River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1902-02-13


AZ ington as synonym for the sublimest
expression of unselfsh patriotism and ar
dent love of liberty.
The far-reaching, benefcent results of
his work, as revealed in the century just
closed, have served to emphasize his i'm
mortal fame Washington gave to liberty a
new name and established forever the prln-
ciple of mans brotherhood with positive
equality under the law.
The nation of his founding denied the ex-
istence of caste and adopted constitution
whose most glorious feature is the hmlta-
ton of rulership to fitness and the declared
will of all the people.
Washington had faith in men. He be-
lieved them capable of governing them
selves under benign laws.
When he presided over the constitutional
convention of 1877 no country of earth en-
joyed a popular form of government with
the exception of the little republic of Swtz-
erland. whose influence did not reach be-
yond the ice-capped mountains which were
the walls of her security England, nom
inally free, had a king who believed in
divine right to do as he pleased and whose
chief pleasure was to punish writers and
speakers for honest expression of opinions.
1t was not until SO years after this constl-
pealed her oppressive laws against the free
dom of the press.
All of South America, and very much of
North America. were under the dominion
Of despotic Spain, whose edicts were writ
ten in blood and whose greatest kindness
was death by the sword. France was groan-
ing under the burden of a hideous oppres-
sion of arstocracy, German and Scan
6inavian peasants were but little removed
from slavery, and the Russian bear fat
tened upon the labor of its wronged sub
jects.
The thrall of England's oppression had
been great and the fathers were resolved
to get as far away as possible from any
binding of the human person or human
will They made careful study of condl-
tons among other nations and resolved to
avoid these.
In all of these high purposes Washing
ton was foremost, lending his acute lntelll-
gence, magnificent personality and all the
influence of his glorious record in the seven
years war for liberty, to the work of build
ing a government upon the broadcast
grounds possible of freedom of action, OF
thought and of speech
Every nation of earth had an established
religion; this nation eschewed the subject.
worship God according to the dictates of
his own conscience.
Freedom of the press was denied IN all
other countries; this people guaranteed
there should be no abridgment OF this right.
Other countries saw honor, distinction,
fame and glory only in the accident OF birth,
which alone could give king or open way
for honorable distinction.
Washington contended for universal SUI
frage. against class legislation and for
government of and by as we'll as for the
people.
The nation thus was born, and as it grew
the healthful influences of its life began
to spread Where it has not revolutions
lied. as in France, it has tempered and re-
fined the administration of justice, until
to-day Russia is the only nation OF Europe.
whose rule is absolute. Some form of con-
stitutional government prevails in every
land. japan, unknown to the world 100
wears ago, freely acknowledges its weighty
obligations to this nation, and, in the light
Of recent events, one would not be over
hold in declaring that in the present cen
turv China will sit at the feet of the United
States to learn of it.
Washington not inaptly is styled the
father of his country. Not only did he take
leading part in the forming of a constitu
ton for the bringing of the states together
as a single nation, but also through the
genus of his patience and courage N the
years between Bunker Hill and Yorktown
he wrested the states from the oppression
OF Great Britain.
Writers and speakers of all countries have
panegyrized Washington as ruler, as Law
giyer and as soldier, in all of which he APP
peared as star of first magnitude in the