The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-06-18
IMACVEAGH SPEAKS
TO THE STUDENTS
Delivers Principal Address at
Convocation of Chicago
University.
National News Association)

CHICAGO, June 18.-The convoca-
ton exercises of the University of Chi
fCago here today We're marked by an at
tendance unsurpassed in the history of
the college. Thousands of students
and visitors crowded in to every avail
able inch of space on the great cam
,Ius to hear the speakers. The throngs
were addressed by President Judson of
the University and a number of other
prominent men, among whom was Sec
rotary MacVeagh of the Treasury.
Secretary MacVeagh delivered the
principal address of the day. His paper
was entitled Education and the Vo-
ter" and reviewed political evolution
at length, analysing each form of gov
eminent. In speaking of the United
States, Secretary MacVeagh said:
I'm the case of our nation, it's pres
ent Republican government is indis-
Ipensable to it. Some time in the long
future some still more perfect form of
democratic government may be achiev-
lea by us; some still more perfect sys-
TEN of institutions and some still more
appropriate political ideas may be
slowly evolved. But at present, and so
far as we can look ahead, there is
Irothing for use but our nobly estab-
(hshed Republican representative sys-
Item.
Our Great Republic.
And our great Republic which is
the best expression of democracy yet
lconveived, guarded and guided as it is
by our representative form of govern
1nent is part of us and almost seems
lpsrt of nature itself Nothing within
our charge is more precious or more
essential to the progress of our ma
ton, or more important to the world
lat large.
1.-THE Republic must be preserved
We once said that the Union must be
preserved; and the Union, which was
then saved at such appalling cost to
every part of the nation, was the Re-
public.
What are the present alternatives?
A monarchy we cannot go back to. Our
commitment is to popular control, and
a back track cannot be taken. What
OF anarchy or socialism? Anarchy is
the impossible negation Of formal gov
Grnment. Socialism is the impossible
elaboration of formal government. The
importance of anarchy and socialism
lies not in their system but in their
PHILOSOPHERS and ideas. Their only use
Iful rule is to finish, as they can, ideas
that are helpful in government and
society. Socialism will contribute of
its ideas and is contributing: but as
system it cannot prevail. And anarchy
with its philosophy will, in the long
run, probably contribute to moderate
the excuses of governmental machin-
cry, and help to further release the
wholesome spirit of the individual But
neither anarchy nor socialism is pos
sible substitute for our Republican rep
resentative form of Democratic gov
eminent For this government there
is no living substitute.
Danger to Republic.
: 'The danger to our Republic lies not
in anarchy or socialism but in the way
Wa may possibly handle the develop
ment of its own institutions, ideas and
principles. For while our Republic
with it's representative form of Democ-
lacy is permanent, it is of it's essence
ltnat it shall develop; and that the
Democracy which it was created to en-
press and maintain shall be progress
sive to the end. Our Republican form
OF government has never stood still,
and cannot stand still. 1t will continue
to develop it's institutions and it's adj
lministrations; and will borrow as it
can from other forms of government
different from itself and from such al
len projects as anarchy and socialism.
But this development is the mosv
delicate task of our statesmanship and
citizenship. And herein will continue
to lie, as it lies now and has lain from
the beginning, the greatest risk of the
Republic. Progress we must have-all
forms of national progress-and poIiti-
cal and social progress eminently and
especially. And We can have no patti
ence with any men or women who are
indifferent to political progress. We
need conservatism mixed with progress
s.veness; We need the conservation of
the old mixed with the adoption of the
inew; but we do not need either reac-
ton or insensibility."