The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-10-14
The University Militant
BY CHARLES FERGUSON

The Woodrow Wilson College Mems
on Saturday. the 18th. There liz to be
a procession down the avenue and a
mass meeting In Madison Square Car
den--with speeches by the men who
are most likely to be the next presi-
dent OF the United States and the next
governor of the State OF New York,
1t is expected that many thousands
who are related one way or another
to the universities of the country VIII
-onfe' from FAR and near 10 taka part
in the celebration OF this new depar-
ture In American politics
The university liz escaping from tfs
cloisters 1t In becoming "A militant
force. II Is getting UP It's standard
In the market place
In the past we have heard much of
the scholar in politics" but this Ia
different thing. 1t 10 not the lone
scholar. but the university in mass
that has now descended into the polix
tical arena
1t was high time.
The state university in America has
long since overtopped the old scholas-
tie and ecciesiastic type And state
universities are knitted into the tex
lure or the political organization of
the United States. The university in
Wisconsin--most notabis--and in sew
erai other Western States has ceased
10 De public burden and has become
instead the central and predominant
political power of commonwealth
Thus II appears that the demonstra-
ION IN New -feFk-tta the 18th NAV
stand TO sisnalize the turning Of the
crisis of the academic revolution.
Henceforth the whole country should
aas iss-se understand esfrt-tfrr-- uutyrr-
SHY 10 not decorative. but structural
IN the fabric OF the State. The ru-
nlanfttes and the sciences are the stlIs
ana kirders OF the Democratic order.
The people in American communt-
Ties may break up into parties ON
minor and superficial matters Of policy
out they are one--without rent OF
senlsnt-in nine-tenths OF the SUBJ
substance OF the public life Th. ma
ton IL altogether united in It's vast
ENGINEERING enterprise for the raising
OF tie .rs&sssasssa ct f living through the
advancement OF the arts and sciences.
II is strange-and will some day re-
eeive ingenious explanation at the
hands OF philosophical historians--that
we did not, at much earlier period.
discover our need of sub-pa r tisan
goi'uchi organization. However, the
oiscovefy without question now bas
ting re- n,sds
We are n process of creating an ALL
the-year-' round primary In every
american community. 10 underpin the
venture to predict that. befora Tia
cnd OF the coming Wilson "Prasideu-
tiai there will exist throughout the
whole country a political organization
that Will deal, in steady and orderly
manner, with the nine-tenths of our
public interests that parties have never
touched.
This new political system VIII no
doubt find It's basis In the existing
system OF public education. Note in
this connection the significance OF the
action taken on Wednesday by Abe
board OF education in. this city. In
opening the school buildings to the
political parties, the board expressed
its sense of the fact that the parties
are no longer forn1ilahls~.~tlat the
people have achieved In their educa,
tional system. an organic political ex-
istence so massive that they can sit
judicially In their school houses and
put the parties on trial
IL II not reasonable to expect that
the development of this new kind OF
educational politics--leadinR to the es-
adjustment OF the permanent ssritugry
in the public schoois--fs likely to re.
ceive a strong impetus from the un.
precedented national political conven.
place on the 10Th?
l think so. And I think there Ia
no tncongruity in the fact that this
convention Is to be held in the name
OF the Democratic party-and Woodrow
Wilson.
For Mr.. Wilson 10. OF all living mon.
the one most Mt to be first field mar
shall OF the university militant, and 10
10 matter Of history that the Demo-
cratic party has from the beginning OF
the constitution striven to make the
government strong at the bottom
where the people live.