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 3^ CORNELL. 
 
 \n Address to the Students 
 jf Cornell University on 
 Zzra Cornell Centennial Day, 
 April twenty-sixth, 1907, 
 
 — BY- 
 
 NDREW CARNEGIE. 
 
 •RESS OF M. J, ROTH, NEW YORK. 
 
 

 
 ^ 
 
 
 THE 
 
 
 
 JOHN • CRAIG 
 
 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 
 
 college: 
 
 
 
 OF 
 
 
 
 AGRICULTURE 
 
 
 _ 
 
 
 
 NEW YORK STAT:: 
 COLLEGE OF AQP.lZULTVnE, 
 
 DEPAflTr^EKT OF UdmimUURE, 
 
 CORNELL UrJIVcROITY, 
 ITHACA, N. Y. 
 
EZRA CORNELL. 
 
 An Address to the Students 
 of Cornell University on 
 Ezra Cornell Centennial Day, 
 April twenty-sixth, 1907, 
 
 — BY — 
 
 ANDREW CARNEGIE. 
 
CTC5 
 
 C^ s-s-jjf 
 
EZRA CORNELL. 
 
 The subject of our address sprang from a sturdy 
 race of Puritans who had been strict Quakers for 
 generations. The union of his parents was blest by 
 eleven children, all of whom reached adult age, and 
 were noted for temperance, industry and frugality, — 
 excellent citizens. The father lived to the advanced 
 age of ninety-one. The mother was a model of all 
 that a noble woman should be, and the children had 
 superb constitutions. 
 
 Ezra, our hero, the oldest, was born January i ith, 
 1807, at Westchester Landing, New York. He soon 
 began to give notice to all concerned that he was no 
 ordinary child. Activity of both body and mind and 
 a consuming thirst for knowledge distinguisht him. 
 The poor village school, supplemented by such in- 
 struction as his father could give, was his only 
 University. When only sixteen, Ezra and his brother 
 contracted for the clearing and planting of four acres 
 of land conditioned upon being permitted to attend 
 school during the winter term. His chief passion 
 was for mechanics, and every opportunity to pursue 
 their study was eagerly embraced. Carpentry was 
 learned while working upon a new factory his father 
 was building, and that trade he followed for a time. 
 His graduating thesis was the planning and erection 
 of a new two-story frame dwelling for the family, 
 with no aid but that of his younger brother and 
 ordinary workmen. He was only seventeen but 
 already a master-builder ; his triumph was regarded 
 
by the whole country round as nothing less than 
 wonderful. When a lad plays the architect, 
 superintendent and workman combined at seventeen 
 he becomes a marked youth. The eyes of his little 
 world, destined to grow betimes, are already upon 
 him. 
 
 Ambition stirred within Ezra Cornell, and at 
 eighteen he set forth to establish himself upon an 
 independent basis. After some trials he finally heard 
 of Ithaca as a promising point because it was 
 connected with the Canal. There he went and, as 
 the whole country knows, Ithaca became his home, 
 and is destined as such to remain famous. Cornell 
 and Ithaca are inseparable. With a few dollars 
 in his pocket he walked from his father's home to 
 Ithaca, forty miles distant — a second Dick Whitting- 
 ton, for Cornell also became the foremost citizen. 
 Without a single introduction or certificate of 
 character, the young man soon made his way. Altho 
 he began as a carpenter, he soon had charge of the 
 cotton factory, and finally of the flouring and plaster 
 mills. His fame as a millwright soon spread and he 
 remained for twelve years in the same position, tho 
 for many of these he was really in charge of the 
 business. There was no restricting of his field 
 possible. His employer. Col. Beebe, soon found that 
 the man who could do many things, and all of them 
 well, had at last come to relieve him. He was 
 especially notable for the saving of labor thru the 
 mechanical substitutes he introduced. A new mill of 
 much greater capacity was his sole work. A strange 
 turn of fortune came in after life when he, the 
 
former employe of Col, Beebe in youth, became 
 his employer in his old age, and in many ways was 
 able to brighten the pathway of his declining years. 
 He never forgot even the humblest of his friends of 
 early days. 
 
