The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1909-02-23
ON RELATIONS OF LEARNED pro
FESSiONS TO POLITICAL
GOVERNMENT.
SPENT VERY BUSY rAY
In Philadelphia Yesterday-Pays Tri-
butte to Medical Profession, Min
isters and Lawyers Men
tions the Press.

bration of Washington's birthday was
participated. In today by President
elect Taft He made an extended ad..
dress before the faculty and student
body of the Pennsylvania university
and an immense audience this morn
ing on the relations of the learned
professions OF political goyernmen'.
He discussed at considerable length
the influence which the learned pro
fessions, in this day, have upon pa
tional and municipal government. HG
outlined luminously the part each CT
the important professions plays in a
government by the people and com
pared their influence, one with an
other. In brief part, he said:
1T is the duty of every citizen to
the public veal, and to take as much
interest as he can in political mat
ters Americans generally have re-
cOgnized these duties, and we find
active in political life, men represent
ing all professions, all branches of
business and ali trades. | propose
to the present relation of each of the
learned professions to politics and
government.
The first profession Is that Of the
ministry Time was when the minister
|of the community was the hghe st
authority as to what the law sll uid
be and how II ought To be enforced;
but the spread of education and in
dependent thinking, the wide dffus-
ion of knowledge by the press. the
disappearance of the simple village
life, have contributed radically to
change the position and Influence OF
the Ministry in the community.
Public Conscience Aroused.
During the administration of Mr..
Roosevelt and under the influence
of certain revelations of business inn
morality, the conscience of the whole
country was shocked and then nerved
to the point of demanding that bet
ter order of affairs be introduced In
this movement, the ministers of the
various churches have recognized the
call upon them to assist, and they
have been heard in accents much
more effective than ever before in
half century. The greatest agency
today in keeping us advised of the
conditions among Oriental races is
the establishment of foreign mis-
sions. The leaders of these Missionary
ing some of our most learned states
men in respect of our proper Orien-
tai policies.
Judge Taft, discussing teachers
said that their relation to politics
and government is of the utmost I'M
portance, though indirect" He point
ed out that the professional teacher
may exercise great indirect political
influence by the encouragement that
he ought to give to the young men
of college age and life in the study
and pursuit of politics"
AS to the Press.
To the writer. in whatever capacity
he may labor, Judge Taft attributed
great influence, either for good or for
bad. Referring to the newspaper
press he said:
Its power to public instruction Is
very great, but when it panders to
the vulgarest taste for sensational
ism and becomes entirely irresponsi-
Bile for good, its pernicious tendency
is obviated only by the power of the
people to protect themselves against
it by a safe discrimination and
healty skepticism. The close relation
between journalism and politics. no
one who has been in the slightest de
gree familiar with the course of a
popular government, can ignore. The
unjust color sometimes given through
jaundiced editors and correspondents
has an injurious effect, but fortunate
ly such injustice is generally remed
led"
Judge Taft paid a high tribute to
the profession of medicine. because it
had contributed to the preservation of
the health of all the people. He point
ed out that the profession had been
exalted by its great discoveries and
by its assistance in the expansion of
our government in the tropics and in
the construction of the Panama
Canal
Taft was the guest of honor at a
midday dinner of the famous First
Troup. Philadelphia city cavalry,
which has entertained every presi-
dent from Washington TO Roosevelt.
his presence for a brief period glad