The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-06-03
On Opportunities and Limits Of
Pursuits and Professions.
CHANCES ARE AS GOOD
For Getting Ahead as Ever
They We're, He Says.
The Legal Profession Should Be
Purged Of Undesirables.

Ada, O., June 3.-President Taft in an
address to the graduating class of the
Ohio Northern university here today
gave advice to the young men and wo-
men and discussed at length the oppor-
tunities and limits of the various pro-
fessions and business pursuits. The law,
the ministry. medicine, teaching, jour-
palisn, farming and modern Industrial
conditions all came in for a share of
treatment in Mr.. Taft's remarks. In
discussing Journalism the president took
occasion to denounce muck raking'
and expressed the belief that this un-
just phase of newspaper activity soon
would be thing of the past He
praised Theodore Roosevelt's crusade
against muck rakers in this connection.
socialism was denounced by the presi-
dent but was referred to as one of the
problems that will have to be consid-
cred during the next generation.
President Taft did not wear the cap
and gown which caused so much ex-
cltement by its disappearance at Bryn
Mawr yesterday. There was a new
Hurry today, however. Mr.. Taft's
spring overcoat is lost. He had to wear
heavy winter one when he alighted
from his private car under threatening
skies and chilly atmosphere. In his
aodress to the graduates the president
said in part:
Il am goinF to invite your attention
this morning to what confronts you in
your start in life and the political and
economic problems that should you take
Part IN politics as you ought to do, will
probably occupy your attention and
call for your activity in their solution
In the first place let US take the busi-
ness situation. 1t is of course, impossi-
bic to expect that the famous growth
OF trade shall continue in the propor-
hi
ed during the last 10 years and It is
reasonable to suppose that at some time
within the next decade there will be
some reaction or some financial strin-
gency or perhaps a financial panic.
| Nevertheless the progress that has been
made Is real and substantial.
There may be a halt; there may be
| a scaling down of values but these we
have had from time to time, followed
| by recovery which indicated only a
| naomentary lapse.
Opportunities for Success.
1T is thought and said that the op-
pertun1ty for individual success in BUS
| mess does not seem now so great as
! 1t was formerly and that therefore the
opportunity for young men to win sue
| cess in business seems less than it was
| 30 or 40 years ago.
| 1t has been my duty to select and
promote many men in official life and
| l know whereof I speak when I say
| that successful business, whether gov
ernmental or private, whether small
or large depends chiefly on the selec-
tion of men by whom this business is
to be done and that the promotion
| which successful men secure is not
that which comes by favor, but by
the logic of the circumstances and for
the benefit of the employer. There is
therefore today as much room for fit
men as there ever was in business.
The kind of success that comes from
| intelligent fidelity and industry in the
cause into which man devotes him
self and the work which he does
speaks far louder in the demand for
his promotion than all the good will
of his employer or the influence that
kind friends may seek to bring in his
| behalf.
What is the condition of the pro-
fessions should you conclude to enter
one of them? The enormous demand
for the work of the members of GER
tain scientific professions like engin-
eering, civil, mechanical and electrical
and manufacturing chemistry. I need
| not dwell upon. In the last decade il
| has been hard to secure men with suf-