San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-02-22
wAsHINGTON's BIRTHDAY.

10 the Dally LlSnl:
1t should be the pride of all citizens
Of the United States irrespective of
party names and party lines, fifty to
commemorate the anniversary Of the
birthday OF George Washington. They
should feel, that they honor themselves
by concentrating the annual return
Of his birthday and that IT will exert z
most excellent influence on the boys
and young men of our country, who,
in the course of things, must, ere long,
become the voters, legislators, states
men, presidents, judges, governors, ed
itors and teachers of this magnificent
country of ours. purposely place ed
itors and teachers last, in the ascend
ing scale of those who will control our
cOuntry's destiny in the years to come.
They both play a great part in shaping
the minds of men and in moulding
public opinion-the editor by means of
the newspaper sows his thoughts on
the wings of the wind" TO be waited
by them to every nook and corner in
Speaking for myself 1 had rather be
the editor of newspaper of widely
extended circulation than to occupy a
seat in either branch of the Congress
Of the nation. The editor should con-
stantly aim to enlighten the minds, to
humanize the hearts-to refine the feel
ings-to polish the manners and to
nourish the moral principles, of it's hosts
of readers Of both sexes and of all ages
and conditions, not by elaborate disqui-
sitions on such topics, but simply by
Away scondemning what is brutal, low,
vulgar, inhuman and unprincipled, and
by praising the opposite qualities.
The teacher sows the seed of knowl-
edge in the minds of the young, and,
if he be worthy of his high calling,
he will exert an influence on their af-
ter lives and be to them what is sheet
anchor is to the tempest tost ship.
of love Of his country, or patriotism.
The decadence of genuine love of coun-
try is one of the most portentious signs
of the present generation. The ten
dency is to regard the political party
with which we are identified as our
country and to lavish on it that love
which we owe to our country as a par
amount duty. When his friends advis-
ed Danton to fly from France in order
10 escape from the wrath of Robe
sphere, he Indignantly asked them. IF
a man could carry away his country
on the soles of his shoes" Parties
ought always to be regarded as secon-
dairy to ones country and never be ex-
allied to that niche in ones heart, which
love of country alone should occupy.
The commemoration of the birthday
Of Washington is a capital milestone
on which to sharpen our fove of cOun-
try. He can derive neither pleasure
nor profit from our praises Of him-''no
flattery can soothe the dull, cold year
of DEATH" But we honor and exalt |
ourselves by honoring George Wash |
ington, and we impart a much needed |
and useful lesson to our children, when |
we teach them, that he deserves to be |
honored and emulated by them. 1t is |
an excellent thing to have a worthy |
and noble model before our eyes. All |
the centuries that have come and gone,
since the birth of time, have produced |
no worthier and nobler model than our
own George Washington, who occupies
place in history "above all Greek-all
Roman fame" Let us take pride in
honoring the memory Of our Washing
ION and let US strive with all our
might to emulate his love Of country
and his devotion to liberty.
ANTHONY w. BILLIARD.