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TH E H ES PERIAN S T UDEN T .
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produced tho gramlosl civilization Iho world has ever
known." Then there Is nothing romantic or visionary In
believing that it has been left for America to prove that
the beautiful has not gone down under the ocean of the
Useful, never more to return.
Taking up Talmago's idea that editorial professorships
should he established in our colleges, Mr. Chase pro
ceeded to show how journalism has risen to a rank of a
profession and that preparation should bo made to enter
it in the same spirit as for the other professions. The
day when anybody could edit a newspaper is past; the
modern editor must be educated for his woik, and until
somo special provision is made to this end the student
with aspirations towards journalism must prepare him
self. The first lessons in reporting can bo taken upon tho
college mngazinc and the local journal, and in time a
position as correspondent for some out.of.town paper
may be secured. Tho elective system permits the
choice of such studies as will bo most useful in journal
istic work. The plcasnnt features of the fourth profes
sion were tlicu described. The reporter, quick and judi
cous and in sympathy with public taste, with many priv
ilagcs and an opportunity to gam that intimate acquaiu
tancc with all classes which will be valuable in the C(K
itorial chair. The editor, like the ancient tribune, in a
mediator between the plebeians and the patricians.
Greek actors lent digni'y to their utterances by speak,
jng from behind a tragic mask; the editor adopts the
plural pronoun of the mighty people as his mask, and
speaks his opinion in this impersonality. He is a greater
advocate than the lawyer, a greater councillor than the
physician, a greater preacher thru the minister of the
gospel. Lylton lias said that thu man who seeks one
thing in life will bo successful; why should not this be
the foundation or the development of a great newspaper,
such as Bryant and Bennett and Greeley built up? In
stances were quoted to show how well newspapers pay
and a few criticisms were made on the press, libel be
ing the chief oifeuce. The editor who will use the tre
mendous and dangerous weapons iu his grasp only in a
way that is honest, dignified and humane, will furnish an
example to his profession of which it stands much is
need. It requires both heart and intellect to print a de
cent newspaper. But all occupations have their unpleas
ant features, and the one who would choose must re
member what DcTocqueville said to Sumner, "Life is
neither pain nor pleasure: it is serious business, to be
entered upon with courage and iu spirit of self
sacrifice." In the introduction to her oration on the "Kuowable of
the Future," Miss Codding showed how man in every age
has tried to peer into the future, and how as a result of
this spirit of inquiry vistas of the unknown have opened
up continually. Illustrations were given to snow that
each day beholds the solution of some value of the ever
challenging unknown. Victory after victory proves the
power of mind over matter. flow far we may one day
bo able to prophecy concerning the unknown future, no
one can say, yet by tracing the analogies of the past and
predictions already fulfilled, we may estimate what will
next be evolved. Evolution is certainly tlie law of social
progress. As the present is the natural and necessary
result of the past, so the future will be the inevitable
product of the tendencies of tho present in short, tho
present is prophetic of the future. Social progress has
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hitherto boon considered a hide-terminable, but by a
science of present tendencies tho blindness of fato may nt
least hi part bo removed. Knowing tho law of progress
wo not only forecast tho futuro but when all men under
stand tho tendencies of tho times it will bo in our power v
to chango nud wen control in a nieasuro the progress
of tho race, and, in lino, destiny itself. Progress is the
universal law; it is without limit, notwithstanding the
hypothesis of Herbert Spencer. True progress has a
more comprehensive range of feeling and of thought and
a crawler close, whllo this theory would leave us behind
in comparative gloom with the goal of happiness and
perfection yet In tho distance. ' When wo rightly learn
tho relations of sex, race and nationality, and adjust our
selves with sympathetic accord to the complex but com
prehensive movement of society, those tendencies which
arc now meeting and clashing will hnrmouizc into com
mon interests. This, the future, destiny itself, need not
be wholly indeterminable for society at large, though to
the individual it will remain mysterious and uncertain
still. Though many reach the summit of civilization on
earth progress thereafter will bo continuous. Growth iu
knowledge will never cease.
Mr. Culver lu his oration on "The Growth of Instutions"
claimed that our instutions are a product of slow
growth. They have all come down to us through a series of
progressive change from remote ages. A good illustra
tion of this theory is seen in the growth of the family;
also in that of national legislature. The monogamian
family is the last term in a long series which began in
primitive times, and have been improving every since.
From the earliest limes the English people have had a
national assembly that has contained all essential ele
ments of the parliament of today. This theory forms the
only national basis for political science Iu tracing up
the history of institutions we can discover the laws that
have controlled their dcyclopemcul and have the princi
ple that must be observed if we would shape our future
destiny.
The "Progress and Promise of Philosophy," was han
dled by Mr. Foot beginning with the Greek philosophers
ho showed how Thales was the founder of Greek Philos
ophy, and he asked the question of existence, and was
followed by many philosophers who attempted to derive
all things from one sour.ee. Socrates reformed Greek
thought; Plato widened its range, and Aristottle again
brought men around to speculation. Greek Philosophy
now became an exile at Alexandria, where it was soon re
placed by Mysticism, inspiration, and myraclc. Iu the
last years of the sixteenth century, Sir Francis Bacon
reformed both philosophy aud science. Descartes, the
father of modern philosophy, lived in an age of skepti
cism. He pushed himself to the brink of self-aunihila-tion
and then stopped and gave us his "Oogito rego Sum."
The out growth of modern philosophy to the time of
Hobbs, was chicly to ask, and attempt to answer to ques- N
tious; can we transcend our consciousness aud have we V
any ideas independent of experience. So far philosophy
has been narrow; runing single theories to extremes.
On one hand they have ended skepticism, and on the .
other, in dogmatism. Metaphysics lies at Ui.e foundation . "" v..
of all liuman knowledge; accordingly it has become of
vast practical benefit in our school system. Formerly
the few thought for the many, but now the unit of so
ciety and progress is the individual, and this has been