Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-02-28
GiadsfOne's Tribute TO Washington.

rIcln the l1OHuon
We reprint this morning from the New York
Tribune a characteristic letter which Mr.. Glad
stone addressed last autumn to the London
correspondent OF that paper. 1t deals with sub
jectS that have long been 1avOrites with him
! the future OF the English-spcakirg race and the
character OF the national hero OF the Ameri-
cans. The starting point of the discussion was
remark thrown out by one of the guests at a
country house to the effect that reverence was
declining among US because there was nobody
to revere. Mr.. Gladstone denied both cause and
effect; there was as much reverence as ever and
a. many men as ever who were worthy OF it,
Cobden, for example, was man than whose
public career and life none had ever been nober
and more admirable. Then. with q bow to his
American ieliow-guest, the prime minister pro-
ceeded: ''Oi course except Washington, He.
TO my MIND, was the purest figure in history
Afterward came up the question OF imperial
federation and what the Americans Thought OF
the lde;i. II was answered that they cared more
TO consider the future OF the Misunderstanding
race all over the world land there" said Mr..
Gladstone, ~ am heartily with YOU The ft1-
turc OF the world belongs to US, who are of the
same blood and language, if we are true to our
selves and our opportunities. hot OF conquest
development and beneficial influence"
Then followed a long letter, intended for publ
cation, IN which. Mr.. Gladstone said still more
pleasant things OF Washington, and after the
precedent of his own celebrated article on kin
BEYOND Sea"-contriJuted some years ago to
The North Anle1tc1A Rct{e2c-proccedcd to dwell
with even more emphasis upon the future OF the
English-speaking race As far as Washington
Is concerned we have nothing TO saw 1t is emf
nently desirable in writing or speaking to an
American, 10 say nothing dIsparaging of the
Father of the Republic; and this maxim Mr.
Gladstone evidently remembered and empha-
sized after his fashion. Ii did not to- occur
to him, as II will occur 10 many of his readers
That there Is a certain incongruity between the
praise OF Washington and the praise of union
among Engllsil-speaking peoples. Washington
was great man, beyond ques ton; a soldier of
eminent natural gifts and a high-minded states
man; but it sounds a little paradoXical to asso-
ciate his name with the promotion of a feeling
of kfnship and union between us and our
American brethren.
MIR. Gladstone. like others who have had the
same vision, is lost in wonder at the thought of
the numerical future of the Misunderstanding
race. He recalls the fact that a century AGO il
numbered some l5,U0O,O0O; ne reminds us that
ii Is now a hundred miliion and he looks for
ward, with Mr.. Barham Zincke and a French
stttistIcIan, TO "a time "A century hence when it
shall number SIX hundred, eight hundred or q
thousitno million. THESE are to occupy the
whole OF one vast continent. and indeed Two
Tor Australia has to be taken into account, not
10 lhehtlOn THESE little Islands Of own; and
all are TO be united by the bonds of O gigantic
commerce, by the sense of bloOd-relationship,
ana by Il practical unity in laws and creeds 70
such race, so united, there will fall by an in
evitable law the peaceful prmacy" of the
world, TO reject which would be q grand apos-
tasy' indeed. There Is more of the same Sort
III the letter, and the prime minister then very
naturally hands over his suggestions to be dealt
with and developed by those who have more,
leisure than he Indeed, 1t can hardly be ex-
pected that an English statesman, who at the
the cAasperatlng Egyptian question, but the
quarrel with the house of lords, and the pros
pect Of a wearisome autumn session, should
occupy himself very infinitely with the
concerns OF the latter halr of the twentieth
century. Mr. Gladstone is of all statesmen
living or dead, the one most likly TO occupv
himselfin thatwa at such time but even he
must expect after awhile TO find other matters
more pressing We, too may be excused for
DONG likewise, and leaving 10 Others the full
investigation of these problems of the remote
| future. 1t may be, as Mr.. Gladstone says, that
4 lFNNrx hon ftNsa
may be In the enjoyment of complete haTmony
and that other nations-for we suppose that We
shall not have quite crowded out the remainder
| OF mankind-will have no wish to provoke or
disturb them. Or it may be, as Lord Lytton
Ilts 1t in THE Coming Race that the North
american continent will be still more emphat-
! 1caliy self-contained than it is at present and
that "a population of two hundred millions will
dictate to a covering universe the doctrines of
Speculate on those distant possibilities: but il
Is much more interesting, and much more prac-
Things, and to try to forecast the mutual rela-
tons between the different branches of our
years that are immediately before us. If we
can assure ourselves that those relations are
nheiy 70 be friendly, and to be based on a clear
understanding OF mutual interest, we have in
that assurance the best possible guarantee that
MIR. Gladstones visions OF a hundred wears
hence are IN a ialr way to be realized
DAVID DUDLEY FIELD now eighty years old
the secret of health what is tine see a9agt
asked the interviewer, and the reply was: at is
| to daily exercise in the open air, temperance,
| perfect health" 'What are your habits of eai
Ing, drinking and sleeping?' my preference
has always been for simple, wholesome fare
| and seldom drink wine except with NV din.
ner-usuaiiy ciaret From ten or eleven until
| six o'clock spend In bed, and am at work at
home or here in my office nearly all OF the re- &c.
manning time" you condemn tobacco in toto.
| do you not?" Eyes; consider 1t not only in,
furious, but also great nuisance, and that
every man WHO uses 1t would be better with.
out IT, "''''