The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1907-02-22
Ex-Presidelt of the United States
Makes An Able Patriotic Ad-
dress in Chicago.
GEORGE wAsHINGToN's VIRTUES
Must Be Valued and Work Appre.
ciated, ii Our Great Country
is to Endure Forever.
[py Associa.ea Press.l

WASHINGTON D. C., Feb. 22-I
Washington's Birthday anniversary
was celebrated by the Union League
Club today at the Auditorium. The
principal speaker was Grover Clevei
land.
Mr.. Cleveland said:
The American people are but lit
tie given to the observance of public
holidays. This statement cannot be
disposed Of by the allegation that
our national history is too brief to
allo wthe accumulation of days de-
serving civic commemoration.
Though 1t is true that our life as
people, according to the standard
measuring the existence of nations,
has been a short one. 1t has filled
with glorious achievements; and
though it must be conceded thu; II is
not given to us to see in the magni-
flying mirage of antiquity, the exag.
gerated forms of American heroes,
yet In the bright and normal light
shed upon our beginning and growth,
are seen grand and heroic men who
have won imperishable honor and our
everlasting remembrance. We can
not therefore excuse a lack of com
memorative inclination and Ian
guild interest In recalling the notable
incidents of our country's past under
the plea of lack of commemorative
material; nor can we in this way ex-
plain our neglect adequately to OBJ
serye days which have actually been
set apart for the especial manic ga
tion of our living appreciation>ot the
lives and the deeds of Americans who
in crises of our birth and develop
ment have sublimely wrought aud
nobly endured.
Patriotism Handed Down.
If We are inclined to look Tor 9th
er excuses, one may occur to us
which, though by no means sa....fy-
ing, may appear to gain somewhat
fanciful plausibility by reason of its
reference to the law of heredi.y. It
rests upon the theory that those who
secured for American nationality its
first foothold, and watched over it
with the persistent and unacceptable
labors that pressed upon them, and
their hopes and aspirations led them
so constantly to thoughts of the fu-
ture that retrospection nearly became
with them an extinct faculty and that
thus it may have happened that ex-
elusive absorption in things pe;tain-
Ing to the present and future, re-
came so embedded in their naturcs
as to constitute trait of character
descendible to their posterity even
to the present generation.
There is another reason which
might be advanced in mitigation of
our lack of commemorative enthus-
iasm which is SO related to our pride
Of Americanism, that if we could be
certain of its sufficiency we would
gladly accept 1t as conclusive. It
has to do with the underlying quail
ties and motives OF our free institu-
tions. Those institutions had their
birth and nurture in unselfsh patriot
ism and unreserved conservation:
and by degree of Fate beyond re.
call or change their perpetuity and
benehcience anr conditioned on the
constant devotion and single-hearted
loyalty of those to whom their bless
ings are vouchsafed.
No Excuse for Remissness.
But after all why should We at
tempt to deiude ourselves? am
confident that voice your conyIc-
lions when say that no play Of in
genuity and no amount Of special
pleading can frame an absolutely
creditable excuse for our remissness
In appropriate holiday observance.
The commemoration Of the day on
which American Independence was
born, has been allowed to lose much
Of its significance as a reminder Of
Proyidential favor and the infexIble
patriotism of the fathers Of the Re
public, and has nearly degenerated
TO a revel Of senseless noise and dan
gerons explosions leaving In its train
far more Of mishap and accident,
than lessons Of good citizenship or
pride Of country. The observance
Of Thanksgiving Day is kept alive
through its annual designation by
federal and state authority. But Il