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About Weekly Chemawa American. (Chemawa, Or.) 189?-198? | View Entire Issue (April 17, 1903)
8 THE CHEMAWA AMERICAN gret to ay that among the latter class you will find many men of this government who air themselves very proudly upon the floor of the lower house of Congress at each annual occurance but we have only to look to actual instances to the great results that spring from these instUuMous. Follow up as the Honorable Superintendent has in formed me today. Follow them into the various industrial walks of life, and there the record tlks for itself. We find them in the army, we find then in the navy, we find them in mechanical and in clerical positions. We find them in the professions, in law and in medicine. I have found them distinguished representatives of the people in the Congress of the United States. I recall one of your own blood, the Honor able Charles W Curtiss. of the State of Kansas, who is an interesting character, has a bright mind, and a magnificent struc ture of humanity, and there he stands, proud of the Indian blood which courses through his veins, and with m go through many instances of history. Boys, you are i being fitted for self government, and this government and these people who surround you and all of us should encourage you in the efforts you are now making. In study ing the principles of self-government aim to study these reu'ts and remember it is history, that those whoclimbed the highest began the lowest Let that incite you and stimulate you onward. Look among the white race; look at An drew Jackson; at poor Henry Clav, called the mill boy of the slashes; at Abraham Liocoln, the rail splitter; at Edison, the great electrician and scientist, and at the philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie. Look at them all. It is the history of this country that those who climbed the highest began the lowest. You may ask what chances there are for a boy in 1903. I answer, far better than for a boy of 50 years ago. Competition is close, but yet at the same time opportuni ties are vastlv greater today than 50 years ago. If you do not have the capacity, op portunity will ba of little value. Birth and ancestral honor do not count, unless there shali be the merit, the virtue, the capacity, for in this age of industrial pro gress, this age of rapid transition, it is ca pacity that counts; honor and capacity. Jf we seek for those who are to control the destiny of the 20tb century, we will not find them in the club room or in palac?s we will find them on the farm and in the work-shops, we will find them in the vari ous manual employments, we will find them to be boys in jumpers and overalls. Let me say to yni again hs another advice, exeioiae self-contiol. Nothing so fits the man as to be the controller of himself. Remember the teachings of Alexander, the Great, how he conquered and controll ed the world, yet he could not conquer and control himself and he died the vie tim of his own weakness and conceit. Again let me suggest to you that, wha' ever is worth doing is worth doing well. Remember this In all your thoughts, that what you undertake to do, doit well, for the world, as I said before, counts upon your capacity and in ueh you will eitlur rise or fall. The world to-day pays more for accuracy than for inaccuracy, it pays more for the man who is correct than for the man who is liable to error. Be c ntented in the beginning wrh the indus'rial operations in which you are so practically fitted in this magnificent in stitution here. There i where ymir 1 i v 8 will be best, and there is where your for tunes will be ihe better guaranteed. Again, I advie yo i, use plain words ii the expression of your thoughts Langu age is merely the instrument for expan sion. The Anglo 8uxon tongue in rich The Anglo-Saxt n u ngue abound in ample Inl titude for the finding of useful words. Use plain word to express your thoughts. Therefore, do not imitate the high sound ing and incomprehensible phrases, hut coutent yourself with expressing in plttiii language which we find used in the com munity about us. Now pupils, a few moments more. Love your country and its flag, study its con stitution and its his'ory, learn something of the terrible rrdeal through which this union went from baptism to a splendid careerof glory and prosperity nd wealth. Andnow in conclusion,1 permit me tosy I feel honored in having taken this humble part and hi being present to day. I say io you, boys and girls, look forward wit h hopefulness, You have joc behind you great and generous government that wi! assist you through these crucial tents Ui til you go forth and fly with your on wings and in the end mav you he nhle m say, we have had a fair ehaiee i rid a far play in the race of life.
