Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1898-03-05

bowed. The collegians then marched
to the Academy Of Music, where the
annual Washington's birthday cere-
monies of the university were held.
The ediiicc was packed. The exercises
began at noon. The president was in
troduced by Provost Harrison in a neat
address. Mckinley was received with
the varsity cheer, ending with ms
name, and he proceeded 10 deliver the
grafton Of the day.
McKinIcy's Speech.
We celebrate here as In every part OF
our country the birthday OF the great pa
triot who assured the beginning Of this
great nation. This day belongs To patriot
ism and tho people. II would not he pos
slble I'm the comparatively short time TO
which these exercises must today be linz
tied, to follow Washington in his long
distinguished services at the head OF the
army and as chief executive or the gov
rnmen My purpose is simply TO call
your attention TO a few points In Wash
ingtOn's career which singuiarly I'M
pressed me, and refer to some passages
In his writings that seem peculiarly APP
propriatO for the guidance OF the people
who. under our form Of government, have
In their keeping the well being or inc
country. In It's entirety W~ashingtOn's pub
lie life Is as familiar to the American stu
dent as the history Of the United states.
They are associated I'm holy and indis-
soluble bonds. with enduring fame as u
great soldier the world recognized his
equal accomplishments In the paths OF
craftsmanship. AS a soldier he was peer
less in the time In which hc lived, ana as n
statesman his rank was fixed with the
most illustrlOuS I'm any country or In any
age. From the hour when Washington de-
Clarcd In his Virginia home that h. would
raise a thousand men and equip them at
his W expense and march to the defense
OF Boston, he became the maStcrful spirit
or the continental army and the miRhieSt
single factor I'm the continents truggle
for liberty and Independence. Apparently
without personal ambition, spurning royal
honOrs when they were suggested TO him,
he fulfilled n stu more glorious destiny as
the guiding force Of civilization, frcrr and
mightier than the history Of man had
ever known. a slave holder himself yet
he hated slavery and provided I'm his VIII
Tor tho emancipation Of his slaves. Not "A
college graduate. he was always and en-
Enthusiastically a friend OF q liberal CduCa-
ton. He used On every suitable occasion
TO Impress upon congress and the country
the Importance OF n high STANDARD of gen
oral education and characterized the diff
fusion Of knowledge as the most essential
element OF strength In n system Of free
government. And how rcvCrcut always this
great man, how prompt and generous his
recognition Of the guiding hand of divinc
providence In establishing and controlling
the destinics of the colonies Of the re-
public.
WnshinrtOn's Reverence.
At the very height OF his success and re-
ward, as he emerged from the revolution,
receiving by unanimous acclaim the
plaudits Of the people. and commanding
the respect and admiration Of the civilized
world. he did not forget that his first Of
fetal act as president should be n fcrvent
suppliratlon TO tho Almighty Being who
rules tho universe. But Washington on
that occasion went further and spoke for
the Dcople. assuming that ne but voiced
tho sentiment OF the young nation I'm thi,
making Of the faith In Almighty God AMI
reliance upon his favor and care one of the
strong foundations Of the government
then inauguratcd. And proceeding wash
tngton states the reasons for his belief In
language so exalted hat II should DO
craven deep upon the mind OF every pa.
triot.
In the age Of great activity, industrial
and commercial strife ana p~crplCNing
problems Wa should never abandon the
simple faith In Almighty God as rcCOg-
nized In the name OF the American people
by Washington n the first congress.
But, If timely, the lesson to be drawn
from the opinions of Washington on as
much practical benefit Is to he derived
from the present application Of portions OF
his farewell address, the document in
which Washington laid down tho prin-
ciples which appeared to him. An inn
rortant to the ~permancncc Of
your felicity as a people" In
that address Washington contends
in part. first, for the promotion OF
Institutions Of learning second, for cher
fishing the public credit; third. for the OBJ
scrvance of good faith and justice toward
all nations.
Free Schools.
A hundred years ago free schools were
little known In the United states. There
were excellent schools for the well-to-do
and charitable institutions for the i%nstruc-
ton Of boys and girls without means, but
the free public school, opcn alike To the
children OF the rich and poor, Supported
by state. awaited creation and develop
ment. The seed planted by the fathers
soon bore fruit. As the country has grown
education fostcrcd by state has kept pace
with il. Rich as are the collegiate endow-
ments Of the old world none Of them cX-
Gel I'm munifCcncc the gifts made the edu-
cational institutions by the people OF the
United States and by their governments,
conformity with the Influence which
sound learning has on religion n man
ncrs, on government. liberty and laws"
Adams, Madison, Jefferson, Hamilton,
sherman, Trumbull. Hancock, Jay, Mar
shall, the Clintons. n many other OF our
early statesmen, were scarcely less earn.
est and eloquent than Washington him
self in pleading the cause OF sound and lib.
eral education for the people.
Nor does this seem surprising when we
reflect that the aim and the worthiest am.
hition Of education is not Il finished s"hol-
arship for the favored few, but the clcva.
tion Of the standard of citizenship among
the many. | have had peculiar satisfac.
tion In the fact that Washington in those
early days, when engrossed with the
mighty governmental problems, did not
forget his contributions for the education
OF the poor and left I'm his will a bCquest
to be dedicated to free public instruction.
Nothing better tells the value he placed
upon knowledge rs essential to the highest
and best citizenship. a liberal education
- = II - G..lfIt1,aAl 49, No. 4 -
the greatest blessing a man or woman can
enjoy when supported by virtue, morality
noble aims.
Pubic Credit.
Cherish public credit" How much both
of reflection and instruction is combined
in this simple admonition of the father OF
his country. The United States emerged
from the bitter and prolonged struggle OF
the revolutionary war exhausted imam
cially, with hundreds OF existing pcrpleX.
tiles and difficulties which remained To be
before the financial credit of the
States could be established at
and demonstrated abroad. But
Washington knew how to gather around
him and place i'm positions OF greatest
able flnanCiers and economists,
names the country still Venerate,
and whose work il still enjoys. Hamilton,
Morris. Gallatin and others were success
Ill in establishing the treasury and in-
augurating financial operations for this
government upon principles which were
recognized as most enduring. because the
national credit was the national honor.
and whatever other assets we might ac-
quire, that Is indispensable, first, last and
ali time, if we would cherish public credit.
We have leen fully rewarded all along
our history by adhering to the principles
Of Washington in keeping the public faith.
half a century had passed we haC
paid off our national debts and had Il bal
anCe in tie treasury. Another debt, the
greatest IN our history. was incurred In