magogues, have fastened upon the
great Empire State of the Pacific a crude, ill-digested constitution,
which while it doubtless contains some good features, embodies some of
the most primitive and pernicious notions regarding commerce and
manufactures and the whole political and social fabric of that
Commonwealth. [Applause.]

So, too, in regard to diplomacy, there is constant danger and loss from
this same crudeness in political thinking. A year or two since, in the
Congress of the United States, efforts were put forth virtually to
cripple the diplomatic service; but what was far worse, to cripple the
whole Consular system of the United States. Although the Consular
service of our country more than pays for itself directly, and pays for
itself a thousand times over indirectly; although its labors are
constantly directed to increasing commerce, to finding new markets, to
sending home valuable information regarding foreign industries, to
enlarging the foreign field for our own manufactures, and, although the
question involved not only financial questions of the highest
importance, but the honor of the country, the matter was argued by many
of our legislators in a way which would have done discredit to a class
of college sophomores. I am glad to say that the best men of both
parties at Washington at last rallied against this monstrous legislation
and that among them were some representing both parties of the State and
City of New York. [Applause.]

The injury wrought upon this country in its national Legislature and in
its multitude of State Legislatures by want of knowledge is simply
enormous. No one who knows anything of the history of the legislation of
any State will dispute this for a moment. The question now arises, is
such a state of things necessarily connected with a Republican
government? To this I answer decidedly, no. The next question is, is
there any practical means of improving this state of things? To this I
answer decidedly, yes. [Applause.]

Here comes the practical matter to which I would call your attention.
Recently, in the presence of some of you, I spoke at length on the
necessity of training men in the institutions of higher learning in this
country for the highest duties of citizenship, and especially for
practical leadership. I cannot here go into details as I was able to do
in that paper, but I can at least say that if there is anything to which
a portion of the surplus wealth of men who have