The Cairo bulletin., 1905-02-23
AMERICAS TWO
GREATEST Men
Were Washington and lincoln,
Says Roosevelt
PHILADELPHIA SPEECH
DRAWS COMPARISON BETWEEN
THE FIRST PRESIDENT AND
TIE PRESERVER OF
THE UNION.

THE UNION.
Philadelphia, Feb. 22.-Presiden'
Roosevelt was the orator tonight a.
the celebration of Washington's birth
day by the University of Pennsylva'
mia. The president spoke as follows:
TWO Greatest Americans.
AS a ns ion we have had our fun
share of II rat men, but the two men
Of pre-eminont greatness who as the
centuries 80 on, will surely loom
above all others are Washington ana
Lincoln; and 1t is peculiarly fitting
that their birthdays should be cele
bra'ed every year and the meaning
Of their lives brought home close to
us.
No other city in the country 3
SO closely identified with Washing
tou's career as Philadelphia lie
served here In 1875 IN The Continent
al congress. He was here as com
mander of the army at the time Oh
the battles Of BrandyWine and Ger
mantown and il was near here that
witch that army he faced tisenlesolate
winter at Vallc5 Forge, the winter
which narEcl be turning point Of
the Revolutionary wa Hero De came
again AS nresi.en Of ne convention
which framed Tie Constitution and
then as president OF rte tuiaed
States, and finally as iieui9D1pt gem
cral IF the army AFTER he had retired
from Tho presidency
"One hundred and eigft gears ago
just before he left toe presidency he
issued his farewell address, aud 10
y he laid down certain principles
which he believed sstunla alifle rae
citizens Of this republic Cor all time
to come, his own words being, which
appear to me all Important To the
permanently Of your felicity as a peo.
pie
Comparison OF mer.
Washington though in sorao WAYS
an even greater man shan Lincoln
did not have Lncolns wonderful gift
of express ion-that sift which makes
certain speeches Of the railshlittet
from Illinois read Ike the inspired Ut
terances Ct the great Hebrew seeIs
and prophets. But he had al of Lin
coins sound common sense farsight-
edness. and devotion TO a lofty idea
Like Lincoln he sought after the no
blest objects, and like Lincoln he
sought after them by thoroughly prac
tical methods. These Two creates,
Americans can fairly be called the
best among the great men of the
world and greatest among the good
men Of the world Each showed in
actual practice his capacity to secure
under orr system the priceless union
Of individual liberty with govern
mental strength. Each was rs free
from iho vices OF the 'yrant as from
the vices of the demagoEue To each
the empty futilty OF the mere doc,
trinaire was as alien as the basenesS
Of the merely self seeking politician.
Each was incapable alike Of the wick.
edness which seeks by force Of arms
10 wrong others and of the no loss
criminal weakness which fails IL
provide effectively against beine
wronged by o.hers.
Good Faith Wi h Nations.
Among Washington maXiins
which he bequeathed 10 his country
men were the two following: Observe
good faith and justice toward all ma
tons and To be prepared for war
IS the most effective means 10 pro
mote peace These two principles
taken toge her should form the basis
of our whole foreign policy. Neither
is sufficient taken by itself 1t is
not merely an idle dream, but a most
mischievous dream TO believe thai
mere refraining from wrong-doing win
insure us against being wronged Yet.
on the other han4, nation prepared
for war is a menaeesto mankind IN.
less the ma 'ional purpose is 70 trea,
other nations with good faith and
Justice
Navy OSeo fcg JGstice.
Never since the beginning of our
country's history has The navy been
used in an unjust war. Never has il
failed to render great and some
times vital service to che republic. II
has no been too strong for our good.
though often not strong enough 70
DO all the good Il should have done.
Our possession Of the Philippines,
our interest in the trade Of the orr
ent, our building the Isthmian canal.
our insistence OF the Monroe doc
trinc, all demand tina our navy shan
be Of adequate SIZE and for its size
of unsurpassed efficiency If it is
strong enough, believe it viii min
imize the chance of our being drawn
into foreign war If We let it run
down, it is as certain as the day
that sooner or later We shall have
tn qheoza bafu-cean n 4,rnha hfs- 7feaa.