Another Conference was held August 10th to 15th on "The Mob," and attracted the deepest interest. President William G. Frost of Berea College, Kentucky, told of "The Mountain Feuds"; Mr. John Temple Graves spoke in defense of lynching, and declared that the only solution of the negro problem in the south would be the enforced deportation of the negro back to Africa; but other Southerners present did not agree with him. Dean Richmond Babbitt gave "A Study of the Lynch Law"; Mr. D. M. Parry spoke on "The Mob Spirit in Organized Labor"; Mr. Thomas Kidd on "The Labor Unions and the Mob Spirit." Chief Justice Charles B. Lore of Delaware and Judge John Woodward gave "The Legal Aspects of the Mob Spirit." No discussion at Chautauqua awakened such feeling, although it was carried on with perfect courtesy by speakers on the opposing sides.
We can name only a few of the many lecturers in the regular program of 1903. One was Governor Robert M. La Follette of Wisconsin, soon to attract attention as an insurgent in the United States Senate. Another was Mr. George Willis Cooke, on social subjects. Mr. Hamlin Garland, the story-writer, gave a lecture, also General John B. Gordon of Georgia, Dr. Richard Burton, a course in literature; Hon. Wm. T. Harris, Dr. Moulton, and the Rev. R. J. Campbell of London. The platform during the season was fairly crowded, the speakers and concerts following in such close succession.
In 1904, Bishop Vincent having been relieved from the cares of the Episcopacy, went to live for a time in Indianapolis. He was now able to come with more or less regularity to Chautauqua, and gave the opening address of the season. The exercises of that year extended through sixty days beginning June 30th and ending August 28th. We note that the School of English included in its staff Prof. Richard G. Moulton and Edward Howard Griggs. The work in Nature Study was enlarged to include courses in Botany and Physiography. The courses for teachers embraced systematic work in all the grades from the kindergarten to the college. This year the new electric railway was opened from Jamestown to Chautauqua and thence to Mayville and Westfield on Lake Erie. Bishop Vincent was a passenger on the first car over the line. This improved means of transportation enabled people to come by rail every hour to Chautauqua, gave direct and speedy connection with the New York Central Railroad, and resulted in making the principal entrance to the grounds no longer by water but by land. Hence the crowds forsook the stores in the Pier Building and the Arcade, and a new business center grew up on the hill.
This year the new Hall of Philosophy was opened, of the same general plan as the old building, but with floor and pillars of concrete, a more durable material. The building was also somewhat larger than its predecessor and was in every way more convenient. In the concrete floor are inserted tablets in honor of the classes that contributed toward the building. The pillars also bear the names of their givers. The list of exercises in the Hall during any Assembly season would of itself make a long catalogue.
The Devotional Hour had now become a systematic order and called together large congregations. It was not altogether the fame of the great preachers, but also the strong religious atmosphere of the place that gathered every day at ten o'clock for five mornings of each week a thousand people for worship. How many churches could show a congregation as large, not only on Sundays, when the service was attended by five thousand people, but through the days of the week? Among the chaplains of this season, each serving a week, were Dr. S. Parkes Cadman, Dr. Hugh Black, Bishop Oldham, Dr. Daniel Dorchester of Pittsburgh, and the evangelist, Dr. J. Wilbur Chapman.
The Conference of 1904 was from July 24th to 29th on the subject of Missions, Home and Foreign. Among the speakers were Dr. Francis E. Clark of the Christian Endeavor movement, recently returned from an all-around the world visit to missions abroad, Dr. Frederick G. Stanley, Dr. George M. Boynton, Dr. Homer Stuntz from the Philippines—afterward a Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church—Bishop Oldham, and Mr. J. L. Joslin of India.
I remember hearing Dr. Stuntz tell of a native Filipino who came to him soon after the American occupation of Manila, and after carefully closing the door, and looking in closets to be sure that no one was in hearing, carefully unrolled a package, showed a small Bible in the Spanish language, and asked: "Would it be safe for me to be found reading this book? I have kept it hidden for years, for my life would have been the penalty if it had been seen." Dr. Stuntz led him to a window, pointed to the American flag flying over the castle, and said; "Do you see that flag? As long as that flag flutters over these islands, you can stand in the market place and read in as loud a voice as you choose out of this book and you will be safe. Wherever that flag flies, the Bible is an open book!"
Most of the men whom we have named gave lectures, as well as participating in the conferences. Besides these, we saw on the platform the massive form of William Howard Taft, then Secretary of War, after a few years to be President of the United States; Mr. Griggs also gave a course of lectures and taught classes in literature, and Prof. Frederick Starr was one of the speakers. Dr. George Adam Smith of Scotland was also with us during the season of 1904.
Some of the recitations this year were by Dr. S. H. Clark, Mrs. Bertha Kunz Baker, Mrs. Emily M. Bishop, Miss Marie L. Shedlock, and Prof. Henry L. Southwick.