Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1898-03-02
SPEECH. BY M'KINLEY.
THE PRESIDENT TALKS TO PENN.
SYlvANlA STUDENTS.
The Father of His Country a Pattern
for All Patriots, Both in His Private
and Public Life Peerless as a States
man, Soldier and Citizen.
Example for All Americans.

Siit VI MUSIC III IHlIauelpnia- MT. NC
kinley was introduced by Provost Chas
G. Harrison.
The utterances of the President were
greeted with frequent applause. He said
in part:
In its entirety Washingtons public life
is as familiar TO the American student as
the history of the United States. They
are associated in holy and indissolube
bonds. With enduring fame as a great
soldier the world recognized his equal ac-
complishments in the paths of statesman
ship. AS soldier he was peerless in the
time in which he lived, and as a states
man his rank is fixed with the most illus
trlous in any country or in any age. From
the hour when Washington declared in
his Virginia home he would raise a thou
sand men and equip them at his own ex-
pense to march to the defense of Boston,
he became the masterful spirit of the con-
tinental army and the mightiest single
factor in the continents struggle for lib
erty and independence.
Apparently without persona! ambition
spurning royal honors when they were
suggested to him, he fulfilled a still more
glorious destiny as the guiding force of
civilization freer and mightier than the
history of man has ever known. Slave
holder himself, he yet hated slavery, and
provided in his will for the emancipation
of his slaves. Not college graduate, he
was always enthusiastically friend OF
liberal education. He used to on every
suitable occasion impress upon Congress
and the country the Importance of high
standard of general education and charac-
terized a diffusion of knowledge as the
most essential element of strength in a
system of free government. And how
reverent always was this great man, how
prompt and generous his recognition of
the guiding hand Of Divine Providence in
esta blishing and controlling the destinies
of the colonies and the republic.
At the very height of his success and
reward as he emerged from the reyolu-
ton, receiving by unanimous acclaim the
plaudits of the people and commanding
the respect and admiration of the civil
lied world, he did not forget that his first
official act as President should be fer
vent duplication to the Almighty Being
who rules the universe But Washington
on this occasion went further and spoke
for the people, assuming he but voiced
the sentiments of the young nation III
thus making faith in Almighty God and
reliance upon his favor and care one of
the strong foundations of the Government
then inaugurated. And proceeding, Wash
ington states the reasons for his belief
in language so exalted that it should be
craven deep upon the mind of every pat
riot.
Tn, IF activity industrial
commerce, strife and perplexing problems
we should never abandon the simple faith
in Almighty God as recognized in the
name of the America n people by Wash
ington and the first Congress. But if a
timely lesson is to he drawn from the
opinions of Washington on assuming the
office of President, so alse much practi-
cal benefit can be derived from a present
application of portions OF his farewell adj
dress, document in which Washington
laid down the principles which appeared
to HIM ''all important to the permanence
of your felicity as a people," In that ad-
dress Washington contends in part ID
for the promotion of the institutions of
learning; (2) for the cherishing of the pub
lie credit; 90 for the observance of good
faith and justice toward all nations.
a hundred years ago free schools were
very little known in the United States.
There were excellent schools for the we'll
to-do, and charitable institutions for the
instruction of boys and girls without
means; but free public school, open alike
to the children of rich and poor, supporte
by the State, awaited creation and devel-
opment. The seed planted by the fathers
III IL Ill.
endowments of the old world, none OF
them excel in munificence the gifts made
to educational institutions by the people
of the United States, and by their govern
ment in conformity with the Influence
which sound learning has on religion and
manners, or government, liberty AM
laws" l have had peculiar satisfaction
in the fact that Washington in those early
days, when engrossed with mighty gov
ernmental problems, did not forget his
contributions for the education of the
poor and left in his will bequest to be
dedicated to free public instruction. Moth
ing better tells the value he placed upon
knowledge as essential to the highest and
best citizenship.
Cherish the public credit" How much
bined in this simple a1monition of the
father of his country. The United States
emerged from the bitter and prolonged
struggle of the revolutionary war exhaust
ed financially, with a hundred existing
perplexities and difficulties which remain
ed to be solved before the financial credit
of the new nation could be established at
home and demonstrated abroad But
Washington knew how to gather around
him and place in positions of grea test
trust able financiers and economists whose
names the country still venerates and
whose great work it still enjoys. Hamil-
ton Morris, Gallatin and others were
successful in establishing the treasury and
inaugurating the financial operations of
this Government upon principles which
recognized that the most enduring basis
of national credit was national honor. and
that hateyer other assets we might have
or acquire that was indispensable first,
last and all the time, if we would cherish
the public credit. We have been fully
rewarded all along our history by adher-
ing to the principles of Washington in
keeping public faith. Before half the
century passed we had paid off our ma
tional debt and had balance in the treas
ury. Another debt, the greatest in our
history, was incurred in the civil war for
the preservation of the Union. But this
did not exceed the resources or discourage
the intentions of the An rican people.
There were those who suggested repudia-
ton, but the people depudiated them and
went on unchecked, discharging the obli-
cations of the Government In coin of hon
or. From the day our flag was unfurled
to the present hour no stain of just obi
CATION violated has yet furnished the
American name. This must and will be
true in the future as it has been in the
past. Some part of the column may wa
yer am wander away from the standard,
but there will ever rally around it a
mighty majority to preserve it stainle -
and in honor.
To-day, nearly a century from Washing
tons death, we turn reyerently to the
study of the leading principles of that
comprehensive chart for the guidance of
the people, 1t was his unfinching, i'm
movable devotion 10 these perceptions of
duty which more than anything else made
him what he was and contributed so d.
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 il would be profitable to
heed. He seems to have grasped all the
possible conditions and pointed the way
TO safely meet them He established dan
ger Signals all along the pathway of the
nations march. We have every incentive
to cherish the memory and teachings of
Washington.
MITES OE THE RICH