The San Francisco call., 1898-02-23
Far Sighted Wisdom of His Farewell Address to the
 Nation.
ADVICE TO BE HEEDED.
Reference Made by the Speaker to the First Presidents Foreign
 Policy
Special Dispatch to The Call.

PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 22.-Presi- dent Mckinley was driven to the Acad- emy of Music this morning, where the Washington birthday commemorative exercises of the University of Pennsyl- vania were held. Over 2000 students assembled on the university campus at 9:30 and marched, four abreast, to the Academy of Music. There the students took the seats reserved for them.
 President Mckinley addressed an in- telligent and appreciative audience at the academy. By his side on the stage were assembled the faculty of the Uni versity of Pennsylvania and many pro fessors and executive officials of other educational institutions. The appear ance of the President on the stage was the signal for thunderous applause, and as it died away the students broke out with their thrice repeated college cry of Pennsylvania" and the Municipal band followed with Hall to the Chief and the "Star-Spangled Banner" Charles c. Harrison, provost of the University of Pennsylvania, introduced President Mckinley, who, as he stepped forward, was greeted with spontaneous handclapping from all over the house, and the students again gave their college cry. It was some minutes before quiet was restored. In his eulogy of the character and genius of Washington the President said in part:
 It was committed to Washington to launch our ship of state. He had neither precedent nor predecessor to help him; he welded the scattered and at times an- tagonisttc colonies into an indestructible Union and inculcated the lessons of mu- tual forbearance and fraternity which have cemented the States into still closer bonds of interest and sympathy
 From the hour when Washington de- clared in his Virginia home that he would raise a thousand men and equip them at his own expense to march to the defense of Boston, he became the masterful spirit of the Continental army and the mightest single factor in the continents struggle for liberty and in dependence. Apparently without personal ambition, spurning royal honors when they were suggested to him, he fulfilled a still more glorious destiny as the guid- ing force of a civilization freer and mightier than the history of man had known.
 Though Washingtons exalted character and the most striking acts of his brilliant record are too familiar to be recounted here, where so many times they have re- cefved eloquent and deserved eulogy, yet, often as the story is retold, it engages our love and admiration and interest. We love to recall his noble unselfshness, his heroic purposes, the power of his mag nificent personality, his glorious achieve ments for mankind and his stalwart and unfiinching devotion to independence, liberty and union. Those cannot be too often told or be too familiarity known.
 Much practical benefit is to be derived from the present application of portions of Washington's farewell address, a doc ument In which he laid down principles which appeared to him "all important to the permanence of your felicity as a peo- pie" In that address Washington con- tended in part-First, for the promotion of institutions of learning; second for cherishing the public credit: third for the observance of good faith and justice to- ward all nations.
 At no point in his administration does Washington appear in grander propor- tions than when he enunciated his ideas in regard to the foreign policy of the
 "Observe good faith and justice toward all nations; cultivate peace and harmony with all. Religion and morality enjoin this conduct. Can 1t be that good policy does not equally enjoin it? It will be worthy of a free, enlightened, and at no distant period, a great nation, to give to mankind the magnanimous and too novel example of people always guided by an exalted justice and benevolence."
 To-day, nearly a century from Wash 1ngtons death, we turn reverentially to study the leading principles of that com prehensive chart for the guidance of the people. It was his unflinching, immov- able devotion to these perceptions of du- ty which more than anything else made him what he was and contributed so di- rectly to make us what we are. Follow ing the precepts of Washington we cannot err. The wise lessons in government which he left us will be profitable to heed.
 At the library reception was held in the Presidents honor and a lunch con was served. The President left for Washington over the Pennsylvania railroad on the 2.1S n'clnck train