The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1902-02-28
AGAIN HONORS
WASHINGTON
New Jersey Associations Pa
triOtic Observance Of the Day.


triOtiC Observance Of the Day.
Congressman Fowler Snow-bound
His Place AcceptabIy Filled by Vice
Chancellor Pitney, who Speaks on
g Civic Virtue, = 4 Washington,
the Disciplined Man. Theme Of
Admirable Address BY E. w. Cog
gesIraII Two Hundred and Fifty
Braved Storm to Attend Exercises.
The roth anniversary of Washing
n's.birth was appropriately observed
in Morristown and vipinity Satur-
day, but chief Of the celebrations
was that Of the annual observance Of
the day by the members Of the Wash
ington Association of New Jersey at
WashiRgton's s Headquarters.
During the MONDAY hour, while
snow was falling fast and the trees
and walks were smothered in ice. and
minute guns were being fred by the
Lincoln Guards on Fort Nonsense,
the members from out Of town, the
local membership, together with the
invited guests began to arrive at the
historic old building on the hill.
After registering they were cordially
received by President Roberts togeth-
or with the committee in charge and
their spare time was then taken up
in viewing the valuable historical
relics.
Much disappointment was caused
by the absence of Congressman
Fowler who was to deliver the ora
tion Of the day, but owing to the
blockage Of the trains he was unable
to be present. His place, however.
was acceptably filed by Vice
Chancellor Pitney.
Promptly at o'clock the doors
opening into the banquet room of
Lafayette Hall were thrown open
where dainty and snmptuous cola
tion was served by Day, followed by q
smoker.
Social intercourse and cordial
reunion Of friends formed the plea
suIes of an shour during which time
Voss' orchestra stationed in the
reception.hall enlivened the occasion
by playing selections Of patriotic
music A. j. A. BennelI acceptably
leading the singing. Follow
ing the smoker, DR.. Steph-
en- Pierson, after few we'll
chosen remarks introduced amid .
storm Of applause the first speaker of
the occasion, Vice Chancellor Pitney,
who spoke in part as follows:
After congratulating the Association
upon its numerous successful meet
ings, he called attention to the
length of time which has elapsed since
the great events OF our countrys his
tory. The achievements of the nation
were recalled and he said he believed
the nation is as young in vigor as it
ever was.
Civic virtue he gave as the kernel
which makes us what we are. 1t is
the feeling in the hearts of all good
citizens toward the good of the coun-
try based on an understanding of the
right and duties of citizenship. In
short it is the real substance of patriot
ism. Without that civic honesty and
virtue our laws would amount to
naught.
Our citizenship is made up, he said,
of the best that Europe could afford,
intelligent, energetic young men and
women. The weak and deficient were
kept at home.
If we want to preserve our strength
and grandeur as nation we must
keep civic virtue. This quality gave
us Washington. Lincoln, Nc
Kinley. He paid tribute to each Of
these in turn.
He also took up the Philippine and
Cuban questions which he discussed
at some length, and giving it as his
opinion that the inhabitants of these
islands were deficient in the quality of
virtue he had extolled. His advice
was to take up the problems of GOV
ernment as they came up day by day
trustingthe sound solid common sense
of the administration. Time will de-
termine whether these peoples are fit
and able to govern themselves.
b w. Coggeshall then read the
following paper:
We cannot look. however imper-
fectly, upon q great man, without
gaining something by him. So says
Carlyle, and he might have added
that our view of great men, especial
ly the great men Of other days, is sell
dom other than imperfect.
A century separates us from the day
of Washington and no man lives
who saw him. Scarcely two of his
many portraits are alike and his bio
graphers differ in many points in
their estimates of his character.
10 many, he has become somewhat
Of myths grand, awful figure, stan
ding above and apart from his fellow
men. a philosopher in every thought,
hero in every deed but to many
more suoh picture is unsatisfying,
and the stories that ascriBe to him
the frailty and passions OF other men,
prinR him nearer to their hearts and
nt,opes' since like them In weakness,