 In 1 83 1 he married a daughter of one who had 
 been his father's pupil when he taught school in 1 808, 
 Mary Ann Wood, and never was marriage happier. 
 Often has Cornell said that his chief blessing in 
 life was his wife, "the best woman that ever lived." 
 Until his marriage he had been a strict Quaker and 
 always identified himself with that sect, being a 
 regular attendant at the Friends' meetings; but there 
 was no organization of that kind at Ithaca, and his 
 wife was not a Quake r. Upon his return to 
 DeRuyter, the society excommunicated him, intimat- 
 ing, however, that if he would apologize for having 
 offended, and express regret for having done so, he 
 would be reinstated. This he decidedly refused to 
 do. No wonder, when we read of the guardian 
 an gel of a woman he loved, who lifted him upward 
 with her ; he felt, no doubt, as a friend of mine in 
 somewhat similar circumstances, and as I hope each 
 of you young men may be so fortunate as to feel 
 s ome day about his wife . He was willing to "imperil 
 his immortal soul" for Mary Wood — one of the 
 "verylbBStrTisks I should say, and to be taken at the 
 very lowest rates of insurance, with a rebate at that. 
 In Cornell's intercourse with his parents and 
 me/nbers of the sect, he was careful at all times to 
 use their phrases, and he remained thruout his long 
 life a disciple. 
 
Before Cornell had more than reached his 
 majority he was noted as a wise and public-spirited 
 citizen. The education of the people even then was 
 his first care, and thru his influence a local school was 
 establisht at Fall Creek, which speedily became cele- 
 brated. 
 
 Nor did national affairs escape the young man's 
 attention. He was an ardent Whig and plunged 
 into the 1840 campaign, in which he was prominent. 
 Later he was a delegate to the convention at Pitts- 
 burg, which organized the Republican Party (1856). 
 No doubt I saw his tall figure among the delegates, 
 for even while a telegraph-messenger boy I was a keen 
 free-soiler and ever on the lookout for the celebrated 
 delegates who were then the gods of my idolatry. 
 
 Col. Beebe had failed in the panic of 1837 and 
 the mill was converted into a woolen factory. In 
 1 84 1, trade grew dull in Ithaca. Our hero was 
 forced to look around for a new field, which soon 
 presented itself. He came into contact with the men 
 who were nursing that mysterious infant, the Tele- 
 graph, much troubled to know how the stranger 
 from a strange world was to be nursed. It was an 
 uncanny visitor, whose evident connection with occult 
 forces staggered those in whose charge it lay. Cornell 
 was then in his thirty-sixth year, just in his prime. 
 
 Always interested in mechanical inventions, he 
 purchased the patent rights, for Maine and Georgia, 
 of an improved plow, and, visiting Maine to introduce 
 it, he made the acquaintance of Mr. F. O. I. Smitjh. 
 Member of Congress and Editor of the Maine Farmer. 
 Their relations became cordial, and in 1843 Cornell 
 
again visited Maine, walking the i6o miles from 
 Ithaca to Albany in four days, from Albany by rail 
 to Boston, thence on foot lOO miles in two and one- 
 half days, and all this so late as 1843. Let us pause 
 here one moment and reflect upon the lightning 
 speed at which the Republic has developed. No 
 parallel exists, and what of the future, when even 
 to-day the pace is, if anything, increased ? What are 
 we coming to? Nothing less than to be the giant 
 nation of the earth, all others being pigmies. 
 
 Cornell's account of what happened when he 
 called upon his friend Sniith is worth recording. 
 
 " I found Smith on his knees in the middle of 
 his office floor with a piece of chalk in his hand, the 
 mold-board of a plow lying by his side, and with 
 various chalk-marks on the floor before him. He 
 was earnestly engaged in trying to explain some plan 
 or idea of his own to a plow manufacturer, who stood 
 looking on with his good-natured face enveloped in a 
 broad grin that denoted his skepticism in reference 
 to Smith's plans. On my entrance, Mr. Smith arose 
 and grasping me cordially by the hand, said : 'Cornell, 
 you are the very man I wanted to see. I have been 
 trying to explain to neighbor Robertson, a machine 
 that I want made, but I cannot make him understand 
 it,' and proceeding, he explained that he wanted ' a 
 kind of scraper or machine for digging a ditch, that 
 will leave the dirt deposited on each side, convenient 
 to be used for filling the ditch by means of another 
 machine. It is for laying out telegraph pipe under- 
 ground. Congress has appropriated $30,000 to 
 
enable Professor Morse to test the practicability of 
 his telegraph on a line between Washington and 
 Baltimore. I have taken the contract to lay the pipe 
 at $ioo per mile, and must have some kind of a 
 machine to enable me to do the work at any such 
 price.' 
 
