The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-02-22
THE INTELLlGENC
WHEELING. FEBRUARY a., 1908. !
A,ya,hl,sto,n Revival.

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ANyaihinston Revival.
Incident to Washlng.on's birthday,
the Baltimore American publishes a
symposium of opinions OF many public
men OF the country in support OF the Idea
OF q washington revival"-one that
will awaken new interest in the life and.
work Of the first President OF the
United States" The letters, from the
members Of the Presidents cablnet,fr
members of Congress. senator's, COVER
nors OF states, and others. IRE unani-
nous In their approval OF what they re-
grad as not a merely sentimental move
ment. but patriotic revival to exploit
the name and story OF George Washing
ton. by concerted movement that shall
put him on pinnacle, where all eyes,
from the Atlantic to the Pacific and.
from the great lakes to the gulf OF Mex
leo, will see his greatness at a glance,
and be better citizens and more patriotic
Americans for the experience" The
Idea Is suggested on the line OF the Ma,
poleonlc REVEALS that are periodically
famed into flame In France to the keep
ing alive Of "the spirit that makes q ma,
tlan feared by its enemies"
"A fair sample Of these ready re-
sponses to the movement, and one which
embodies the sentiment which runs
through them all. is that furnished by
the governor of our own state, Mr.. At.
klnson. who says:
There Is a steady growth. in the minds
both Washington and Lincoln. Both OF
them get bigger US we get farther away
from them: and 1t Is right that this should
be. Washington was the greatest man Of
his period. He Is the best and truest typo
Of American patriot that has yet been pro-
duced: and 1t is my judgment that We can
make better and more patriotic citizens out
Of the children that are coming on by q
more careful teaching Of the life and char
acter Of our first and most renowned Pres
s ident. Washington will ever stand as the
foremost, American citizen, and he. there
fore. should be ever kept before the rising
generation as the model man and patriot,
after which they should shape and fashion
their lives as citizens Of the greatest re-
public beneath the stars" n ~.
The American. in calling attention to
the idea advanced by It's contributor, re-
calls that there has been within recent
date Napoleonlc revival in the United
States, and while 1t lasted the demand
for literature bearing on the life OF Ma
poleon was enormous. Every Incident
in his career was brought forward: !.
every portrait that could be found was
reproduced; special classes were formed
for the study OF his life. and lectures
about him, and plays based on events In
his career. were attended by great audi,
ences. Our contemporary remarks
truthfully that "if the people of this.
country can show such an interest in
the life and deeds Of Napoleon, they GER
tainly ought to show greater. interest
! in the life OF Washington" a
This is true. Unlike Napoleon, Wash
ington was character whose example
Is q lesson In patriotism, and when he Is
presented in his real light rather than in
! the Ideal, whether as the soldier, the
statesman or the private citizen, the
great qualities that show out are such
as do not lack in wholesome benefits to
the American citizens who study them.
A healthy Washington revival could not
fail to produce magnificent results. It
would not be q mere passing fad or
craze but important In the lessons to be.
learned IN the value Of such a life and
character as those OF our great first
President, whom We honor as the
father Of the republic, We know OF
none better than the Americans sugges-
ton that to help on such revival the
4 schools and teachers can contribute their
share, and, surely, the time spent upon
such study would not be wasted. lake
our contemporary, we believe that It
might, "by holding before the scholars
such a noble life as q model. lead them
to higher aims. greater ambitions. and
in the end. to more successful achieve
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