The Washington times., 1904-06-12
GIFT ACCEPTED
BY PRESIDENT

The President I'm accepting the gift
said:
Il accept on behalf of the nation the
gift so fittingly bestowed by one of the
great professions-this statue of a man
who was eminent not only in that pro-
fession, but eminent in his service 10
tie nation as a whole. We have listen
ed to the interesting study Of the life Of
Benjamin Rush, and It must surely have
been brought home TO each Of US here
that his career derives its peculiar sig
nificance in part from the greatness Of
his pioneer work as a physician on this
continent. in part from the way I'm which
he combined with arduous and inces-
SAINT labor In his profession the greatest
devotion. even outside of that profess
sion. to the welfare Of his fellow-coun-
trymen.
Here at the National Capital it is earn,
estly to be hoped chat we shall finally
see concentrated as the services OF
Rush are henceforth to be commemorate
ed by this statue. all the great Amerl-
cans who. working in widely different
lines, by the aggregate Of their work
make the sum OF achievement OF Amer
lea in the world. [Applause.l I thank
and congratulate you Of the medical
profession today upon what you have
done. not merely in commemorating the
foremost pioneer in your own profess
sion. but in adding at the National Capt.
tai figure to the gallery Of great Amer
leans who should be here commemor-
atcd.
Not Specialist.
las you said. DR.. Wilson. Benjamin
Rush was not a specialist in the mod
-
were not any specialists in the modern
sense. as you pointed OUT. There was
no possibility Of there being much But
/ would like. in this age Of SPECIALIZE
tion. to say one word in the way OF a
short sermon to eminent specialists:
Today no specialist In democratic
country like ours can arTord TO be so
exclusively a specialist as to forget
that one part OF his duty is his duty
to the general public and to the state
Where government is the duty Of all.
IL Of course means thar II IS the duty
Of each. and the minute that the av-
erage man gets TO thinking that gov
eminent is the duty Of somebody else,
that minute the republic will begin TO
90 down. 1t is a fortunate thing for
our country that we should have before
us the lives OF men like Rush, who could
take a part in our public life as dis
tlnguished as IS implied by having been
a signer Of the Declaration OF Independ-
ence. and yet do IL without particle Of
neglect Of the mans own proper duties.
Duty of Citizens.
Il would earnestly plead in address
ing this audience. and especially the
members of the high and honorable
profession which has given this gift to
the nation, that you never for one mo-
ment permit yourselves 10 forget the
fact that the welI-being OF the Republic
ultimately depends upon the way in
which as a rule and habitually the best
citizen OF the Republic does his duty TO
the state. and that We have right
not merely to expect but to demand
from our hardest worked men, from the
leaders OF the great professions. the full
performance OF that public service
which consists in a Jealous. intelligent.
and fearless performance Of the Ordi-
nary duties Of public life by the Ordi-
nary private citizen.
Il thank you for having presented to
the National Capital, the people Of the
/ United States. the statue of man who
was foremost as leader and pioneer
in his profession, who was q great
physician and great American"