 " An examination of a specimen of the pipe to 
 be laid, which Mr. Smith showed us, and a little 
 reflection, convinced me that he did not want two 
 machines, as he said, one to excavate, and the other 
 to fill the trench after the pipe was deposited. I, 
 therefore, with my pencil sketched a rough diagram 
 of a machine that seemed to me adapted to his 
 necessities." 
 
 I quote t|ip pa-Rgaprp at length to illustrate the 
 pre nius of Corn ell. The invention was a success, and 
 Smith employed the inventor not only to make the 
 machine, but also to lay the pipe. 
 
 Here was the beginning of Cornell's connection 
 /ith the new, marvellous medium of communication, 
 which was to annihilate space and bind all nations 
 together, making the world a neighborhood, members 
 of one body, with all its parts in constant communi- 
 cation. 
 
 Two serious difficulties arose. The insulation 
 proved imperfect, and instead of continuing the 
 ^underground system, Cornell, who had been study- 
 ing the subject, strongly recommended the wires 
 being put upon poles, and this was agreed to. He 
 now submitted plans for insulating differing from 
 those in use, which were promptly introduced. The 
 
wire was successfully erected and the first message 
 flasht over it, " Behold what God hath wrought." 
 Afterwards the proceedings of the National Demo- 
 cratic convention were instantly flasht to Washington, 
 a proof beyond question of its utility. 
 
 We must not fail to note here that but for the 
 mechanical and scientific genius of Cornell, as far as 
 we can judge, Morse_jLnd.his party would not have 
 succeeded, and we should have had to wait until one 
 ot Cornell's stamp h ad been discovered. In obtain- 
 mg him for the enterprise Smith saved defeat, not 
 only from the financial, but also from the scientific, 
 mechanical and inventive point of view. A man was 
 needed who knew the laws of science, had the 
 inventor's brain, and who also had, like Watt of the 
 steam-engine, a decidedly mechanical genius. 
 
 One would have thought that, having demon- 
 strated the fact that space could be annihilated by 
 the mysterious but obedient messenger, the future 
 field of its operation would be recognized at once as 
 unlimited. Not so ; very far from it. After strenu- 
 ous efforts to attract capital, the owners were com- 
 pelled to offer the Government the patent for One 
 Hundred Thousand Dollars. The offer was declined, 
 the Postmaster General reporting that "though the 
 invention is an agent vastly superior to any other 
 ever devised by the genius of man, yet in its opera- 
 tion I am not satisfied that under any rate of 
 postage that can be adopted, its revenues can be made 
 to cover its expenses." Mr. Cornell, on the other 
 hand, had become thoroly convinced that the new 
 medium was specially adapted to the needs of 
 
commerci al business, and hence that it would prove 
 profitable] He plunged into the work with all his 
 resolute enthusiasm and all his means, including what 
 he could borrow. Where others faltered he drove 
 on, firm of heart and sure he had divined rightly. 
 He built a short line in Boston, demonstrated its 
 success, and occupied the summer of 1844 with the 
 view of raising sufficient capital to build a line 
 between Boston and New York. In this he failed. 
 Still undaunte37 he tried J\ew York, and built a line 
 from opposite Trinity Church up Broadway about 
 three miles, but the novelty attracted even less atten- 
 tion than in Boston. The Herald opposed it as 
 likely to supersede its special couriers, until the 
 transmission of the Governor's message, two years 
 later (1846), beat its messenger. Small sums from 
 poor people were finally secured, but not one capitalist 
 j could be induced to invest. Short lines were built in 
 j many parts of the country, and at last men entered 
 upon the Telegraph Age in earnest. Lines were 
 lerected in every direction, subscriptions being obtained 
 in the towns and villages connected with them. 
 Chicago, however, proved an exception. Not one 
 dollar was contributed there for the first Western line. 
 Now it pays many thousands of dollars per day for 
 its telegrams. 
 
 The chief burden fell upon Cornell, as nothing 
 approaching the needed capital could be obtained in 
 the towns along his great Western lin e. H ere again 
 he displayed in the darkest hour that sublime confi- 
 dence in his own judgment that amounts to genius. 
 He persevered, investing not only all he had made in 
 
 10 
 
the Eastern lines, which he had built upon profitable 
 contracts, for he was a great manager, but obligating 
 himself deeply beyond. In 1848, his enterprise was 
 completed, Buffalo was connected with Cleveland, 
 Detroit, Chicago and Milwaukee. Then followed 
 his line thru the Southern counties of this State. 
 Later came connection with Pittsburg. Well do I 
 remember that among my first sights upon arriving 
 in Pittsburg from Scotland, just\.entering my teens, 
 was the erection of telegraph poles thru the town. 
 
