The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1912-02-29
HONOR GIVEN kern
IndIanlan to Read WasMngton's
Farewell Address.
CELEBRATION or NATAL DAY
City Of Alexandria, First to Do Honor
20 the Occasion, Prepared WORTH
Wy 70 Live Up to Traditions
OF the Past
By GEORGE CLINTON.

f. - SsV ! 0oN. --
BY GEORGE CLINTON.
Warrington. - Vice President Sher.
man has appointed Senator Kern OF
Indiana to read Washington's farewell
address In the senate on the birthday
Of the Father Of his Country. Already
down In the city Of Alexandria, Va,
only few miles from Washington,
they are preparing to celebrate the
natal day of the first president, who
lived so much OF his life at Mount
Vernon. just = few miles below the
Virginia town on the heights OF the
Potomac river. ,.S.z !.
Washington's birthday IL 4 great
day in Alexandria. It was In that
town that there was given the first
public celebration OF the event, on
February II, 1899. It must DO remem.
bered that the birthday fell eleven
days earlier then than 1t does now,
because that was before the revision
Of the calendar. .1.~5
8. 3. Field OF Alexandria has copy
OF the Columbia Mirror and Alexan-
dria Gazette which contains an &C
count of that first celebration in the
Virginia city which lies only few
miles from Mount Vernon. The edi-
tor of the paper says In Introduction:
1T was the Intention of the editor
to have published the Mirror on Mon
day morning, In order to gain time to
svince his attachment and respect to
General Washington. In this, how
ever, he was disappointed by an acct
dent which happened to his press,
and which could not speedily be ad-
justed. He trusts that his patrons will
accept of this apology for its conse-
Quent delay. They must be assured OF
its truth when they observe that the
first pages has Mondays date at its
head"
Editor DID Justice to Occasion.
After saying that Aurora rose with
more than common splendor, as II
wishing to assist In the tribute OF re
spect paid to our hOary chief" the
editor says he regrets that he doea
not possess talents to describe the
proceedings in the manner which they
deserve. The public will, however,
pass by any defects In style and do
him the justice to believe that did he
possess the chaste language Of Ad-
olson, combined with the creative
Imagination of a Shakespeare, he
would feel himself hOnored and happy
in using them on this occasion"
Here are the toasts drank at the res
1dence Of Mr.. Hilton in Alexandria on
that day, 11s years ago:
Lieut. Gen. George Washington,
the hero whose birth we celebrate
May the grim tyrant never part his
cable until he has chastised our for
eign enemies. (Nine cheers.)
THE president Of the United
States-The political sheet anchor OF
all true Americans (Six cheers.)
1.-THE congress of the United States
May that part who voted the appro-
priations to protect our commerce
meet with the gratitude of an indie
pendent people, and those who voted
in the opposition experience the just
execration of their fellow citizens,
whose dearest rights and property
they would sacrifice at the footstool
Of the French despots. (Three
cheers.) 1872
General Pinckney, General Mar
shall and Mr.. Gerry-May all our fu.
ture ENJOYS possess their firmness
and ability" (Three cheers.)
- h1x II
meet just reward-a halter!"
In closing, the editor tells us: Thus
have the citizens of Alexandria, in do
Ing honor to their illustrious neighbor
done the highest honor to themselves,
and proved to the Union that their
federalism and gratitude keep pace
with each other" --
49, Wothsrspoon Tells Good Story.
Brig. Gen. w. w. Wotherspoon, who
for long time was president OF the
war college, and who has just been
ordered to the department of the Gulf,
likes good story. Just before leav-
ing washington he was talking to
Vice-President Sherman, whose home
10 in Utica, N. Y. General Wother-
spoons wife came from Utica, and he
told the vice-president of his first VISIT
to that central New York city.
TT was great many years ago."
said the general, "wnen first visited
Utica didn't know the place, and
thought would take ride on
street car. found that there were
three lines of cars In the city, all
starting from a common point. 1
looked at the sign on the car of ono
line. It read, To tho Lunatic Asy.
lum.' "
II looked at the sign OF the car on
the second line. It read, To the Mo-
hawk Street JAIL
II looked at the car on the third
line. It read: TO the cemetery
II took walk elsewhere"