Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-18
BOOM FOR FAIRBANKS
Illinois Friends Start a Canvass
for Him.
FOR THE PRESIDENCY
He Makes Addresses on knowledge
and the Press.
KIND WORDS FOR NEWSPAPERS
Great Body of Writers High-Minded
and Patriotic, He
Declares.
THE PRESIDENCY
KIND WORDS FOR NEWSPAPERS


CHICAGO March 1S-Vice President
Fairbanks who was today the central
figure in the st. Patricks day celebration
under the auspices of the Irish Fellowship
Club made in various parts of the city four
addresses and attended luncheon and a
banquet. This morning large delegation
of the club called to meet the Vice Presi-
dent at the Auditorium Annex. An inn
promptu reception was held. lasting for
thirty minutes. and then, entering an auto
mobile the Vice President was taken to
st. Ignatius' College, on West 18th street,
where he delivered a brief address to the
students, the members of the faculty and
a large number of invited guests. The
meetings all took the nature of a boom
for the presidency on the part of the Hill
nois friends of Senator Fairbanks.
knowledge is Power.
He said in part:
knowledge is indeed, power and those
who are filling the souls of young men
with noble ambition and instilling their
minds with knowledge are increasing the
nations power.
I'VE are all proud that we are Americans.
There never was an hour in all of our
be an American than it does today. We
must each and all discharge our duties
and responsibilities to our country and our
countrymen. 1t is in the highest degree
important that American citizens should
be educa ted.
We are fortunate in many things, but
in nothing more fortunate than in our
splendid schools. colleges and universities.
They are every year turning out vast
army of young men and young women to
enter all of the fields of usefulness and to
contribute their full share toward the ad-
vancement of the intellectual and moral
welfare of our people.
The Final Analysis.
I'm the final analysis the stability of
our institutions does not depend so much
upon virtue of contributions and statutes
as upon education and morality of the
people. We have our legislative. executive
and judicial departments in nation and
state. They enact laws. They interpre.
and administer them. These constitute the
mechanism of republican government. They
are each and all of vast Importance in
promoting the welfare of the people, but
back of congresses and legislatures, back
of the executives and courts are the juds-
ment and conscience of the people. 1t must
be an intelligent Judgment it must be an
enlightened conscience, if We are to attain
our highest destiny.
From st. Ignatius College the Vice Presi-
Chicago where he also spoke.
Mr. Fairbanks declared that he had sew
eral times been invited to address the stu
dents of the university by the late Presi-
dent Harper, and had professionally ac-
cepted the invitation. Various crcum-
stances however. he declared. had pre-
vented him from visiting the university.
and he came to fulfill in informal
way the promises he had previously given
to President Harper. The remainder of
the Vice Presidents speech was devoted to
a eulogy of President Harper, whom. he
declared, to be exceptionally worthy of imi-
tation by all young men.
From Chicago University. after ride
through the parks and over the south side
boulevards, the Vice President was es-
corted to the rooms of the Chicago Press
Club. on Madison street. Here luncheon
was given in his honor. and he made his
third address of the day.
The Press a Censor.
The press is a great censor. 1t passes
judgment upon men and things. and this
Judgment becomes in large degree, in
the course of time the popular judgment.
1t does not so frequently sit in judgment
upon itself as it does upon others. 1t is
an all-seeing eye. searching wrOngdoing
and wrongdoers, and, as such, exercises
a powerful influence. 1t is usually upon
the side of cleanliness and decency. 1t
usually stands for that which is best in
deterrent to those who might be disposed
to betray their trust.
Being the source of such potential in
nuence it is of the utmost Importance
that the press itself should be pure: that
it's motives should be of the highest and
best. Possessing as it does. the conf
dence of a large constituency. it should
give to the people. so far as it can. the
truth, the facts, free from bias and with
out distortion.
A Share of Bad Ones.
The press. like the bench, the bar,
the pulpit and the great body of society,
has it's share Of those who are not actu-
ated by any high or ethical considera-
tions. and thus to bring noble profess
sion into disfavor. They ale, fortunately,
a part of a small minority. The great
body of the press. like the great mass
of the people whom it services, is high
minded and patriotic. 1t stands for
those things which make for the uplift-
ing OF the community and for the gen.
eral betterment of mankind
The Decadence of the Press.
I'VE hear occa siona1ly of the deca-
dence of the press; that it is no longer
edited from the editorial sanctum, but
from the business department. This were
unfortunate for the community and for
the country if it Were so. 1t is no doubt
true that individual editorial utterances
do not stand out and ring far as did
the editorials of Horace Greeley and
others in the not long ago. but If this is
| true. it is due to the fact that there is
| more competition now than there was
! in the not remote past The field has
| been fully occupied. The editorial pages
have been many times multiplied, and
while the individual editor perhaps does
| not exert so distinct and widespread an
| influence as formerly. the aggregate in
| fiuence is quite great, If not greater
than ever. 1t is fair to say that the