 From 1848 till 1854 there was bitter competition 
 
 among the various small short lines. The great 
 
 ^^egt4)roved the most profitable field. The people 
 
 of a village there supported an office, which small 
 
 towns in the East failed t9 do. Bankruptcy for 
 
 most seenied imminent when there wa^ formed the 
 
 first "Trust," I think, in our history, the _Western 
 
 Union Telegraph_ Company ;_which embraced most 
 
 ^of the smalTeF companies and, admirably managed 
 
 ''asTFTias'been, now covers the whole land. At its 
 
 head to-day stands General Clowry, President, my 
 
 fellow ex-Telegraph-Messenger-Boy, whom Cornell 
 
 knew and often noticed. 
 
 Cornell was the most prominent man among the 
 originators of consolidation. He had watched over 
 the new invention in its infancy, supervised it during 
 its growing youth, and conducted it to maturity; was 
 the l argest stockholder in the Western Union and 
 one oT the few m illionaires„t-hen known. This was 
 before the new species, the multi-millionaire, had 
 made its appearance. His fortune, immense in those 
 days, exceeded two million dollars, all made out of 
 
 11 
 
nothing but hard work, speculation having no place 
 in it. Cornell money was clean money, the reward 
 of labor. 
 
 It is a remarkable fact that this man of un- 
 conquerable faith in the invention, never faltering 
 for a moment, made more out of it than all the 
 original owners of the patent combined f ro"^ thpir_ 
 interests in the telegraph compan ifis> — He invested 
 all his savings in the one enterprise — put all his 
 eggs in one basket and then watched that basket. 
 He held on to all his stocks, while they lacked faith 
 and were discouraged by the obstacles which only 
 aroused Cornell and gave him the giant's strength. 
 
 Even when in want of funds for ordinary 
 expenses he would not sell. Here our hero shines 
 out again as a born leader of men, one among a 
 million, who compels success, "snatching from the 
 nettle danger the flower safety." For all time he 
 ranks as the " Great Pioneer Telegraph Builder." 
 
 In 1857, at the age of fifty, finding himself owner 
 of a competence, he determined to distribute some 
 of his surplus for the good of his fellows, and rightly 
 feeling that his beloved Ithaca was entitled to his 
 first benefaction, he decided upon establishing a 
 Free Public Library as the best gift that can be 
 bestowed upon a community. I shall not be expected 
 to disagree with our hero upon that point. Such was 
 the opinion of my father, who was one of the 
 founders of the first library in my native town, and I 
 rejoiced when I read that this object appealed above 
 all others to Cornell. He had to borrow the books 
 he read in his youth, and' only such as have had to 
 
 12 
 
do this can fully realize the necessity for and blessings 
 of the Free Public Library. They may be trusted 
 to place it first of all benefactions. To Cornell is to 
 be awarded the credit of being one of the foremost 
 to establish on this wide continent a library free to 
 all the people. 
 
 A proof of breadth of view, remarkable in his 
 day, was the appointment as Trustees of the Library, 
 holding title and managing all, of some of his 
 strongest political opponents, and of the ministers of 
 the different churches. Catholic and Protestant alike. 
 Colossus-like, he spanned the narrow gorge of 
 prejudice, political and theological, and set the best 
 men of Ithaca of all parties and all sects co-operating 
 for the public good. Quite common this now, and 
 growing into the general rule as man develops, but 
 in his day it needed the bold pioneer among the 
 horde of smaller men who only follow a leader. 
 Such men marvelled at Cornell's display of such un- 
 heard of catholicity. The idea of taxing the 
 community for the maintenance of a library had not 
 then developed. Such would no doubt have been 
 considered decidedly socialistic, for why should 
 property of those who had a library, and did not need 
 one, or who did not want books, be assest for the 
 benefit of those who did want to read books ? Much 
 water has run under the bridges since then, and I 
 venture the prediction much more is to run in the 
 same direction. Cornell, therefore, erected a partly- 
 rentable building in which the library was placed. 
 The rents maintained the library. To-day com- 
 munities gladly furnish sites and tax themselves for 
 
 13 
 
maintenance, so clearly is this seen tb be a wise use 
 of public revenues. The world does move, and 
 moves rapidly, impatient tho we often are at its 
 seeming immovability. 
 
