Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1905-02-22

irs4ica and benevolenee when can NC
sbour not bv shirking our duty ana
abandoning to self-destruction those
pn6t to govern themselves, but Uy
doiro our duty by staying with them
and teaching them how to govern
themselves. bv uplifting them spirit
,auv and materially. Here at nome
we are obeying this maxim ct "8Sd'
ipgton's Just 50 far as we he'y ever!
! r,o,.onent whether undertaken by the
Government. or as is, and should De-
more often the ease, by voluntary ac
ton among private citizens, for 'ne
betterment of our own people Observe
that Washington speaks both Of Jus
tice and benevolence, and that ne puVo
Justice first. We must be generous
we must help our poorer brother, Du'
above all we must remember to De
inst; and the first step toward secur'
ing Justice is to treat every man On
his worth as a man, showing him no
special favor, but so far as may De
holding open the door Of opportunity
so that reward may wait upon honest
and intelligent endeavor.
Again Washington said: "Cherish
public credit Just at the moment
there is no attack on public credit but
if ever the temptation arises again let
our people at the outset remember tnat
the worst because the most insidious
form of the dishonest debtor is that
man who would persuade him that 1t
is anything but dishonest for him to
repudiate his debts.
Finally, it is peculiarly appropriate
when I have come to this city as the
guest of the University of Pennsyl-
vania, to quote another of Washing
toms maxims: "Promote, as an OBJ
ject of primary Importance, institu-
tions for the general diffusion Of
knowledge. In proportion as the
structure of a government gives force
to public opinion, it is essential that
public opinion should be enlightened. "
Education may not make man a good
citizen, but most certainly ignorance
tends to prevent his being a good cit
izen. Washington was far too much
of patriot, had far too much love
for his fellow citizens, to try to teach
them that they could govern them
selves unless they could develop a
sound and enlightened public opinion.
No nation can permanently retain free
government unless it can retain a high
average of citizenship; and there can
be no such high average of citizenship
without a high average of education,
using the word in its broadcast and
truest sense to include the things of
the soul as well as the things of the
mind. School education can never
supplaut or take the place of self
still less can it in any way
take the place Of those rugged and
manly qualities which we group to.
gether under the name of character;
hut it can be OF enormous use in sup.
plementing both. 1t is a source of
just pride to every American that our
,ur ,,anpl, bu,r, 49,, ,,,g;gt,rtI,. ,at,l
in accordance with Washington s prin-
cipte of promotwg institutions for the
Of knowledge. There is moth
ing dearer to our hearts than our pub,
lie school system, by which free pri. |
mary education is provided for everv
one within our borders. The higher
education, such as is provided by the !
University of Pennsylvania and kin,
dred bodies, not only confers great |
benefits to those able to take advan.
tage Of it, but entails upon them cor
responding duties.
The men who founded this nation |
had 10 deal with theories Of govern. !
ment and the fundamental principles
Of free institutions We are now con.
cerned with a different set Of ques.
tions, for the republic has oeen firmly |
established, its principles thoroughly !
tested and fully approved, To merely !
political issues have succeeded those
OF grave social sud economic mport. |
ance, the solution of which demands |
the best efforts Of The best men. We
have a right to expect that a wise
and leading part In the effort 10 at
tain this solution will be akcu bv |
those who have been exceptionally
blessed in the matter Of obtaining an
education. That college graduate +, !
hut "a poor creature who does uo, feel
when he has lott college that he has
received something for which Le ows,
a return. What De thus owes te can
AS "a rule only pay ly the wav lei
bears himself throughout l.fe. Ir isl
out occasionally that college g-rr.
ate can do mvgh outright rr ais ar.a
mater; ho ,au best repay lrr uy living
"a hfc that viii rrdest ,r,a,, uran her |