Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1902-02-22
WASHINGTON THE UNIFIER.
He showed the Thirteen Colonies
the Pathway to National Life
The Ideal American.


It seems no wonder at all. that
after six years of terrible political
distress, under the articles OF con-
federation, Washington should be
called to preside at the constitution
al convention In Philadelphia. Char
acteristically. Washington. when sum
moned, was in western Virginia seek
ing how he might open up his lines
OF communication and natural high
ways by which the east and the west
could be bound together. and the way
made clear for that great procession
westward of our advancing rae
which he foresaw. He was the grea'
balunce-wheel Of the Philadelphia as
sembly of 1887, when sectional inter
ests threatened disruption. He wa
the anchor Of the ship Of state wher
storms arose.
Made president, says the Sunday
School Times. he. under God. showed
US the true pathway Of national life.
II is difficult to realize the division,
the weakness, the lack Of conference,
In the country and the government,
over q, century ago. We were Q
'backwoods nation" between the
mountains and the sea. The states
were jealous Of the each other and
of the central government. Parties,
such as they were, had inherited all
the viciousness Of the old organiza.
tions in Great Britain. The people
were not welded together. One set
wanted to be pro-French and the
other pro-British.
When "Citizen Genet" came over
to get men. ships. and money. and
also to play. for selfish purposes.
upon the gratitude which our fathers
felt for French aid In the revolution.
Washington took the right stand OF
neutrality. He showed that we were
not to be hyphenated Americans
az the manner of some Ia, even In
this day, He taught that the true
patriot should be. not Irish or Dutch
or italian or Franco or British-Amer'
icans. but Americans without adjec-
tives or politicians or printers ex-
pedients. To Patrick Henry. Wash.
ington wrote: 81 want an American
character. that the powers Of Europe
NAV he convinced that we act for
ourselves, and not for others" He
wrote again: "My ardent desire In
to keep the United States free from
political connection with every other
country. to see them independent OF
all. and under the influence OF none"
No wonder that Washington left
money to establish . national univer-
sity, tor he wrote; 'lt has always
been a source of regret to me to see
the youth Of these United States sent
TO foreign countries for the purposes
Of education, often before their
minds are formed"
Thus this wise and great man. who
foresaw our national future, gave
us. under God. the true principles OF
unity. Our fathers listened to his
voice, Wondered. took sober second
thought" and decided Alright and
happily for themselves and us. In
stead Of scattering and degenerating,
our country began to Consolidate and
grow. The nation, obeying the true
instinct Of development. began to ex.
pand toward the west. A great
stream q population moved over the
Al.egbeuies and to the Pacific. Now
we look farther, yet let US remem'
Der.
It, Is good to notice, In the latest
and scholarly washington the sol'
der" BY Gen. Henry B. Darlington,
of the United States regular army
that the baseless legend Of the com
mander in chiefs profanity at Mon
mouth is effectually disproved. We
NAV be ever grateful to God for the
leader He gave us. Greater even thar
Washington the engineer. soldier
statesman. or sage. was Washington
the American, the unifer.
washington ON Partisanship.
There is an opinion in free coun'
tries that parties are useful checks
upon the administration of the gov
eminent and serve to keep alive the
spirit of liberty. This, within GER
tain bounds, probably Is true, and In
governments of a monarchial cast
patriotism may look with indulgence
/ If not with favor, upon the spirit Of
party. But in those Of popular char
acter-in governments purely elect
ive-it Is a spirit not to be encour'
aged. From their natural tendency
it il certain there viii always bs
enough Of this spirit for every salu
tary purpose. And there being CON
sistent danger of excess the effor'
ought to be by force Of public opin
ion 70 mitigate and assrage it,
Washington, in His Farewell Address