 In presenting the Library, the giver said: 
 
 " Ladies and Gentlemen : I have invited you to 
 assemble this evening to witness the consummation 
 of a long-cherished purpose — the establishment of a 
 Public Library in the village of Ithaca, 'the use of 
 which shall be free to all residents of the County of 
 Tompkins,' an institution which I trust will be found 
 useful in increasing the knowledge and elevating the 
 moral and religious standard of the people. It may 
 not be deemed improper on an occasion like this, to 
 refer briefly to the history of the progress of the 
 undertaking; the motives which prompted it, con- 
 trolled the plans of the edifice, and fashioned the 
 organization to which the trust and management of 
 the property will now be committed. 
 
 "The conception of the undertaking may be 
 traced to a settled conviction in my mind of the un- 
 wise policy, so prevalent in men of large means, of 
 deferring until death their benevolent plans, and 
 committing them, by their last will and testament, to 
 the execution of unwilling heirs, indifferent executors 
 or administrators, or selfish trustees. 
 
 " The results of the noble and wise example of 
 Peter Cooper^ as contrasted with the equally well- 
 meaning but less successful example of Stephen 
 Girard, led me to decide in favor of the former, and 
 to adopt a policy which might be executed, in part 
 
 14 
 
at least, during my lifetime, thus giving me the 
 opportunity of aiding in the execution of my plans, 
 and enjoying the benefits while living which may 
 flow from them," 
 
 Peter Cooper was the first apostle of the 
 "Gospel of Wealth" in this country and perhaps in 
 any country, and Cornell one of his first disciples. 
 It is a cult which, I believe, is sure to grow. More 
 and more are thoughtful men to regard surplus 
 wealth only as a sacred trust to be administered 
 during their lives for the good of their fellows 
 instead of being hoarded. 
 
 The Ithaca Library still stands to-day, doing its 
 appointed work, a noble monument to the founder, 
 the best of all monuments, one with a live soul in it 
 working for good. 
 
 The love of the farm never forsook Cornell. 
 Consequently, in 1857, Cincinnatus-like, he returned 
 JjCLlJie_giow, purchas ed a fine farm adjoining Ithaca, 
 and made it a model for the surrounding country. 
 "Forest Park" was the winner of prizes in various 
 lines. He was elected to the Senate of New York. 
 He became President of the County Agricultural 
 Society and finally of the New York State Society, 
 which made him ex-officio a Trustee of the New 
 Agricultural College, then located in Seneca County, 
 and thereby hangs a tale. Now we come upon 
 highly interesting matter. Attention, students of 
 Cornell. He found the College sadly inefficient 
 and in want of funds — interesting, tho not sur- 
 prizing. He proposed to endow it with a fund of 
 three hundred thousand dollars, a prodigious sum 
 
 15 
 
those days, provided it were removed to his beloved 
 Ithaca, and that the State endowed it with one-half 
 the College Land Grant which Congress had granted 
 to all the States for Agricultural and Mechanical 
 Colleges, probably the most beneficent and far- 
 reaching act of this character ever past by a 
 Legislature. 
 
 He was fortunate to meet, as the State was 
 fortunate to have in the Senate, one whose name is 
 indissolubly linked with his, then a bright, young Pro- 
 fessor, with us to-day, your nestor, the Hon. Andrew 
 D. White, first President and still prime favorite of 
 Cornell. They became intimate and labored together 
 as legislators for everything good; but in his agricul- 
 tural scheme Cornell was opposed vigorously by Mr. 
 White, who insisted that the grant should not be 
 divided, but kept whole to found a University worthy 
 of the State. Next session Cornell became of like 
 opinion, and increased his offer to half a million 
 dollars provided a new institution were establisht, 
 and obtained the whole land grants. After much 
 opposition this was accepted by the State, altho 
 Cornell was required to pay twenty-five thousand 
 dollars to a local college for permission to give his 
 half million. This sum, however, the State subse- 
 quently offered to refund, and Cornell asked it to be 
 given to Cornell University, which was done. 
 
 As his ideas developed under constant confer- 
 ence with Mr. White, the public became more and 
 more excited, and the introduction of the bill for a 
 charter was the signal for war. The small sectarian 
 colleges were up in arms and sent delegates to 
 
 16 
 
Albany ; they also stirred up the press thruout the 
 State. The cries of "Monopoly," "A Grab," "A 
 Swindle," were all played upon, and it was charged 
 that Cornell was only seeking to erect a monument 
 to himself by planning to rob the State. He had 
 once to sit and hear a lawyer, employed to address 
 the Committee against the Bill, intimate that he was 
 a swindler. He whispered to Mr. White, " If I 
 could think of any other way in which half a million 
 dollars would do as much good to the State I should 
 give the legislators no more trouble." Here we 
 have a revelation of the man and his aims. Because 
 it was the good of his State that he had solely in 
 view, he could sit thus patiently under abuse and 
 hear his aims misrepresented. Innocence always 
 has a quiet breast, and the vile charges past by him 
 as idle wind. 
 
