Whal Mad,' the Institute Possible. 



acter which our c it y hits gi itu-d as an educational centre is becoming more 

 and more widely recognized, and that the future will h ad to improved 

 results in that direction. Albany has so far sought to become a great 



against them, and must, in the end, compel a surrender of the 

 struggle, and a willingness to take upon themselves other aims and 

 aspirations. Among ourselves we now hear low mutterings of dis- 

 quiet, as here and there some branch of our industry seems to wither, 

 and our population does not gain as had been expected ; and we look 

 forebodingly to the future, as though it had nothing but disaster in 

 store for us. We speak of the chances against us, and perhaps, 

 unjustly to ourselves, of our own lack of energy. No energy, how- 

 ever, ean a\ail against location removed from newer marts of trade 



it is probable that no amount of enterprise could now develop us into 

 one of the great centres of wealth and influence. All the fortunes of 

 all our citizens poured out for the establishment of new avenues of 

 communication could not now force upon us the vigorous development 

 of many a western metropolis. But, neither, perhaps, could the wes- 

 tern metropolis, with all its wealth, gain in one generation our advan- 



with what has been so improving and influential in the past. It 

 might la visit its millions for a university, and in time the great gothic 

 buildings grandly encompass spacious quadrangles, and the roll of the 

 faculty show highly honored names ; but there, in one respect, the 

 hoped-for success might come to an end. Its citizens might point 

 with pride to what has been done ; but at the same time they might 



something which no city Should be' without, and which must be so 

 grandly completed as most magnificently to vie with rival cities. 

 Even in the midst of their civic exultation they might be cherishing a 

 secret pity for the hundreds of students within the marble walls, who 

 in the public estimation have so unwisely shut themselves deliberately 

 ou^from a career of commerce and in resulting wealth. It would, 



Harvard, Yale, Columbia and Princeton. ^ 



