The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-01-06
Protestant Ministers of Augusta
 Listen to Discourse
INFLUENCE OF THE CHURCH
President-Elect Speaks of Great Moral Awakening In the United States and Relation of the Church
 and State.

Augusta, Ga, January 5.--'fo the protes- tant ministers of Augusta, President-elect Taft today expressed his views regarding the influence of the church upon civiliza- ton and it's usefulness in aiding govern mental development His talk might be regarded an interesting addition to the general discussion which has been in dulged in regarding his religious beliefs.
 The ministers had extended MT. Taft a cordial welcome and expressed desire to arrange a reception for him, their man. Hesitation of friendliness being concluded with prayer. MT. Taft began by thank ing them for their good will and their prayers, adding ''in carrying on the bur den of government, which with it's in- creasing usefulness necessarily entails greater tasks they who are charged with it's execution need every assistance and sympathy.
 MT. Taft referred to the moral awak- ening'' during the past four years, as an indication of the healthful state of our civilization. The people had demanded a moral reform, and in this, he said, the clergy must take an important part.
 In his experiences in the north and south and in the Philippines, MT. Taft said he had been able to study many diff ferent phases of civilization, especially in the matter of church influence.
 Church Influence.
 Leaving out the sectional distinctions, . he continued, the indispensable presence of church influence in the improvement in our civilization no one can be blind to who has shared in the slightest the re- sponsibility for government and the re- sponsibility for improvement in a people, as l have. More was responsibility in respect to race that is now in a state of Christian tutelage and must be up- lifted, in my judgment by us and through our guidance before we shall have dis charged the obligation that providence has thrust upon us. And in the study of the developments it sas been made known to me the enormous influence thai the church must exercise in order to make our progrses there effective. The Roman Catholic church was there for years and preserved that state of Christian tutelage to which I have referred. Now, the ban has been removed from other denomina- tions, and they are all in there on an equality in the spirit of christian emua- tion attempting to uplift those people, and we, for the government, by system of secular education, are aiding that up- lifting; but without the moral influence of the churches there, we could not ac- complish anything. It is that sort of ex- perience by which there Is borne in upon us the importance of the maintenance of a church and it's influence at all hazards.
 Church and State.
 .It is difficult sometimes to explain to one who has been used to the close union of church and state, such as was preserved in Spain, such as is pre- served in some other countries, the real attitude of the American government toward the church. He assumes that if we separate the church from the state 1t means that the state does not favor the church. I had the honor to represent this country In a transaction of a business character with Leo XIII at the vatican and there l pointed out to him, with all the emphasis possib le, that the separation of church and state was In the interest of the church, and that in America he could count on the sustaining of the rights of the church and its encoura cement by every legiti mate means, on the part of people without it's assuming any governmental function or having any governmental right, such as it has in other coun- tries.
 "It comes over me every once in while, when I am charged with ac- complishng some work among the peo- pie how important it is that we should have the influence of the church behind everything that we do.'
 Negro Education.
 The clergymen in their talk had re- ferred to negro education and at this point in his reply, MT. Taft remarked that his previous statement was one of his strong easons for advocating the maintenance of excellent universities in the south for the education of the negro minister because of their won derful power over their race. These men had a great responsibility and should be thoroughly prepared there for, he added. The influence of the white churches on the negro churches must continue to grow. MT. Taft ex- plained that he was not in favor of a university education for every negro, any more than for every other man What they need to be taught is the primary education and an industrial education to make them better workmen-better skilled laborers and better farmers than they are today.
 State Politics.
 Horace E. Andrews, a prominent citi- zen of Cleveland, O., and Editor Robert Wolff of Columbus saw Mir. Taft today and discussed Ohio state politics. MT. Taft said that both made hearty indorse- ments of Myron T. Herrick for cabi- net position. He added that he had the highest regard for the judgment of his personal callers. especially MT Andrews, whom he had known long and favorably. Another conference resulted in the call of L. H. Bailey of Cornell university, New York; H. c. White of the State university at Athens Ga, and Prof. L. G. Carpenter, director of the Colorado agricultural sta tion constituting a committee from the National Association of Agricultural Col leges and Experiment Stations. MT. Taft said he was told in general terms the qualifications that the man should have to fill the position of Secretary of Agri- culture, predicated. hes added on the ex- pressed assumption that Secretary Will son, with whom no fault was found, was not to serve out full term In the Taft cabinet. The President-elect asked his visitors ito name their man" which brought the response that they were not prepared to do so
 A North Carolina vacant federal judge ship brought J. Elwood Cox, recently re- candidate for rovernor fy t},.t