Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-02-23

building the lSthTi11 canal. sC.ll- in
sistence upon the Monroe slcctline all
demand that our navy Shall be Of ade-
quate size and for its size 81 unsur,
passed efficiency. Ii it is strong
enough l believe it viii 1l,in;mzc the
chance OF our being drawn into for
eign war II we let it run down. t is
as certain as the day that sooner or
later we shall have to choose between
). probably disastrous foreign war
o. a peace kept on terms thar imply
rational hum iliation.
Our navy is the sure.st guaranty ~
peace and the cheapest insurance
against wa. and those who, in what,
ever capacity. have heira;, e build it
up during the last twcusy years have
been II SccG faith Observing an, liv-
ing 'p 10 enc, of the most impor,an;
OF the principles which WASHINGTON
laid down tcr the guidance al his cC;ln.
lryman.
Nor was Washington the oisly one
of orr q cat Presidents who showed
iarsiShted patriotism by support OF
the navy. When Andrew jackson vas
IN Congress he voted for the fr:t wai.-
ship we ever built as part OF our re-
gIlar navy: and he vote,l against the
grant OF money to pay our i,lmilia,iny
tribute to the pirates OF the Barbarv
States. Old Hickory was a o;.tr:o,
through and through. ana .na;e was
not an ounce of timidity in his nature.
and Of course, he felt only Indignant
contempt for policy which, purchased
an ignoblc peace by cowardicc in
instead Of eXacting a Just peace by
showing we We're as little willing u
submit to as to inilict aggression. Had
a majority Of ,Jacksons colleagues
and successors felt as he did about The
navy. had it been built Ep instead Of
being brought to a standsti!!. i'll
would probably never have been hcca$-
s>ry To fight the war Of 1872
Finally, it is peculiarly appropriate
when have come to Shis city rs The
guest OF the University If p.r}osll-
wanna. to quote another. Ct Washing
tons maXims: Promote rs al object
of primary Importance, inst:.utiGus
for the general diffusion OF knowledge.
In proportion as the structure cf !,
government gives .orce tn public
opinion, il is essential that public
opinion should he enlightened " l3tu
cation may not make {. man a good
citizen, but most certainly ignorance
tends tG prevent his being !, good
citizen. Washington was far TOO
much OF patriot. hal ia. toe EiEch
love for his Teil)w cj;iEnns 10 Try 10
teach them tha. I!e:- cGult govern
themselves unless Jhcy couln levclCr
a sound and enlightened public opin
ion. NO nation can permanently re-
tain free government unless it can re-
tain high average ,.t citizenship: and
there can he no suc'. high average
OF citizenship without a high average
;,> ~
Hrta lest and tru"s,J sense to incu.;:,
the things Of tn scu' as Wa; as tic
things of the mind.
School education can never supplant
or take the place y: self-at,nca.;or
still less can it i'll any way SAKE .hr
place OF those rugged AMI manly
aualltles which VIC group together TN
Ger the name OF character. bit it can
be OF enormous use in experimenting
both
II is source of just pride 81 every
American that our people have so
consistently acted in accordance witt,
Washinston's principle OF ,romotn..
institutions for the diffusion IT know
ledge. There is nothing .leara! to pur
hearts than our public school system,
by which free primary education is
provided for every one within our
borders. Tie higher education. such as
IS provided by the University of Penn.
sylNanla and kin;,led bodies. nor only
cnnters great benefits to thos,, able u
take advantage OF it. but >,I;ils upon
them corresponding duties
The men who founded tl.s nation
mad to deal with theories ~ govern
ment and the fundamental PRINCIPLES
Of free institutions. We are now con
u n !, Il
tons. for the republic has been :.rn,lv
established, is principles thoroughly
tested and fully approved To merely
political issues have succecs;r,l those
OF grave social and economic. import.
ance. The solution Of whicn demands
the best efforts Of the best men. We
nave right to expect that a wise aud
leading part III the effort TO attain
this solution will be taken by those
who have been exceptionally blessed
in the matter of obtaining an educa-
ton
That college graduate is but Door
creature who does not feel when he
has left college that he has received
something for which he owes a return
What he thus owes he can as a rulte
only pay by the way he bears him.
sci! throughout life It is but occa-
slonally that college graduate can do
much outright for his alma mater: he
can best repay her by living life
that will reflect credit upon her by SO
carrying himself as a citizen that men
snail see that the years spent in train
ing him have not been wasted The
educated man is entitled to no special
privilege OF irving TO show that his
education enables bin 10 take the
lead in striving to guide his fellows
Alright in the difficult task Which is
set 70 us OF the twentieth century.
The problems before us today are
very complex and are widely different
from those which the men Of Wash