The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-02-23

ington's Birthday-MayOr Driscol
 Presided Ora ton by Rev. Dr. Phillips
 Solos, Music and Recitations-Th' 7 Theatcr Packed.
 The Hyperion theater was packed
 yesterday afternoon with an immense
 audience In attendance at the pupls
 Washlngton's birthday exercises. Thf
 boxes are draped in stars and stripes and at the rear of the stage hung a large portrait of Washington, flags De- ing draped at either side of the picture
 On the stage were seated the members of the general committee, which hao charge of the arrangements for the ex- ercises.
 The programme was well arranged and all the numbers were very credit ably rendered. The recitations by Mrs
 Helen Lee Conklin- Phillips were espec- ially good and were well received by the audience. Shel recited Washing tons Kiss" "A Little Black Eyed Rebel" and Poor Little Nose" The solos by Miss Neva Squires and Miss Lillian Abbott were very pleasing, as were also the whistling solos by Fran cis S Hamilton, jr, and the recitation by little Mae Hayes Parson Isbell re- cited in his own inimitable way.
 The exercises opened with a selection by Fichtrs orchestra, which was fol- lowed by introductory remarks by Jo- seph P. Lavigne, chairman of the com mittee on exercises. MT. Lavigne intro duced Mayor Driscoll as the chairman of the meeting, and the mayor in ac- cepting the honor made brief but ap- propriate address. Rev. H. Frank Rall, D. D., delivered the invocation, and dist church read Washington's Farewell address. Maurice Thompson recited High Tide at Gettysburg"
 The orat!on Of the occasion was de- livered by Rev. Watson l.. Phillips, D. D., pastor of the Church of the Re- deemer, who spoke in part as follows:
 We can engage in no more profitable exercise than to celebrate with patriot ic fervor the anniversaries of great
 
 memories may be kept green and the facts of our illustrious record may be deep planted in the hearts of our peo- pie. But the best services of these eel ebrations is not in the rehearsal of in- cident or anecdote; the historians and are doing that for us infinitely better than it can be done from any platform. It is the man, the character and the deed whose study Is of most value to us.
 Washington and Lincoln are typical the one springing from the landed gentry, representing the best blood and culture of Virginia; the other rising from the ranks of the common people, representing the saving common sense, the honor, the pluck and the pa tience of the Yankee character at its best These two colossal figures indi- cate to us how the two elements have been blended in the development of our life. In the early morning life rises the dignified, graceful figure of the rich and cultured southern planter, busy laying the foundations of liberty's ,emple; in the stronger light of the lat er hour stands forth the angular, home y figure of the western rail-splitter, busy mending the rent in the temples walls and cementing them with his own blood; the one no less attractive, no less representative of American qualities han the other. Last week we paused ,alled to contemplate some of the quail ties which made the Virginian great
 The motive makes the man. Patriots md saints and heroes are not the products of base and selfish motives. The great men of history, the men who lave brought inspiration and uplift, nave always been men whose motives 1od and their fellowmen could approve. That the men of their time did not see hat means nothing; they stood too lear. The men oe a later time have cad their hearts. and history has giv- n them their crown. Washington calls nen up to the region of pure, unselfish motives, where the temptation of little less and baseness offers the least re- istance; he unites with Woolsey to say Let all the ends thou aims at be thy fod's, thy country's and truths" The urse of politics and governments Is lways indirection, personal motives nd motives of expediency. Every pub- Ic man must be in sense an opportun- st, but if he is to minister to any per nanent human advancement, he must ut back of all motive that is pure nd high. All is not fair in love or war r politics; only that is ultimately fair which makes for the greatest good of he greatest number. Without institut- ng unwelcome comparisons, or dispa- aging other men, one may freely de- lare that here is characteristic of the rst importance to the men who would erve their time. The selfish -schemer he office- seeker may obtain some little rief authority and become the tinseled ero of the hour, and in the process he nay probably increase his own bank I ccount, but he will never live in history xcept as humiliation and a warning.
 This clear-eyed leader who stands so trong and serene in the background of UT history has the undying word for very man who hesitates between pri- 1 ate interest and public duty and he iSs. LONc tily sell ldHl' Ilt CALLS uD- | n every man to believe that the pub | c need is his commission. that the ublic business is his business, and that | e cannot neglect his public responsi- l llities and go unwhipt of justice. Els 1 ecially does he appeal to the men who | nun public responsibility, but from the creme heights of their arrogan conceit ! ,iticise men and manners with a sheer |