The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-02-23
M'KINLEY ON WASHINGTON
What the Latest President Thinks
of the First.
A GREAT AND GOOD MAN
de Started the Country of Right-His
Belief in God, His Interest in Edu-
cation and His Love of
Country.

birthday was celebrated here to-day in
the usual manner. President Mckin-
lev delivered an address to the students
of the University of Pennsylvania at
the Academy of Music. Provost Har-
rison introduced the president in the
following address: 1T is the peculiar
pride of the University of Pennsylvania
that so much of her history is associ-
ated with the years that Washington
was the servant Of his country. We
Justly feel that we have -eminence
in this relation and now, in these latter
years, in the yigor of renewed youth,
we have consecrated the 22nd of Feb
ruary as our university day with
proper spirit that cannot be challenged.
Seven years of Washingtons pres
idential life was spent in Philadel-
phia and at a time when the area of
the city was circumscribed within a
short radius; when it's institutions We're
few in number and when compare
lively small group of its citizens We're
the active spirits in affairs During
Washington's presidency two of his
nephews George Steptoe and Lawrence
Augustine Washington, took here their
degrees as bachelors of arts. In 1888
the University of Pennsylvania con-
ferred upon Washington its highest
honorary degree.
The theme Of to-day's ceremonies Is
The Memory of Washington. For
many years the university has been
steadfast in the celebration of this high
day. But never since the day when the
president of the United States, General
Washington, opened the law school of
the university, have we been honored
by the presence and voice of a presi-
dent. The president will address to-day
those who gratefully feel his gracious
act in that amid the cares and duties
NJ ha al
il worthy of his time and efforts to be
our orator upon this occasion. / have
the distinguished honor of presenting
the trustees. the faculties and the stu
dents of the university and their
guests, this great audience to the pres
ident" President Mckinley spoke as
follows:
Mr.. Provost, Officers and Students of
the University of Pennsylvania, La
dies and Gentlemen: We celebrate
here as in every part of our country
the birthday of a great patriot who as
sured the beginning of a great nation.
This day belongs to patriotism and the
people. But in certain sense the
University of Pennsylvania has a spe-
cial reason for honoring the ed of
February. For over half a century.
with ever-increasing popularity and
public recognition, You have observed
the occasion either as holiday or With
patriotic exercises, participated in by
faculty and students. No other Ameri-
can institution of learning has a proud
er title to the veneration of Washing
toms memory than this, whose founda-
ton was laid in colonial days nearly
so years before Pennsylvania became a
state; whose progress was largely due
to the activity of Franklin and other
jealous and far-seeing patriots, and
whose trustees were on terms of sutfi-
cient intimacy with Washington to
% him his al ~
the presidency and to receive from
him a notable reply which has passed
into the history of the time.
Washington. too, belonged to the
brotherhood of the alumni of this in
stitution, having accepted the degree ol
doctor of laws conferred upon him In
i7s3-an honor doubtless yet the more
appreciated when he recalled tbs
events which gave him closer personal
attachment to the city of Philadelphia
No wonder that your great university
has made the I'D of February it's mos
impressive ceremonial and devoted its
annual exercises to special tributes L
the memory of the first president of TIL,
United States and the patriotic themes
which cluster thickly about his life and
work. / rejoice with you in the day.
rejoice also that throughout the broaC
land the birthday of the patriotic
leader is faithfully observed and cele
brated with an enthusiasm and earn
estness which testify to the virtue an,
gratitude of the American people. |
would not be possible in the compare
lively short time to which these exer
cises must to-day be limited To follow
Washington in his long and distin
guished services at the head of tn,
army and as chief executive of the gov
eminent. My purpose is simply to cal
your attention TO a few points in Wash
ington's career which have Singuiarl,
impressed me and refer TO some pas
sages in his writings that seem pecu
larry appropriate for the guidance o
the people, who, under our form o
government. have in their keeping tn
well-being of the country.
In its entirety. Washingtons publ
life lis as familiar to the Americans a
the history of the United States. The,
are associated in holy and indissnluhl
bonds. The one is incomplete withou
the other Washington's character an
achievements have been part of tn
school books of the nation for NOR
than a century, and have moved Amer
lean youths and American manhood [
aspire 10 the highest ideals OF RESPONSE
BILE citizenship. With enduring fam
as great soldier, the world has rec
ognized his equal accomplishments j
the paths of craftsmanship. As
soldier he was peerless in the times i
which he lived, and as a statesman hi
rank is fixed as the most illustrious il
any country or In any age.
Washington "A Statesman.
Without any pride in Washington. "
not infrequently fail TO give him cred
for his marvellous genius as a construc
tive statesman. We are constantly i
danger Of losing sight Of the sweep an
clearness of his comprehension whic
accurately grasped the problems ~ tn
remote future. and which formulate
the best means for their solution
~Ea4 ar4sE4
launch our ship Of state. He had neitl
er precedent or predecessor 70 hei
him. He welded The scattered and 1
times nIag0nistic colonies into an il
destructihle union and lneulcated II
lessons of mutual forbeatance and ira
ternity which have cemeHted the stats