El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1897-05-15
1t was Unveiled Todayat Phi
IadeI phia.
MCKINLEY MAKESA TALK.
The President EulOgizes the Father
of his Country" and the Philadel-
phia Monument is Dedicated as
Memorial to the Man Who was
Great in Many Ways.

PHILADELPHIA, May 15.-The dedi-
cation today of the statue to the mem
ory of the father of his country, under
the auspices of the Socie-
ty Of the Cincinnati affords,
apart from its patriotic motives, a
striking and probably unparalleled ex-
qualification of American persever-
ance and determination. Lacking six
weeks, eighty-six years have elapsed
since the Pennsylvania branch of that
society, by formal resolution. pledged
itself to the erection of this tribute to
the first president of the United States.
For awhile, the project was received
with enthusiasm and a considerable
sum for those days was subscribed.
Then came apathy and discouragemeut.
One after another of the original COM
mittee died. until not familiar face
remained, but as each one passed away
his place was filled. At spasmo1ic in
| tervalS renewed appeals for funds were
| issued. A number of patriotic citizens
organized an auxiliary committee, and
at the end of fifty-six years this auxil
| iary had accumulated fifty thousand
dollars. The fund of the Cincinnati,
| in the mean time, had reached one
hundred and thirty-seven thousand dol
lars. The two sums were com bined
and the contract for the monument
was awarded to Professor Rudolph
Siemering, the celebrated sculptor of
Berlin. Today therefore, marks the
culm ination of the patriotic intentions
of tie two score of Quakers that gath
cred in Independence hall more than
three quarters of a century since.
Tens of thousands of strangers are in
town. This morning the president, ac-
companied by Mayor Warwick. drove
through the park, and points of interest
on the leading streets for two hours.
He was enthusiastically received and
the parade moved exactly at noon.
The ceremonies at the park were
attended by an enormous thrOng. AZ
ter prayer and au address by Major
Wayne, Pre- esident Mckinley pulled
the cord unveiling the statue. Instant
ly the national salute rang out from
the warships aud artillery. The presi-
dent then delivered his eulogium on
the life and career of Washington.
The following is the address of Pres
ident Mckinley at the unveiling of the
Washington monument:
Fellow citizens:-"There is pc
culiar and tender sentiment connected
with this memorial, it expresses not
only the gratitude and reverence of
the living, but it is testimonial of al
fect'on and homage for the deal. The
comrades of Washington projected
this monument. Their love ir spired
it, their contributions helped 20 build
it. Past and present share in its COM
plet on and future enerations will
profit by its lessons. To participate in
the dedication of such a monument is a
monument to Washington is a tribute
to patriotism: every shaft and statue to
his memory helps to ineulcate love of
country, encourage loyalty and es-
tablishes better citizens. God bless
every Undertaking which revives pa
triotiSm and rebukeS the in difference
and lawle a critical study of Wash !
ing ton $ career, is only to en- aance our |
estimation Of his vast and varied ablli- |
ties. AS commander in chief of the CO.
lonial armies from the beginning of war
to proclamation of peace, as president
of the convention which framed the |
constitution of the United States, and |
as first president of the United States |
under that constitution, Washington |
has distinction differing from
that of all other illustr.ous Ameri- !
cans. No other name bears or can bear |
such relation to the government.
Not only by his military genius, his
patience, his sagacity, his courage and |
his skill was our rational dependence |
won, but he helped in the largest |
measure to draft the character by |
which the nation was guided: and he |
was first chosen OF the people to put in
motion the new government. His was
not the boldness of martial display or
the charm of captivating oratory, |
but his calm aud teady dgment won |
mems support and he commanded their
confidence by appealing to their best
and nobiest aspirations, and with all
Washington was ever so modest that a t |
no time in his career did he personally |
seem in the least intrusive. He was
above the temptation of power. He
Spurned the suggestion of crown: he |
would have no honor which the people |
did not bestow; his was no narrow view
of government. The immediate pres
ent was not his soc concern, but our
future good was his constant theme of
study. He blazed the path of liberty. |
He laid the foundation upon which we
have grown from weak and scattered
colonials to united republic whose
domains and power as well as whose
liberty and freedom have become the
admiration of the world. Distance and
time have not detracted from the fame
and force of his achievements or
diminished the grandeur of his life and
work. Washington lives and will live,
because what he did was to the eXalta-
tion of man, the enthronement of con-
science and the establishment of gov
ernment which recognizes all the gov
erned. And so too will the nation live
victorious over all Obstacles. adh aring
to the immortal principles which
Washington taught and Lincoln sus-
taiL ed
w. w. Port delivered an Grafton
when the monument was formally ac-
cepted by the Philadelphia mayo.
The troops w re tbeu reviewed There
will be a grand banquet tonight.
SOmpfhi iup il I'm