Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-09-28
STATE UNIVERSITY
OPENS l26TH YEAR
CONTINUED from pnEe oncD

Continued from pnGc onc.)
against the making Of military ci'ss
which may ultimately mean soldierlY
aristocracy Numerically opposed to
universal democracy Of citizenship. he
conception Of Henry ward Reecher that
THE real Democratic American idea 's
not that every man shall be on a !otel
with every other, but that every one
shall have liberty, without hindrance, to
he what God made him should be well
planted in all of you who constitute the
coming manhood and womanhood of
America.
An nations arc in danger of making man
the mere creation of the state. Doctor
Channing was right, believe, in affirm
ing that "Annihilation of the indivtd ial
by merging him in the state lies at The
foundation of despot'sm. The nation g
too often the grave of the man. This is
the more monstrous because the verv
end of the Statc-of the organization OF
the nation-iS to secure the individual IN
all his rights. and especially to SECURE
the rights of the weak Here Is the fun
damental idea of political association.
Man Is older than nations and he is to
survive nations. There Is a law OF human
ity more primitive and divine than the
Jaw W lne ldlu. lie mas nlSner Claims
than those Of citizen he has rights
which date before all charters of COM
munities; not conventional, not repenlablc,
but as eternal as the powers and laws IF
his being"
If this opening address has seemed TO
! It's hearers to he peculiar for such an &C
| Casion | Justify myself with you 10y the
admitted fact that we are living. as de-
clared at the outset. in peculiar times.
| The world is undergoing remaln%
| process and it has therefore, seemed time
| ~ and appropriate to make use OF present
/ day events for the impression of Lessons
| which, well-leaned and property applied
ny the students of the University of Yer
mont during these days of preparation,
will guarantee larger freedom and the IS
surance of greater safety and better nc
complishment tomorrow and the dnv
after. To the college men and women
of America we must look for the thought
| ful leadership which Will insure individual
security. national honor, and the perfec
tiou Of democratic government.
! So long aa our country Is at peace with
other nations we may think as we viii
concerning the merits of the great w2r
now in progress beyond the seas. It 's
only a small-mnded man, of petty pei
udices, who will claim for himself the
right to hope for the triumph Of the
armies of the entente allies while refu'-
ing to another, equally as honest as him
self, the privilege of hoping that ultim"e
victory may come to the Central Euro
.ucan allies The one proper attitude for
every true patriot in this country to take
is that of undivided allegiance to the
stars and Stripes. Such allegiance makes
the United states of America supreme IA
our hopes and in our loving loyalty. Tha
,,,1-- toto mo Y n
should show is that OF intolerance tow2r
the man or women unwilling TO give his
own country that precedence Of interest
which will hold him even ready to otfo
the fullest measure of his devotion 'Or
the defense of its good name and its
honor. 1t is because | want the students
of the University Of Vermont to he fl ed
with this spirit of undivided patriotism
that have sought to say those things
which will strengthen you In your deter
mination as men and women to see to II
in this country that government Of the
people, by the people and for the pe0-
pie shall not perish from the earth"
of course there are many conditions
you must realize for yourself as pre
liminary to the attainment of an cfte"-
tive patriotism, You will understan
that college duties are not to be regor't-
ed lightly by the man or the woman VIII
expects to make his life count in the de-
velopmeut of an improved civilization III
orr American democracy Nou must know
that intellectual musculartv is essential
to the clear and accurate thinking IL At
will guarantee am efficient citizenship
and you should understand that this IL
teilectual muscularijy is developed luSt
las physical mUscDlarity is developed -
by painstaking exercise, None but the
Coward-thc uupatriotic man or woman