The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-02-22

r,ssa,,s iol L..nariag the 22d Of February. For
| more than half century, with erer-increasihg
| popularity and public recognition, you have OBJ
| Ss.rvpd the OCt dsion either holiday OF with
patriotic exercises, participated IN by faculty and
| students No other American institution of learn
ing has a pr0uder title To the rencratiCn of ash
! irrtori's memory than this whose foundation was
I laid ia Gsi.nial days. nearly fifty Years hefoFe
PcnnsH syaIsia became state; who's progress was
! largely dle thr activity OF Franklin aad other
jealous and far-seeng patriots. and hose trustees
were terms 81 sufficient intimacy with W ash
/ iugign e. congratulate him upon his election 10
the Presidency and 10 receive nom him notai le
| reply, which has passed into the history OF the
! times
I Washington. too. Leloneed 10 the motherhood
Of the alumni Of this Institution. harng accept
ed the degree Of doctor Of laws conferred upon
/ him In u.s.
| Ii would ,.ot be poSsibl, in the comparatively
| short tiuit ia which these exercises must today
| he limited 80 follow Washington in his long and
/ distinguished services al the head of the Amy
! and ~ Chiei Executive Of the Government. Ny
purpose T. simply cali To your attention a few
I points in Na-h.ngtons career which have sirgu-
lariF impressed me. and 10 refer TO some passages
in bis writings that seem peculiarly appropriate
for tlr guidance OF the people, who under our
/ ic-1a al government have in their keeping the
wpil-'-ng 81 the coisHtrt-
Ia its entirety Wasbingtons public lie Is as IA
Iniliar 90 thc American student the history OF
! the rited States They are associated IN holy
! AID i,dj-~olsfhle bonds. The is incomplete
1 without the other. Washing Gus character aud
dChieKt nCuts have been part OF the school looks
If tie natiun for more than century and have
moved American touth and American manLood 10
ASPIRE to the highest ideals OF responsible citizen
ship. With enduring fame as great solder the
world has recognized has equal accomplishments n
she paths 81 siatesmsIistip. Is a soldier lac WAS
Targ7!e.- iu the times In which BE lived. and -
statesman hi~ rank J. fixed with the most Illus
t'.oUs iu HUy country or IN ana age
But with all our pride IN Naslington we not
ptltur,lilt Iali 60 give hlm credit Ion bis marvel
olls genius rs a constructive statesman. VIC sre
o-ir--ttly jn danger 81 losing sight OF the sweep
dud clgafEl,-- of ans comprehension which acsu-
rafrE -isri the problems ~ the remote future
/ and knew how formulate the best means Tor
! thaiT ~o.HIinn Il committed 70 Washington
90 launch oUl ship Of state. He had neither pre-
cpdsHt u.r predecessor 10 help HIM. lie welded
She scattered aud a. times @HtagonisfiG Colonies
into Iudc>inlCtlbie [ Mon. and tncuicatei the
lessons ai mutual ferb-artce and fraternity which
have u,ii..ItHd the Sta,g- into still closer bonds
! q interest aHd sympathy.
/ FT,m tfe hour when Washington declared in his
Virginia home that he would raise 1000 men and
equip th,m his own expense to march 10 the
l,f,aSc OF Boston, De became the mastcriul spirit
OF tire Continental A;tny. and the mightiest single
,ieT IN thc tonr!neHts Struggle for liberty and
Independence. Apparently without personal ambi-
ton spuuiug royal hon6r~ when they were sug-
geS,od 60 him. he fulalled a still more glorious
iC-tuv IS Tie guiding force OF civilization freer
and migliier than the history OF man had ever
known.
N, love 10 recall his noble unselhshncss his
heroi. purposes. the power OF his magnificent per
-onalfiy. his gori0u- achei eIuents for mankind,
and hi. -talwart and iHching devotion % in
dependeu-o. liberty. and union. These cannot be
too often told lie too tamiiiarly known.
4 shareholder himself. he vet hated slavery, and
provided in lis win for the emancipation of his
slaves.
