New-York tribune., 1919-06-08
Safeguard
Republics Ideals,
Declares Butler
Columbia President, Speak
ing at St. Lawrence Ex-
ercises, Scores Those Who
Endeavor TO Ruin Z. S.

CANTON, n Y. June 7.-Commence-
ment exercises Of St Lawrence Uni
versity began to-day with the Inaugural
tion of Dr.. Richard Eddy Sykes as
president Of the university. Judge
Ledyard P. Hale, president Of the board
of trustees, presided and DR.. Nicholas
Murray Butler, president of Columbia
University, made the address.
Dr.. Sykes responded and brief con-
gratulatory speeches were made by the
deans of the college, Theological
School, State Agricultural School and
the Brooklyn Law School, all depart
ments of the university. DR.. Butler, in
his address, said in part:
"He would be blind, indeed, who can
not see the unrest and the dissatis-
faction that are abroad in the land.
IN the face Of the epoch marking
achievements Of the American people
since they became a nation, in the
face Of the increasing acceptance by
other peoples Of the principles upon
which the American Republic is built,
there are voices too numerous and too
strident to be unhcard or neglected
that cry out in protest against Amer
ica and in dissatisfaction with Ameri-
can principles and American ideals
These unhappy persons are constantly
casting about for some new weapon
of destruction with which to break
down American accomplishment, in
order to substitute for it some new
and usually some mad form Of politi-
cal and social experimentation.
Men and women who are so mind ed
are usually mentally unbalanced, but
whether mentally unbalanced or not,
they are SO consumed by egotism as
TO fancy that some poor product Of
their emotional life can take the place
Of the whole Of human experience and
the whole Of human endeavor. What
has really happened to these people
IS that they have lost their faith and
they are once more striving in the
impossible attempt to make the very
in1ite knowledge Of an individual do
persons are not willing to learn by
experience.
"The attempt to destroy the institu-
tion Of private property is as reac-
tionary an undertaking as can well
be imagined. 1t is nothing less than
a proposal to go back to the very be-
glnnings Of all civilization and to try
to compel the race to climb up all over
again the hills and the mountains owe,
which the procession of progress has
been so painfully passing for centuries
What we need is more and more wide
ly distributed property rather than
less
''The aim Of free state is to MAKE
every citizen ca pitalist in the sense
that it Will give every citizen an op.
poftunlty TO work, to save and to en-
ploy his savings as he will This i
what We mean by liberty under law
This is the finest and highest ideal ot
government I overthrow if, to weak.
en- 1t, or 10 cast discredit upon it. is
not progress, but backward revolution
81 hcre are some things rational anc
cultivated men exclude from discussion
as long since definitely determined
The individuals right TO lf-deterrnin-
alton, for example, j. not held to ex.
tend 70 the right To commit suicide
SO is it with the state Policies ant
methods Of government arr fit sub
jects for discussion and for difference
of opinion, bat the question as 4
whether there sbsll BIS goyernmen-
70 maintain order, TO protect libert,
and 10 assure Justice between man ant
man js no more debatable than is tn.
right Of the individual 10 commit sui
eide.
ri the schools and colleges OF tn.
countTy were 80 10 conduct themselye,
as 10 shake the nations faith IN then
and in education, the resulting crasF
would be heard al round the world
Cynicism would displacs confidence
faith would give way 10 deSpair. Blu
the schools and col]eHcs viii not fail
They have their points of weakness,
and they have had thciY unfortunate
representatives and spokesmen, But. O,
the whole, and in overwhelming major
ny, they haye been firm in the faitt
and worthy of the confidence which th'
a - i L..