The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-03-02
Present-Day Thoughts.
BY "NEMO"

BY "NEMo"
A Washington Year.-The idea eX
pressed in last weeks column, that
1899 being "A century removed from
the death of Washington should be
used in some special way to cOmmem-
crate him and his work has already
begun to grow. The president of
every college in the country has been
asked to think over the matter and
beside the editor of each educational
and patriotic paper has been urged to
favor plan that i'll its details must
be worked out after all by the plain
people.
find that all or nearly all the
Masonic Grand Lodges have planned
for pigrimages to the tomb of Past
Master Washington. But though
the Masons number $50, 000 they rep
resent only II fraction Of the people,
and a still smaller fraction would
be able to take journey i'll order TO
partake in commemorative exercises.
Even should all the great religious,
civic, secret or patriotic bodies send
large delegations to Mt Vernon
gathering, it comes after all to this
that the mass of the people could not
participate and must perforce fall
back upon local provisions or do
nothing at all.
What seems therefore a first prac-
tical step? Surely this-in every State
where u Legislature is in session there
should flow in upon the members of
that Legislature deluge of letters
urging them before they adjourn 10
make fitting State provision for Il
public commemoration of Washing
toms life. Whether the public rec
ognition takes the form of u decree
that all labor shall cease next Decem-
Der 14th, is a question that may well
be considered seriously. Probably
no method could compare with this
for bringing home in Il real sense to
the real people the actual value and
import of Washingtons career.
In Alabama, Georgia, Iowa, Ken,
lucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Missis-
sippi, Ohio, Vermont and Virginia a
different method will have to be fol-
lowed; for in none of these except
Georgia will there be meeting of
the Legislature in time to take action
upon the subject. The mode of
securing the cessation of labor for the
day in these States will be influenced
by the powers of decree that rest
with each Governor. If the Governor
of such States has the power to de-
clare the day sacred to the commem-
oration of Washington, even a
moderate pressure of the matter upon
his attention would bring the result;
more especially if States around him
were taking favorable action.
= y =
AS it is not possible for me to use
the space set apart by your cOmpla-
cent editor for my column, in toe
frequent reference to one subject,
will cover the Washington matter
still further in the present column,
and then leave the leaven to work
While the cessation of work much to
us who toll hard brain-wise it is, like
Sunday spent in slumber, not
enough in itself to do honor to the
one whose life has caused the day to
be honored. Granting then the pos
siblility of December IA as a holiday,
let us call it holy day, there must
needs be the getting together now in
early spring of those who intend the
day shall be well honored in order
that details and plans properly dis
tributed among live committees may
be deliberately worked out The
care and the painstaking will not be
wasted, for the celebration will be
historical among the nations of the
earth. Labor too and the giving ur
of time need not be begrudged, fol-
the occasion will not offer for another
hundred years, when other hands
than these shall be carrying on the
work of the world and still hold
ing firm, let us hope, the standard OF
personal probity and national liberty
for which Washington contended.
Naturally into such preliminary
work will graitate the professional
people, teachers, lawyers and physi
clans. But sufficient breadth will
not be impaired to the work unless
the woman and the laboring people
are in it too. Perhaps the women
will be in it anyway. Look out how
ever for the one who earns his bread
by the sweat of his face. His inter
est in the principles of human free
dom that Washington espoused i,
even more practical than to others
They are his main stay, his bread anC
huttar his life He muSt ba in +bf