 The philanthropist triumphed and the bill was 
 finally past. The Trustees held their first meeting 
 here September 5th, 1865. Then came another 
 surprize. The founder not only turned over the 
 half million dollars promised, but also presented 
 free of cost his model farm, which had been selected 
 as the site. Upon this ground we now stand. So 
 grandly was Cornell University ushered forth to take 
 its place among the great educational institutions of 
 the country. 
 
 The cry was raised that he intended to establish 
 a Godless University to corrupt the youth of the 
 State. Godless it was to each of the sects in turn, 
 because it welcomed all other sects. Its sin not that 
 it sought to debar any form of religion, but that " it 
 
 17 
 
welcomed all forms," and was friendly to all sects, 
 but the ally of none as against any other. Equal 
 treatment of all was its policy. Sectarian or partisan 
 predominance in the faculty was forbidden. In 
 another advance he had similar prejudices to en- 
 counter, Cornell proposed to welcome all studies, 
 including technical and scientific, upon terms of 
 perfect equality. All the existing colleges in the 
 State were then sectarian, and little attention was 
 paid to anything but the Classics and Theology. 
 Students attempting to study other branches of 
 knowledge, even in one or two of the large 
 Universities of the Eastern States, which had feeble 
 scientific and technical schools, were carefully 
 separated from other students, and were not as a 
 rule permitted to study in the same buildings, or 
 to recite on the same benches or before the same 
 professors. Nor did they receive their degrees at 
 the same time or place, and indeed were not 
 considered as graduates at all upon the same 
 footing as those taking the classical or theological 
 course. Think of that. Students and Graduates of 
 Sibley, and remember that among all its other claims 
 upon your gratitude Cornell University was the first 
 in the East to proclaim all the branches of knowl- 
 edge a republic, all classes of students equal, 
 
 A few words may not be amiss here summing 
 up what Cornell stands for. 
 
 First, — It was the first Eastern University to 
 give full liberty of choice between studies. Before 
 its day, with two or three exceptions in the West, 
 all University students, without reference to their 
 
 18 
 
aims, tastes or abilities, were required to take mainly 
 one simple, single, cast-iron course. Cornell com- 
 pletely changed this. Large liberty of choice was 
 given, and the result was magical. 
 
 Second. — Before Cornell obtained its free 
 charter, with the exception of the State Universities 
 of the West, all in the land were sectarian and 
 denominational. Its charter provided that no 
 professor or officer should be chosen with reference 
 to his religious or political views, and that a majority 
 of the Trustees should never be of any one religious 
 sect. This latter provision may some day create 
 embarrassment, when all Christian sects agree upon 
 just what Christianity is and unite, which seems sure 
 to come sooner or later. This, however, is unlikely 
 to disturb our generation. 
 
 Third. — Another claim to our regard is that 
 until Cornell appeared there was a great gulf fixt 
 between the higher institutions of learning and the 
 common school system. Instead of these being 
 combined into one unbroken, ascending path, they 
 were disconnected. Cornell from the very start 
 determined to remedy this disastrous break by 
 pushing its roots down into the school system. It 
 establisht a free four-year scholarship in each 
 Assembly District of the State open to public 
 competitive examination, so that from the begin- 
 ning there has been a body of young men and 
 women which numbers to-day not less than six 
 hundred, the vast majority coming from the hard- 
 working poor but worthy class, enjoying free 
 University education in any branch desired, and this 
 
 19 
 
not as a charity, but for proven merit. From infant 
 school to Cornell University and thru it, all free as 
 the wind, not one cent to pay. What other land can 
 boast of anything approaching this ? What would 
 not a scholar so developed do for such a country ? 
 
 Fourth. — We come now to another feature of 
 Cornell's unique organization, that of women students. 
 Here again it stood in the van. Its founder in 
 his scheme favored their admission, but it was then 
 thought best not to proceed. In 1872, however, 
 a young lady won the scholarship in her district and 
 made her appearance. She was cordially welcomed. 
 At the opening of the session both founder and 
 President favored co-education, and then came 
 Mr. Sage with his magnificent gift of the splendid 
 Women's College which bears his honored name. 
 There was much searching of heart among the 
 people then about this forward step, but there is 
 none to-day. A brilliant success highly creditable 
 to both sexes, the product a more manly man and a 
 more womanly woman. 
 
