FOUR ASPECTS OF CIVIC DUTY BY WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT SECRETARY OF WAX FIRST CIVIL GOVERNOR OF THE PHHJPPINlt ISLANDS NEW YORK CHARLES SCRIBNERS SONS 1907 COPYRIGHT, 1906 BY YALE UNIVERSITY Published, December, 1906 TROW DIREOTOHV MINTING AND lOOKBINPINQ COMMNT NEW rONK CONTENTS PAOK I. THE DUTIES OF CITIZENSHIP VIEWED FROM THE STANDPOINT OP A RECENT GRADU ATE OF A UNIVERSITY 3 II. THE DUTIES OF CITIZENSHIP VIEWED FROM THE STANDPOINT OF A JUDG-E ON THE BENCH 35 III. THE DUTIES OF CITIZENSHIP VIEWED FROM THE STANDPOINT OF COLONIAL ADMIN ISTRATION 61 IV. THE DUTIES OF CITIZENSHIP VIEWED FROM THE STANDPOINT OF THE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE . …. 90 FOUR ASPECTS OF CIVIC DUTY THE DUTIES OF CITIZENSHIP VIEWED FROM THE STANDPOINT OF A RECENT GRADUATE OF A UNIVERSITY MB. PBESZDEMT, Aim GEETCLEMEN OF YAIJE My occupations within tlie last month have been so numerous, various, and absorbing that it has been very difficult for me to give thought and proper time of preparation for the series of lec tures which, more than a year ago, I was invited to deliver on the Dodge foundation by your alluring secretary Mr. Stokes. Knowing as I did that it was foolish for me to accept Mr. Stokess invitation, and knowing that whenever the time came for me to perform my promise it would cer tainly be the most inconvenient time in the year, I nevertheless yielded weakly, and agreed to come and say something about the duties of citizenship. Of course I could not anticipate that an earthquake would throw additional responsibilities on the 4 FOUR ASPECTS OF CIVIC DUTY War Department but previous experiences ought to have taught me that something would happen to make it altogether inconvenient and almost impossible for me tocomply with a promise so easily given hut with sueh difficulty performed. Still, here I am, and if what I have to say to you proves to he trite or for other reasons lacking in interest, I hope you will bear with me and at tribute it to the lack of preparation, I have worried over these lectures a good deal, and have sast about to know what plan for the development f the subject I could properly pursue which might 3e of assistance to the young men who are about o enter upon what I hope will be useful lives in doing what they ought to do to make this country better and to vindicate its form of government and its capacity for progress and development toward higher civilization. I met President Had ley in St Louis, and he suggested that I look at the subject from the four standpoints from which, in my personal experience, I have had to look at public matters. He thought that this would give me the advantage of testifying as a witness quali fied by opportunities for observation, whether the opportunities were improved or not. Acquies A GRADUATE OF A UOTVEBBITY 5 cing, as I always do, in the wisdom of his sugges tions, I have therefore taken for the four lectures which I am to deliver the following subjects I. The duties of citizenship viewed from the standpoint of a recent graduate of a university. II. The duties of citizenship viewed from the standpoint of a judge on the bench. IIL The duties of citizenship viewed from the standpoint of colonial administration. IV. The duties of citizenship viewed from the standpoint of the national executive. In taking up the first of these heads for dis cussion I hope I may be pardoned for calling attention to a fact that has not escaped generalobservation, that there are few conditions of mind more exalted, more comforting, more complacent, than that of the members of the Senior class of a great university like this. The struggle upward from the humility of Freshman year, through the irresponsibility and audacity of Sophomore year, the budding sense of superiority of Junior year, to the beatific appreciation of his own importance in supporting the dignity of the university that every Senior has, are well-known phases in col lege life…