The record-union., 1899-04-07

Important patriotic bodies Will nave
acted in the same way.
At the meeting of the board of officers
of the Order of United American Me-
chanics on the 11th instant, special ac-
| ton was considered and the National
Secretary was instructed to prepare
petition to the PRESIDENT asking for the
setting aside of the day for the purpose.
From the head office circular letter
VIII be sent to every subordinate coun-
eli OF the order urging similar and i'm
mediate action. This body is exclu-
slvely composed of native born Ameri-
cans
| On the other hand, one thousand men
and boys on the crowded East Side of
New York-nearly all of them Russian
eXiles-have signed a petition to Gov
ernor Roosevelt askingl for the same
thing, because they recognize how
much of the hopelessness that fills the
heart of the emigrant comes from the
leadership and success of Washington
himself the leader of a large proportion
of emigrants.
Furthermore, the Adjutant General
and Chief of Staff of the United Con-
federate Veterans, writes: "The United
Confederate Veteran Association is
purely social, literary, historical and
benevolent and of course, was formed
for the specific purpose of caring for
MANNED and disabled veterans, but I
am sure that every old veterans heart
will give responsive throb in approval
of anything which is done to honor
the Father of His Country"
| The plans of the various Masonic
bodies throughout the country are also
rapidly maturing. Every Grand Lodge
of the country will be represented at
the Mount Vernon gathering on Decem-
Der 18th, and there is also being COM
pleted an effort to have every lodge in
every corner of the country publicly
identify itself with local effort to do
honor to the one who, though dead, yet
speaketh.
Some details regarding the attitude
of the colleges will give further idea of
the spread of the conviction that the
one hundredth anniversary should be
publicly commemorated.
I Georgetown University washington,
d. c., writes: Our faculty had some
time ago decided that we should do
what we could to commemorate the
centennial anniversary of Washing
|
to have all the speeches delivered at
our commencement by our graduates of
this year treat of Washington as a sub
ject The individual subjects will be:
! Washington as Citizen" Washing
ton as a General and Washington az
President
| Fisk University, Nashville, Tenn:
I'VE shall make the 18th of next De-
cember a holiday with appropriate
commemorative exercises"
University of Denver, University
Park, Col: 1--WE have decided to OBJ
serve the one hundredth anniversary in
some suitable way throughout the uni
versity"
| University Of Wooster, Wooster, O.:
1T is in every way both appropriate
and important. If there is any nation
in the world which has noble antece-
dents worth cherishing, it is ours, and
there is special need, considering our
conglomerate elements, for looking to
the hole of the pit whence we were dug
and the rock whence we We're hewn. !"
Shaw University Raleigh, n. c.: I'VE
are heartily in sympathy with the
movement to Have December 18th next
set apart throughout the country as
George Washington memorial day. Our
faculty will unanimously agree to OBJ
serve the day and use it's influence in
this direction
University of Michigan Ann Arbor,
Mich: THE idea of suggesting special
celebrations III honor of the memory of
Washington is a very happy one. Sure
ly we cannot too frequently nor too en-
phatically commend to our people the
lessons to be drawn from his life.'
| Ogden College, Bowling Green, KY:
I'VE shall cheerfully do what we can
to help in making this a Washington
year Our American youth can have
no grander study or loftier ideal than
George Washington
Union Theological Seminary, New
York: I'VE are in sympathy with the
proposition, and believe that a careful
and reverent study of so great a sub
jest must make for ethical advance and
higher ideals Of citizenship and patri-
otism.''
| West Virginia University, Morgan
town. w. Va: I'VE shall do what we
can this year to call the attention of
our students to the life and work of
Washington"
Coe College, Cedar Rapids Ia: "Our
| faculty has briefly discussed the wis
dom of a special observance of Decem-
| Der 14th. and we are confident that not
only in Iowa but in the whole country
there will be an observance of the day
and suspension of ordinary business"
| These encouraging details are merely
partial echoes of what is going on; for
when public opinion approves q plan it
progresses by leaps and by bounds and
waits for no hand to record it. The
strength of this movement is that it is
based upon sentiment. When sentiment
and dreams and visions shall fade out
of national life, it will be a sad day for
US. These three are they that cause
discomfort with mere living, and make
us lay hold on the past and forestaM
the future as a means of thrilling our
hearts with ennobling ideas of national
purpose, progress and destiny.
What are you, Individually doing to
create public opinion in this matter?
Public opinion is the play of the word.
thought and deed of neighbor upon
neighbor It is neither a far-away
thing nor mysterious. Try your own
power in creating enthusiasm about
washington and thus honor the honored
dead.
Irvington, N. Y, March 10, 1899.