 ^ Impartial students of other lands and religions 
 have judged that the greatest of Christ's works was 
 his share in the elevation of women. Our country'is 
 generally credited with being in advance of others in 
 this respect. Their presence and status here in Cornell 
 and other universities give ground for this opinion. 
 
 Having obtained her opportunity, she has revo- 
 lutionized the Miltonic idea, 
 
 " For valor he and contemplation formed, 
 For sweetness she and soft attractive grace, 
 He for God only, she for God in him." 
 
 20 
 
We reverse that last line, or rather woman has 
 caused its reversal. In our day, man, and notably 
 the American man, finds in his wife the angel 
 leading him upward, both by precept and example, 
 to higher and holier life, refining and elevating him, 
 making him purer and nobler. It is rather she who 
 stands first for God only, and thru her man now 
 improves. Not a little of her power to influence for 
 good flows from increased knowledge. She is now 
 educated as never before, and not only more of a 
 woman in her womanly qualities, but her mind is of 
 ampler range, making her a wider companion, and 
 hence more of a power. Generally speaking, a man 
 in our day is in very large part what his wife makes 
 him. Our hero of to-day is a case in point, and 
 none knew this so well, and admitted it so freely, as 
 he himself. 
 
 - — Another Cornell idea must not be overlookt. 
 It was first among Universities to admit its 
 graduates to full and eff'ective participation in its 
 government. The Alumni here, both men and 
 women, have a large representation in the Board of 
 Trustees, with excellent results. Cornell is the 
 University of Triumphant Democracy. 
 
 Men remembered after death are usually noted 
 for one or more sentences which remain fixt in the 
 memory of their successors. " Don't give up the 
 ship," " Let us have peace," " Government of the 
 people, for the people and by the people," lodge in 
 all our minds. " I would found an institution where 
 any person can find instruction in any study," stands 
 as the watchword of Ezra Cornell, and must for all 
 
 21 
 
time attach itself to this University. It is engraven 
 upon its seal. 
 
 Of all the triumphs of this extraordinary man, 
 we now come, I think, to the greatest. The land 
 scrip distributed among the States was in so many 
 cases thrown immediately upon the market that 
 prices fell to thirty cents per acre. Here stood 
 Cornell with a prophet's faith in the destiny of his 
 country, and apparently seeing more clearly than 
 any man of his time the immediate and irresistible 
 growth of the West. To his vision the Land Grant 
 land was simply being thrown away, thirty cents 
 per acre having been reached, as stated above. 
 Nearly one-fifth of the 990,000 acres had already 
 been disposed of by the State, and this policy he 
 could no longer stand. He promptly volunteered 
 to take over all that remained unsold at thirty cents 
 per acre, thus guaranteeing the State against loss, 
 agreeing to manage it and hand over to Cornell 
 University all the profit. At one time he had over 
 Seven Hundred Thousand Dollars so invested, more 
 than two-thirds of his entire fortune. The Directors 
 of the University were alarmed and urged immediate 
 selling. Friends remonstrated, but Cornell stood 
 firm, the final result being that he made for this 
 University the then enormous sum of more than 
 Five Millions of Dollars profit, which constitutes its 
 chief endowment, and which would never have been 
 secured, but for Cornell standing alone against all 
 others and risking a great part of his fortune. The 
 average amount per acre realized by other States 
 was $1.65. Cornell's average, $5.82, altho the one- 
 
 22 
 
fifth of the whole, sold before Cornell was in position 
 to hold for better prices, brought less than a dollar^ 
 per acre. To Mr. Sage, who succeeded Mr. Cornell 
 in the management, great credit is due for the total 
 result. His name can never be spoken here without 
 arousing grateful feelings in all our hearts. Business 
 men and methods are sharply criticized in our day, 
 not without reason, but we do well to remember that 
 the man of affairs is essential, and that business 
 ability ranks high in importance when working for 
 some such purpose as Cornell and Sage were in this 
 instance. Not for self-gain was he inspired, but for a 
 noble public need. His gains are still at work here 
 and this stream of benefaction flows for ever. Univer- 
 sities more than most institutions have been favored 
 by the gifts of business men. It dignifies the lives of 
 Harvard, Yale, Cornell, Stanford, Hopkins, Clarke, 
 Brown, Dartmouth, Williams and others to have 
 their wealth transformed into seats of learning. 
 Their very names arouse the enthusiasm of 
 thousands of our leading men who were students 
 in the past, and of thousands of students of to-day, 
 and hundreds of thousands yet to come will cheer 
 them. In this memorable struggle with the Land 
 Grant problem, we note the rare foresight which 
 distinguisht Cornell, the indomitable will and abid- 
 ing faith in himself against all doubters, and, above 
 all, we feel the throbbing heart which prompted 
 him to greatly dare for the object of his love, his 
 University. If any student of Cornell in a crisis be 
 ever in want of example to inspire him to hold fast 
 and fight on to the end, knowing no such word as 
 