And how rcverent always was this great man,
how prptnut and generous his recognition of the
guiding hand at Divine Providence in establishing
and controlling the destiries OF the Colonies and
the Republic, again and again-in his talks. in
his letters ia his state papers and formal ad-
dresses he reveals this side of his character, the
force OF which still feel, and, | trust, We al
ways VII
At the very height Of his success and reward, as
he emerged from the Revolution. receiving by
/ unanimous acclaim the plaudits of the people and
| commanding the respect aud admiration OF the
civilized world, hc did not forget that his first
official act as President should he ferveut suppl
cation to the Almighty Being who rules the uni
yeIss.
BRIT if a timely lesson is to be drawn from the
opinions Of Washington on his assuming the
office OF President. 90 also is much practical ben
eft 10 be derived from the present application OF
portions OF his farewell address. a document in
which Washington laid down principles which
appeared 10 him all important 10 the perlna-
u,nue 81 yoJr felicity as people.
IN that address Washington contends. in part:
Gl For the promotion Of institutions OF learning;
90 Dor clieri~iliHg the public credit: t3l the
observance of good iaith and Justice toward all
nations
As tl,c country has grown. education fostered
by tho state las kept pace with il. Rich a. are
the rbllogiate cndov1ncnts OF the Old World. none
~ them excel in mnifcence the gifts made TO
educational institutions by the people OF the
frtInitv with ''thc influence which sound learn
Jug has On religion aud manners, government.
liberty aud laws. Adams and Madison. Jeher-
aud Hamilton. Sherman and Trumhull. Han
cock. JAY. Marshall. the Clintons, aud many
others of early statesmen, were scarcely less
earnest and eloquent than Washington himself
in pleading the cause Of sound ana liberal educa-
tion Tor the people.
Nor docs this seem surprising when reflect
that the truest aim aud worthiest ambition OF ed
ueation is not finished scholarship for the favored
few. bat the elevation OF a high standard of oiti
zenship among the many. ] have had peculiar sat
isfactjun la the fact that Washington, in those
early dav>. when engrosSed with mighty govern
mcujal problems did not forget his contributions
for the education Of the poor and left in his
viii a bcgue>t TO be dedicated 20 free public in
struction. Nothing better tells the value he
placed upon knowledge as an essential 10 the
highest and best y citizenship.
4 liberal cduoation is the prize of individual
industry. u Is the greatest blessing that man
woman enjoy when supported by virtue,
morality. and noble aims. But the requirement
OF learning in our schools and colleges
easy that we are apt 10 underestimate ITS value
and let the opportunity 10 win IL slip iH, until
regretfully find that the chance is gone.
The rudiments must be ingTafted in yoath or,
with rare exceptions, they forever lost.
Life to most is a struggle, and there is little
time Tor the contemplation of the theoretical
when the practical is pressing at every hand.
Stern duty munopolizes our time. The command
OF Others controls our preferences and often de-
fcats our intentions. BY steadily adhering to n
firm purpose amid the activities of life we may
keep in touch with the literature Of the day;
but to 70 back 10 the classics to grspple with
the foundations OF the sciences is beyond the
power OF most men when they have entered upon
their chosen business profession
Cherish the public -croditt" How much both
81 reflection and instruction Is combined in this
simple admonition OF the father OF his country.
The nited States emerged from the bitter aud
prolonged struggle of the Revolutionary
haustcd financially and with a hundred existing
pernleNitics and difficulties which remained TO be
solved before the financial credit Of The new ma
tion could be established at home and demonstrate
cd abroad. rses
But Washington knew how 10 gather around
him and place in positions Of the greatest trust
the able hnancers and economists. whose names
the country siiIl venerate and whose great work
il still enjoys Hamilton and Morris and Gala
tin and others were successful in establishing the
Treasury and inaugursting the financial operations
OF this Government upon principles which recos-
nized that the most enduring basis Of national
credit was national honor. and that whatever Other
assets We might have acquire that was indis
pensable first, last and all the time, il We would
cherish the public credit. We have been fully
rewarded all along cur history by adhering TO the
principles Of Washington in keeping the public
faith. Before half century had passed we had
:. Al, Iahf and had hnf in