The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-04-13

Tory public building-grandeur, sim.
pllcity and convenience.
In the Capitol and the majestic
buildings which cluster near or Under
lts shadow In our national capital
today would he not find his dream
realized?
Historically speaking, the Capitol ia
the most important structure In the
United States. 1t typifies the begin.
ming and marks the growth of the
nation. Around this building Wash
lngton would find that the best of cul.
ture and social intercourse of our day
ls gradually centering, and that is be-
coming the focal point of the diploma
TIC relationships of the world.
The Real Fortresses.
In his farewell address, Washington
cautioned the people to care assiduous-
ly for schools and institutions for the
general diffusion of knowledge. He
said that as the structure of a govern
ment gives force to public opinion, it
Is essential that public opinion should
be enlightened. With system of ed
ucation open to the young people in
America to-day which has no SUPERIOR.
if indeed it has an equal the world
around, his ideal in this respect seems
to have been generously fulfilled. Sur
veylng the many and splendid univer-
stiles which dot our land ,and recalling
that in his day there were but two or
three struggling schools which laid
claim to the term college, Washington
would certainly urge upon US q proper
appreciation of our privileges.
These colleges were accessible to
comparatively few, as the difficulty of
moving about the country made it a
momentous task to send young man
up to the seat of learning. The fortu-
nate sons of the best families Of Boston
might 60 to Harvard, and the sons of
the South to William and Mary. but
the higher and technical education of
the present was practically unknown
on the American continent.
Lawrence Washington, an elder
brother, was privileged to 60 to Eng
land to complete his studies, but Georg
was obliged to content himself
with what was considered good COM
mon school education, with q brief
term of further study at an academy
near his brothers. home.
AS young man he made the best of
that university to be found in the
fields and woods, where he gained a
| fund of information that was after
wards of incalculable value to him.
He was familiar with all the routine
plantation of that time. He knew
all about taking care of stock, break
ing horses, mending fences and the
like. He was good shot with rifle,
and was fond of hunting. Large and
powerful to his age, he excelled in
swimming, running, wrestling and
other manly exercises, that rounded
his muscles and hardened his rugged
frame 10 such an extent that the mod.
ern college athlete might have as much
cause to admire him as he would have
for looking with favorable eye upon
the well-built captain of football
team Of the age.
However, Washington, if he were
with us to-day, might express some
regrets that In his young manhood be
was deprived of the advantages which
lie 80 freely about us at the present
hour. So much Importance did he
attach to the building up ready means
for education that he left beq uest for
the founding of National University
in the District of Columbia, and
although his wish was never carried
out in accordance with the terms of his
will, it has been more than fulfilled in
other parts of the country.
Inspecting our arsenals and fortress
es, our big guns, our army and our
Warships, we fancy he might say: "All
these are WELL" But on entering our
public schools and halls oflearning, his
remark might be, These are better,
for they are the real defenses of the re-
public"
Striking Contrast.
Recalling the inadequate means
Washington had to fight the battles Of
his country, his lack of arms and am
munition, and the make-shifts with
which he was called upon to carry out
the plans of his brilliant campaigns,
one can almost see his features glow
with smile of satisfaction over the
fact that our government not only
owns the biggest gun in the world. but
that we al.o have the means which we
trust will do much toward maintain
ing the peace of the world.
Contrasting the old-fashioned can
non Washington used in the siege of
Yorktown with the new coast defense
gun capable of ofhurling a 2, 0-pound
projectile a distance, of twenty-one
miles, we have a fair indication of the
progress our country has made in the
means Of self defense.