The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-02-23

 less noise and dangerous explosion leav, Ing In Its train far more of mishap and accident. than lessons of good citizen snee @ of of Rhakssiving Day is he Kept alive through Its annual designation by Fed eral and State authority, But 1t IS worth our while to inquire ether its original meaning. as a day .of. united praise and gratitude to God for the blessings bestowed upon us as a people roasting and social Indulgence. we, in common with Christian nations every where, celebrate Christmas-but how the birth of the Redeemer of mankind. than as day of hilarity and the inter change of gifts.
 T will not without decided protest be accused of antagonizing or deprecating light t-hearted mirth and jollity. On the contrary ] am an earnest advocate or every kind of sane, decent social enjoy. ment. and all sorts of recreation. But nevertheless I feel that the allowance of an incongruous possession by. them of your commemorative days is evidence of certain condition, and Is symtomat- tc of popular tendency which are by no means reassuring..
 On this day. the Union League Club of Chicago should especially rejoice in the consciousness of patriotic acconipa- niment; and on this day of all others, every one of it's members should regard Whatever else the organizatio may have done. it has Justified it's existence and earned the applause of those whose love of Country is still unclouded by the work 1t has done for the deliver ance of Washingtons Birthday from neglect or indolent remembrance.
 Exclusive American Holiday.
 Tn furtherance of the high endeavor of your organization, it would have been impossible to select for observance any other civic holiday having as broad and fitting a significance as this. It mem prizes the birth of one whose glorious deeds are transcendently above all oth-- in memorizing the birth of Washington 1t commentaries the incarnation of all the virtues and all the ideals that made our nationality possible and gave II promise of growth and strength. It is a holiday that belongs exclusively to the American people. All that Wash ington did was bound up, in our nation fought for American liberty. and the victories he won gave us national inde- pendence His example of .unselfish manifest as in an open book that those virtues were conditions not more vital to our nations beginning than to its in God. and the fortitude of his faith, taught those for whom he wrought, that the surest strength of nations comes arm. arD Hi His nniN unnniversai and and manifested sympathy with those in every sphere. of American life. his thorough knowledge % foresght of Sose epful eG 0e infiaence fHapss in" in the @ coun- the fate of an infant nation, made him a tremendous factor in the constructIon and adoption of the constitutional chart by which the course of the, the newly se onstrated for the guidance of all who might succeed him, how, and in that spirit and intent, the responsibilities or our chief magistracy should be dis charged,
 Tribute to Washington.
 If your observance of this day were intended to make more secure the i'm, to the strength and beauty of his inn perishable monument built upon nations affectionate remembrance, your purpose would be useless. Washington has no need of you. But in every mo, ment from the time he drew his sword in the cause of American independence to this hour. living or dead. the Ameri. can people have needed him. It is not important now, nor will it be in all the coming years, to remind our country men thatWashington has lived and that his achievements in his country's ser vice are above all praise. But 1t is inn portant-and more important now than ever before-that they should clearly apprehend and adequately value the virtues and ideals of which he was the embodiment. and should realize how essential to our safety ana perpetulty' which he exemHihed. The American people need today khe example and teachings of Washingto> no less than those who fashioned our nS<ion needed his laborers ard guidance.
 Three months before his inaugura- tion as first President of the Republic which he had done so much to create, Washington wrote a letter to\ Lafay- cite, his warm friend and revolutionary ally, in which he expressed his unre- system of policy which, if pursued, would ensure permanent felicity to the commonwealth;' and he added these words:
 'I think I see a path as clear and as direct as a ray of light, which leads to the attainment of that object. Noth- ing but harmony, honesty, industry and frugallty. are necessary to make us great and happy people: Happily, the present posture of affairs and the pre- vailing disposition of my countrymen promise to cooperate in establishing these four great and essential pillars of public felicity
 Time for ss1f-ExaminatlOn.
 Such considerations as these sug- gest the thought that this Is time for honest selI- examination. The ques-- tion pressed upon us with a demand for reply that will not be denied; Who among us all, if our hearts are purged of misleading impulses and our minds freed from perverting pride, can be sure that today the posture of affairs, eountrymen. cooperate in the estab- lishment and promotion of harmony, honesty, industry and frugality"
 "The self f-eXamination invited by this days commemoration will be in- complete and superficial, if we are not thereby forced to the confession that there are signs of the times which inc dicate a weakness and relaxation of our hold upon these saving virtues, When thus forewarned. it is the height of recreancy for us ohstinately to close our eyes to the needs of the situation, and refuse admission to the thought that evil can overtake us. 1T we are to deserve security We will carefully and dutifully take our bear, wind and tide have ca tried us away from safe waters.
 If we find that the wickedness of destructive agitators and the selfish depravity of demagogues have stirred up discontent and strife where there should be peace and harmony, and have arrayed against each other in terests which should dwell together in hearty cooperation; if we find that the old standards of steady, uncompro- | missing American honesty have become so corroded and weakened by a sordid | atmosphere that our people are hardly | startled by crimes in high places and | shameful betrayals of trust every | where; if we find a sadly prevalent disposition among us to turn from the | highway of honorable industry into ! sponSible and worthless ease; if we | find that widespread wastefulness ana l extravagance have discredited the | wholesome fruGality which was once | the pride of Americanism. we should l recall Washington's admonitlon that