Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-06-08

TO STUDENTS
THE POSTMASTER GENERAL AD.
DRESSES GRADUATES OF ILL.
NoIs UNIVERSITY.
TALKS ON CITIZENSHIP

TALKS ON CITIZENSHIP
Says the Modern Educational System
Is Becoming More RationaI-Reviewsl
Problems Which Are Faced by
American Public Of Today.
Urbana, Ill.,, June THE exercises
connected with the thirty.fourth an
nual commencenentsof the university
of Illinois were today, attended by a
large crowd. Postmaster General Cor
telyou delivered the commencement
address. He spo..e on Education and
Citizenship. He said in part:
"Our modern educational system Is
becoming more rational. 1t takes ac-
count of actual needs; 1t deals less
with the theoretical and more with the
practical. 1t looks to the develop.
ment Of character as well as to the
acquisition of knowledge. It makes
the experience of the past serve the
purposes Of the present, 1t aims to
educate the student not alone as an
individual but as an integral part of
the body politics. It anticipates his re-
sponsibilities to the state and pre-
pares him to meet them.
: "The educational institutions of the
land contribute to an enlightened citi-
zenship, and the nation dem ands much
of the men and women Of education.
Their opportunities have been. great;
their contributions to the public veal
should be proportionately great. They
must make their opportunities serve
not only their own but the general
good.
Problems Of the Day.
"The. domestic questions that con-
front us having to do with our new
possessions, the treatment of great
commercial and industrial combina-
tions, the regulation of immigration,
Improvement In political methods, the
necessity for greater honesty and eff
cheney in government, whether munici.
| pal, state or national and the inter,
national question Of our relations with
| the other powers Of earth, are prob.
lens with which the representatives
| of the people are now dealing and In
which every citizen has directly and
indirectly concern.
| Some features Of our attitude to-
ward these problems are unfortunate
Deplorable as are certain tendencies
in our commercial and industrial af
fairs, In educational! methods, in moral
and ethical teaching-they furnish nc
warrant for sweeping deductions thai
distort the facts. We magnify anG
exaggerate and in our hurry and ex
citement we miss the true perspec
tives of life. We deal too much in the
superlative of denunciation and blinG
our eyes to the good that is all about
us. Deep down under all hastily
formed public opinion are the SOUND
millions of sturdy and reasonable anc
far seeing Americans who believe II
the strength of our institutions. II
our ability to work out our problems
and always, in the last analysis, in oul
capacities for self-government, anc
that splendid citizenship can be made
an Irresistible force in the battle o
civic, righteousness.
Conservatism-Not Inertness.
4 There should be more conserva
: tism in our consideration of publi'
questions, not the conservatism of In
ertness or indecision-but the conse1
;, vatism that is open-minded. to sugges
ton and insists upon having both side
, of question. We need to cultivat
the calmness, that typifies strength G
purpose, depth of thought and SOUND
ness of judgment We shall then sui
leyfi{ "a
? sanity for sensationalism There wi
be more consideration and less clamol
In this spirit we shall be better abl
to deal with the question before u!
| justly and fearlessly, We shall er
: courage those policies which recogniz
, the fact that material prosperity
: but poor and empty thing if accon
plished through any sacrifice of th
moral sense of the people; and W
shall see back of all and over all, a
the commanding necessity of ou
times. insistence upon obedience t
j. law, from the highest to the humbles
'The representatives of the peopl
can do their best work only when e1
: couraged and supported in their e
+ forts 10 APPROACH these questions in tn
= right spirit The burden of respons
y bility is not all with them. The peopl
y must do their part. If we are to hav
y cleaner political methods, the begil
+ ming must be made in the primary an
y the town meeting, and the citizen mus
\ contribute his share in his own spher
y however, humble it may be. if he is
= be. consistent when he demands hig
. standard of those who represent hil
in the various grades of official lif
And so it is with the citizens relatio
to these and other problems. Wher
t ever he touches them. even in the
smaller aspects, he must do the dut
:, that lies at his hand. The firmer "
5 fix these facts in our minds the healt
!, ier will he our public sentiment"
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