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


the constitution ana then as President
Of the United States. and finally as
lieutenant general of the army after
lie had retired from the Presidency
one hundred and eight years ago
Just before he left the Presidency. he
issued his farewell address. and in il
lie laid down certain principles which
he believed should guide the citiz ,ns
OF this republic for all time to come,
his own words being. (which appear to
me all-important to the permanency
OF your felicity as people"
Linco!n's Inspired Utterances
Washington. though in some ways
an even greater man than Lincoln
did not have Lincolns wonderful gift
OF eNprcssion-that gift which makes
certain speeches Of the rai!-Splitter
from Illinois read like the inspired!
u'tcrances Of the great Hebrew seers
and prophets. But he had all OF Lin
coin sound common sense, far-siSht-
c'lncss and devotion to lofty ideal
Like Lincoln, he sought after the no
bcst objects. ana like Lincoln he
sought after them by thoroughly prac
tica! methods. Those two greatest
Americans can fairly be called the best
among the great men OF tie world
and the greatest among the good men
OF the world. Each showed in actual
practice his capacity TO secure under
our system the priceless; union Of III
dlviinal liberty with governmental
strength Each was as free from tho
vices OF the tyrant as from the vices
o! the demasosua. TO each the empty
fulility OF the mere doctrinaire was a.
al o IVA l,0,- - l..
self-seelling politician. Each was in
capable alike OF the wic5elness which
seeks by force OF arms 70 wrong others
and OF the no less criminal Weakness
which fails to provide etfcctrally
against being wronscd by others.
Washington's Maxirns.
Among Washington's maxims which
he bequeathel 10 his countrymen were
the two following: Observe GOOD
faith and justice toward all nations,
and TO be prepared for war IS the
most effective means to promote
peace. These two principles taken
together should form the basis Of our
whoic foreign policy. Neither IS suf-
ficient taken by itself. 1t is lot merely
dream. to believe there mere retaining
against being wronged
Yet, on the other hand. a nation
prepared for war is menace to !can-
kind unless the national purpose. is t.
treat others nations with good faith
and justice. In any community it is
neither the conscientious man who
4 is a craven at heart, nor yet the bold
ana strong man without ;ha moral
sense, who is OF real use to the COM
munlty; 1t is the man who to strength
and courage adds a realizing sense Of
the moral obligation resting upon him.
the man who has not only the ,.esire
but the power TO do his full duty by
his neighbor and by the State.
So. in the wor! at lar.,e. tie nation
which is OF use in the progress o1
mankind is that nation wi;icli com.
hines strength OF character. force OF
character and jn:,:.;,ence upon its
4 own rights, with a full knowledge CT
its own duties to"ard others. just al
present the best way in which we can
show that our lOy2isv To the teachings
OF Washington is u loyalty CT the
Fl heart and not OF 1ie Fps only IS to zee
to it that the work Df l,,I.li.,g up our
navy goes steadily on, and chat yhc
same time our stan for International
Righteousness is clear ana emphatic.
Concerning Our Navy.
Never since The beginning Of :,ur
country's histor... has tl:> ,zyy been
/. used in al unjuss war. Never mas 1t
failed to render great and Some times
vital service to the republic. 1t has
not been too strong for our good
. though not often strong enough 10 10
all the good i. slouI'i have done Our
possession OF the Philippines, our in,