The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1905-02-22

ifsASlllENUfUN
And LINCOLN
Continued :santir,. from, FFiarst Page.)
enough ! believe Ii viii minimize
the chance Of our being drawn into,
foreign war: II we let 1t run down ii
isSas certain, as the day that sooner
or later we shall have to choose be.
tween a probably disastrous foreign
war or a peace kept on terms that i'm:
ply national humiliation. Our navy
Is the surest guaranty Of peace and
the cheapest insurance against war,
and those who, in whatever capacity,
have helped to buIldSit up during The
past twenty years have been in good
faith observing and living up to one
of the most important Of the princi.
pies which Washington laid down for
the guidance of his countrymen. Nor
was Washington the only one of our
great Presidents who showed far.
sighted patriotism by support of the
navy. When Andrew Jackson was in
Congress he voted for the first war.
ships we ever built as part Of. our reg.
nlar navy; and he voted against the
49,. IA .e##.E NErH
grant of money to pay our humilia.
ting tribute to the pirates Of the Bar.
barry States. Old Hickory was a
patriot through and through, and
there was not an ounce Of timidity
In his nature, and Of course he felt
only indignant contempt for a policy
which purchased an ignoble peace by
cowardice instead OF exacting a just
peace by showing we were as little
willing to submit to as to infict ag.
erosion. Had a majority of Jack.
sons colleagues and successors felt
as he did about the navy, had 1t been
built up instead of being brought to
a standstill, it would probably never
have been necessary to fight the wal
Of 1912.
Justice and Re~nevoIence.
Again Washington said: "Give to
mankind the example of a people al.
ways guided by an exalted justice and
benevolence.' This feeling can be
shown alike by our dealings within
and without our own borders. Taft
and Wright in the Philippines and
Wood in Cuba have shown lis exactly
how to practice this justice and benev.
olence in dealing with other people
a justice and benevolence which car
be shown, not by Sinking our duty
and abandoning to a self.destruction
those unfit 10 govern themselves, bu,
by doing our duty by staying with
item and teaching them how TO gov
ern themselves, by uplifting them
spiritually and materially. Here at
home we are obeying this maxim OF
Washington's Just SO far as we helr
In every movement, whether under.
taken by the government, or as Is,
and should be, more often the case,
by voluntary action among private
citizens, for the betterment of our
own people. Observe that Washing
ton speaks both of justice and benev.
olence. and that he puts justice first
We must be generous, we must help
our poorer brother, but above all we
must remember to be just; and the
first step toward securing justice is
to treat, every nan on his worth as q
man, showing him no special favor
but so far as may be holding open
for him the door Of opportunity Sc
that reward may wait upon honest
and intelligent endeavor.
Again Washington said: Cherish
public credit" lust at the moment
there is II attack OH public credit,
DutHfever the temptation arises again
let our people, at the outset remem,
Der that the worst because the most
insidious form OF tile dishonest debt.
or, Is that man who would persuade
him that it is anything but dishonest
for him to repudiatc his debts.
Finally, 1t is peculiarly appropriate
when have come to this city rs the
guest of the University of pennsyl
yania, TO quote another of Washing
tons maxims: Promote, as an oblec,
OF primary Importance, institutions
for the general diffusion of knowledge
In proportion rs the structure of a
government gives public opinion, IL
Is essential that public opinion should
be enlightened" Education may no,
make a a a good citizen, but Ger
!tainly ignorance tends 10 prevent his
being a good citizen. Washington was
I--... GIL - zoo" a. H=.