Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1909-02-25

Of the Life and Works Of George
WashIngton-The First Presidents
High Character as a Man.
Philadelphia, Feb. 22.-Hon. William
H. Taft, president-elect of the United
States, was the principal speaker at
the exercises in the University Of
Pennsylvania, commemorative Of the
birth of Washington.
He chose for the subject Of his adj
dress the Present Relations Of the
Learned Professions to Political Gov
eminent" He discussed at consider
able length the, influence which the
learned professions, in this day, have
upon national and municipal govern
ment. He outlined LUMINOSITY the
part each of the important professions
plays in a government by the people
and compared their influence, n with
another. In brief part, he said:
1T Is the duty Of every citizen to
give as much attention as he can to
the public veal, and to take as much
interest as he can in political matters.
Americans generally have recognized
these duties, and we find active in po-
litical life, men representing all pro-
fessions, all branches Of business and
all trades. l propose to-day to invite
your attention to the present relation
OF each of the learned professions to
politics and government.
Ministry Placed First.
"The first profession is that Of the
ministry. Time was in New England,
and in every other part of the coun-
try under the influence of its tradi-
lions, when the minister Of the Con-
gregational church, in addition to that
of his sacred Office, exercised q most
powerful influence, which was Of a dis
tinctly political character. His views
on the issues Of the day were consid-
cred Of the greatest weight in the com
munity in which he lived, and he
ranked everyone as its first citizen.
This was in the days when New Eng.
land might almost be called a 'theoc-
racy;' when it was deemed wise and
politically proper to regulate by law,
to the minutest detail, the manner of
life Of men, and as these laws were I'M
derstood to be framed in accord with
moral and religious requirements, the
minister of the community was the
hfnhnct otIihortfy oc IN NH of tho In y
should be and how it ought to be en-
forced. Great changes have come over
u methods of life since that day.
Then the ministry, because of the re-
and prominence, attracted the ablest
Of educated minds, and the ability and
force of character were where power
and influence resided. But the spread
ing, the wide diffusion of knowledge
and new by the press, the enormous
material development of the country,
the vast increase In wealth, the in
crease in rewards and influence of
other vocatlons, the disappearance OF
the simple village life, have all con
tributed to change radically the posi-
ton and influence Of the ministry in
the community. To-day it is not true
that that profession attracts the ablest
young men, and this, I think, is a dis
tinct loss to our society, for it is of
the utmost Importance that the profes.
sion whose peculiar duty 1t is to main
tain high moral standards and to
arouse the best that there is in man.
to stir him to higher aspirations
should have the genius and brilliancy
with which successfully to carry out
this function. OF course, the profes
sion Of ministry is supposed to have
to do largely with the kingdom of the
next world rather than with this, and
many people expect to find in the rep
resentatives of the profession only
an other worldliness and no thought
of this. This, of course, is the mar
rowest view of the profession. What
ever the next world, we are certainl,
under the highest obligation to make
the best Of this, and the ministers
should be the chief instruments in ma
king this world morally and religious
ly better. 1t is utterly impossible t,
separate politics from the lives of tn,
community, and there cannot be gen
eral personal and social business NOR
ality and political immortality at thu
same time. The latter will ultimatel.
debauch the whole community.
Has Made Improvement.
During the administration of MI
Roosevelt, and under the influence 0
certain revelations Of business immol
atty, the conscience of the Who'll
country was shocked and then nerve
to the point of demanding that a be-
ter order of affairs be introduced. /
this movement the ministers Of tn
various churches have recognized tn
call upon them to assist, and the
have been heard in accents much NOR
effective than ever before in half
century. The greatest agency to-da
in keeping us advised Of the cond
tons among oriental c is the q
adjustment of foreign missions. Th
leaders of these missionary branche
of the churches are becoming some {
our most learned statesmen In respe'
Q. proper oriental policies"
Judge Taft, discussing teachers, sal
that their relation to politics and go
e nment is of the utmost importanc
though indirect" He went on:
Dancer Earns Worlds Tribute.