 23 
 
fail, he can find no better in the pages of history 
 than that of the Founder and the Land Grant 
 campaign, fought against the earnest advice and. 
 even the remonstrances of his best friends. He 
 stands in history here, recalling Coriolanus' proud 
 boast, "Alone I did it." 
 
 Ex-President White judges that the most 
 remarkable of all his traits was his foresight. He 
 was apparently the most sanguine of men in regard 
 to the future of his country. He had faith in her 
 destiny which he saw was to become the mightiest 
 and freest Empire the world had ever dreamed of, a 
 Continent under one flag. Hence his belief that the 
 telegraph would prove profitable, that his railroad 
 projects would prosper, and that the Land Scrip 
 would become valuable as population increased. 
 All his ducks were swans. To make this transforma- 
 tion is an invaluable quality in any man. He knew 
 much better than not to count his chickens until they 
 were hatched. He counted his over and over long 
 before a hen cackled, and was certain that every one 
 he counted, and a few extras were sure to arrive in 
 due season. Philosopher as he was, he knew that 
 even if they never were hatched at all he had thus at 
 least enjoyed the pleasure of the count, which was 
 something to the good. If we do not anticipate 
 many a splendid brood, we may seldom have the 
 pleasure of counting at all. It is good policy to 
 secure the count. Be king always, students, in your 
 dreams. Have faith in your star, as Cornell had. 
 Rejoice in coming triumphs. Count them over often 
 in anticipation. Stand to your guns, certain of 
 
 24 
 
victory at the finish as he was. You cannot find a 
 character more worthy of imitation in every respect, 
 unselfish, courageous, truthful, generous, and reverent 
 man as he was, and altho not quite orthodox in his 
 day, ever mindful of the great truth that "the highest 
 worship of God is service to man." 
 
 Ezra Cornell at last saw Cornell University fairly 
 launched, his ideas adopted and bearing good fruit. 
 The next enterprise that attracted him was to bring 
 Ithaca well into the railway system, and into this 
 serious task he launched with his usual enthusiasm 
 and incurred heavy responsibilities, again against the 
 remonstrances of friends, who pleaded with him to 
 take the rest he needed. His reply was that he was 
 good for twenty years yet, like his father, " and 
 would make another million out of the railroads 
 needed for the University endowment." Never was 
 man more completely absorbed in an undertaking 
 than he in his University. It was his first care from 
 the day it began, and, as we see, his last care to the 
 end. Of this we may be well assured, no University 
 bearing the name of man ever received from its foun- 
 der a tithe of the labor bestowed upon this by Cornell, 
 who contributed not only his fortune, but consecrated 
 himself to it, and just as his great abilities were 
 sorely needed he was prostrated, on June 9th, 1874, 
 by an attack of pneumonia which proved fatal. On 
 December gth, he breathed his last, in his sixty- 
 seventh year. 
 
 The man who knew Cornell longest and most 
 intimately, and co-operated with him from first to 
 last in his great work, our friend ex-President White, 
 
 25 
 
ends his tribute to him in these words : " Cornell was 
 one of the simplest, noblest, truest and most self- 
 sacrificing men I have ever known. Not a selfish 
 thought ever tainted his efforts. I can say of him 
 without reserve, that during all the years I knew him 
 he went about doing good." Where shall we find a 
 nobler epitaph. 
 
 Ladies and Gentlemen, Faculty, Students and 
 Alumni of Cornell, let us be grateful that there has 
 come to us the knowledge of such a man, and 
 resolve that this light shall not shine upon us with- 
 out creating within our breasts the firm resolve to 
 revere the memory, emulate the virtues, and follow 
 as closely as we can the example of one who all his 
 mature life "went about doing good" — Ezra Cornell. 
 
 26