new national conditions and make IL
fruitAu and productive therein. 1t is for
us q tho New World 10 sit AZ the feet of
me LiamalieI Of the Old; then. if We have
the riEh. stuff in us. We can show that
Paul in his turn can become teacher as
well as . scholar.
The Citizens Effect on the Nation.
TODAY shall speak 10 you on tho sub
,ect Of ndigidual citizenship, the one sub
sect 81 vital importance TO YOU. my hearers
ard 20 me and my countymen, because
you and We are citizens OF great demo
cratic republics. democratic republic
such each Of OtIrE-am sf1OrI 10 fed NE IN
SIS full sense government by, Of and for
the people-represents tho most gigantic
Of all possible social experiments. the one
.raught with greatest possibilities alike for
GOOD and for evil. The success Of repub-
lies like YOURS and like ours means the
Elorv. and our failure the despair, OF man
Kind: and for you and for US the question
OF the quality ~ the individual citizen Is
s,yrreu7c Under other forms of govern
mont. under the rule of one man OF Of 4
very few men, the quality OF the rulers Is
sU-irnportant n. under such govern
tnents the quality - the rulers Is hgh
enough. then the nation may for genera
,iors lead a brilliant career and add SUD
s-antisIy 10 the sum Of world achievement,
Iro matter how low the quality Of the aver
,cc citizen: because the average ciiizen
= sp almost negligible quantity in working
out the final results % that type Of national
greatness.
But with Hou and with Us The case IS
different with yo8 here, and with Us in
..y own home. m the long run. success OF
.eiIlirss viii be conditioned upon tie way
.a which tho average man, tho average
woman does h4s or hcr dutE. first In tho