The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-02-23
l'EINLEY ON WASHINGTON
Address Before University Of Penn
syIVania Students.
TRIBUTE TO SURPRISING GENIUS
OF FIRST PRESIDENT.

How He Became the Leading Figure in
the Revolution-His Gratitude to the
Deity-His Grasp of What the Remote
Future Was to Develop.
Philadelphia, February 22,-President
Mckinley ate an early breakfast with the
family of Charles G. Harrison this morn
ing. He did not leave the house until a
few minutes before Ii O'Clock, when,
in company with Mr.. Harrison, he was
driven to the Academy of Music where
the Washington Birthday oommemors-
tive exercises of the University of Penn
sylvania were held. Over 1000 students
assembled on the University campus at
$50 this morning and marched four
abreast to the Academy Of Music The
route was arraigned SO that. the process
sion would pass MIR. Harrison's house,
and the students there gave cheering
welcome to the President. The Chief
Magistrate, when the head aof the column
reached the residence, appeared at the
door, There, with barred head, he smil'
ingIy bowed to the hundreds of under
graduates in response to their hearty col
lege greeting. The column marched in
classes, and as each class reached tne
house, the members shouted the college
CRY of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, -
ending with "The President, the Presi-
dent, the President" ~
The Presidents face lighted up and be-
tokened extreme pleasure at the enthusi
astic and almost continuous shouts Of
the collegians Every student in thu
line, also removed his hat while passing
the Chief Magistrate. Reaching the
Academy, they marched inside where
seats were reserved for them.
Admission to the academy was by caro-
and the audience was made up alinos
wholly of those from the University, very
little room being left for Others
The Academy was beautifully decorat
ed. After the University boys had agair
given the varsity cheer, winding fpI
with the. Presidents name, Provost =.
q. Harrison stepped to the front OF the
stage and introduced the President III 6
brief address.
The president said: =s7.s-'
In Its entirety Washington's public life
is as familiar to the American student as
the history Of the United States. They
are associated in holy and indis5oluable
bonds. The one is incomplete without
the other Washington's character AND
achievements have been part OF the
school books of the nation for more than
a century and have moved American
youth and American manhood to aspire
to high ideals as responsible citizenship.
With enduring fame as a great soldier
the world has recognized his equal ac-
embellishments in the paths of stateman-
ship. AS soldier he was peerless in the
times in which he lived, and as states.
man his rank is fixed with the most
illustrious in any country or in any age
But with all our pride in Washington
we not infrequently fail to give him
credit for his marvellous genius as con-
structive statesman. We are constantly in
danger of losing sight of the sweep and
clearness of his comprehension which 40
curately grasped the problems of the re-
mote future and knew how to formulate
the best means for their solution.
It was committed to Washington tC
launch our ship of state. He had neither
precedent nor predecessor to help him.
He welded the scattered, and at times an
tagonistie colonies into an indistructable
union and inculcated the lessons O1
mutual for bearanee and fraternity which
have oeniented the states into still closer
bonds Of interest and Sympathy 81
clared in hisVirginia home that he would
raise a thousand men and equip them al
his own expense to march to the defense
of Boston, he became the masterful spirit
of the Continental army, and the
mightiest single factor in the contingent
struggle for liberty and independence
Apparently without personal ambition,
spurning royal honors when they were
suggested to him he fulfilled still NOR,
glorious destiny as the guiding force of {
civilization freer and mightier than the
history Of man had ever known.
A STAKEHOLDER himself, he yet hate(
slavery and provided i'll his Will Tor the
emancipation of his slaves.
Not college graduate, he was always
enthusiastically the friend of liberal edu
cation, He used every suitable occasion
to impress upon Congress and tie countr,
the importance of a high standard of gen
eral education and characteristic tn
diffusion of knowledge as the most essen
tiaI element of strength in ths system O
free government. That learning should
go with liberty and that liberty Is neve
endangered SO long as it is in the keepins
of intelligent citizens, was the ideal cod
which his frequent utterances never failet
to enforce.
And how reverept always was this grea
man, how prompt and generous hi
recognition of the guiding hand of Divin
Providence in establishing and CONTROL
ing the destinies OF the colonies and tn
republic. Again and again-in his talks
in his letters, in his state papers ane
formal addresses-he reveals this side 0
his character, the force of which we still
feel, and I trust we always will.
At The very height of his success anC
reward, as be emerged from the revolu'
ton receiving by unanimous acclaim tn
plaudits of the people and commanding
the respeot and admiration of the civiliZe'
world ne did not forget that his frs
official act as President should be ferYen
supplication to the Almighty Being VIII
rules the universe.
But Washington on this occasion wen
further and spoke for the people assumln
tASs he but voiced the sentiment OF tn
young nation in thus making faith i
Almighty God and reliance upon Hi
favor and care Of the strong foundation
of the government then inaugurated. An
proceeding, Washington states the reason
for his belief in language SO exalte
STATE OF OHIO, CITY OF TOLEDO