Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1913-06-14
COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES
tContinued from Yesterday

luey muSl turn out men anu WO-
men, wh1 thoroughly appreciate
their responsibility as citizen. and
have the realization impressed up
on them that they owe to them
selves and to the State which has
provided them with a means of an
education, the duty of being active
factors in securing the best govern
ment which an enlightened people
are capable of enjoying 1t is not
enough that our educational insti-
tutions turn out men and women
learned in the art and sciences or
capable of successfully following
some business pursuit, trade or
calling but together with this, theV
must have thorough knowledge
and appreciation of the duties and
responsibilities of citiz anship, dut
les which are tn be Observed not
passive1y merely. but exercised ac
lively. The youth of America should
commence life not only well
grounded in the fundamentals of
an education, but they should have,
even above everything else, thor
ough knowledge of the functions
of government: of what good
government consists; how to OBJ
tain it; and be impressed that it is
their imperative duty to see to it,
that such government is nad.
There is nothing i1 the science
IF government that is corrupt or
degrading but on the contrary it is
clevating and ennobling 1t is only
in the prostitution of high and al
most sacred cause, that there ever
exists the occasion for calling
government corrupt--a condition
that ought not to exist, and which
does not exist when good citizens
perform their duties.
AS the years progress the stand
a"4, of American citizenship should
r.. Our government is now, and
always will be just as good as the
people at large will insist on hav-
ing. Our standard of government
sill MT be maintained or raised,
however, without effort, without
all the institutions and agencies
which mould character and thought
and public opinion, particularly
our public schools, perform their
full duty faithfully and we'll. No
truer expression was ever uttered
than that-"EternaI viligance is
the price of liberty"
So much in reference to the re.
sponsibilities as citizens which rest
upon the graduates Of our public
schools and higher institutions OF
learning and the obligation they
owe to their government which has
provided them with the means OF
education.
Let us now for few brief mo-
ments consider with what the youth
of the present day is endowed, as
he or she looks out upon a worl.
which demands so much and offer:
so much in return.
The young men and women o1
this country who are going ou
from the schools and colleges, ir
these early years of the twentieth
century, commence the active
affairs of life with the creates
heritage with which the youth o
any age has ever been blessed
Your inheritance is the aggregate
knowledge, wisdom and experience
of all the ages that have gone befor,
The liberty of thought and action
which today is yours with a It'll,
! free as the air you breathe, wa
won by your forbears at the sacri
fee of rivers Of blood and tears
The history Of the world is writer
for you, that he who runs ma!
read. The noble example of tn
men and women, who in year
gone by have fought the battles O
human progress and who are en-
titled to have their names enscribet
nnnnn tho crnat and the nnnd