The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-23
MIR. UNDERWOOD EUL0G|zES LIFE
 OF WASHINGTON Speaks to Society of the Cincinnati at Phila-
 delphia LEADER HAD GOOD
 COMMON SENSE Need to Heed Stirring Appeal of Washington to His People-That Departments of Government
 Be Kept Separate

IT oscar ". Underwood of Alabama was the principal speaker tonight at the annual Washington birthday banquet of the Pennsylvania state Society of the Cincin- nati Other speakers were Mayor Blank enburg, Dr. J M. T. Finney of Baltimore, J. B. Lord of New York and Congress- man James P. Lloyd of Missouri.
 George Washington was the subject of MT. Underwood's address. He said in part
 Washington Did Not See All "Washington did not foresee all the perplexing problems with which we have to deal today, in our tariff or in our great corporations, in our currency. in our foreign possessions, or in a reconcil- iation of the rights of labor and capital; he did not forsee the vast task we an have, whether native foreign born. of taking the new material constantly com- ing to our shores and assmiliating it into our growth and moulding 1t Into a loyal and intelligent support of our ni stitutions; he did not see the menace of destructive socialism nor the extent to which. unfortunately, we were to go in substituting party interest for political l principle, though to this he gave us paternal warning. Nevertheless he did foresee sufficient of our problems to be able to commend to us a course, the prin- cple of which, if steadily adhered to, should bring us safely through all the peris to which we may be exposed. While he did not outline the bylaws, so to speak, that must, from time to time, be framed and adopted for the detailed life of this country. he did understand, as no one else understood, the organic principles upon which were to rest the security and the welfare of our national life. And subject always to his urgent advice against permanent alliances with foreign powers, like a high priest among men: he preached the gospel of tolerance. of benevoence, of peace, of reasonable- ness and of righteousness towards all peoples.
 Had Common Sense
 "Washington distinguishing common sense and practical turn of mind served him well in the administration of his high office. Few, if any, mere generalities or quixotic schemes or action were suggested by him; but, on the contrary, he seemed to be master of the underlying principles of the business needs of the country as he had been of the plans of his cam paigns. At a time when so many of us are disposed to put upon the statute books nostrums for relief from our industrial and financial and economic evils, it will be well for us to call to mind the strik- ing contrast between the moderate vol ume and temperate character of laws en- acted during his presidency and so much of our present day legislation of the eX- perimental sort. refecting often merely view of today that is likely to ne tne heresy Of tomorrow, and attempting 10 deal with the objectionable tendency be- fore it is seen that 1t will not be arrested of itself or before we have sufficient Understanding of it to be in a position to know or apply the appropriate remedy. Accordingly the recommendations and the Legislation of Washington's administration were not along guess work lnes but the elements cf soberness, patience and Wis dom which he so invariably manifested were typical of the plans he favored and adopted to bring order out of financial and industrial chaos, promote industry among the people and restore their ener- sies by opening up new sources of revs- nue and prosperity, and by assuring men that they shouiu gather and be secure tn the possessIvn of the harvest of their labor.
 Should Heed Washington
 .'rhere is great need, too, for us in hjs day when constitutional restraint has become irksome to many, never to turn deaf ear to the stirring appeal of Washington to his people-that the de- partments into which our government is tonstiutionally divided shall be kept with determined hand within their respective boundaries. Speaking here not as party man. but IS citizen of the republic my observation and reflection have shown ,,o hour traache rouelv. ga Sv is the tranSi- ion from centralization of government which those of the republican party set |, much store by and which a good many bf us democrats are inclined to acquiesce n to a persenalization of government and hen to usurpation of government. Wash nrton in all his career uttered no greatef ruth than when he declared that a con- tiiutional government, under such circum- stances, becomes almost, as a matter of tourse, a despotism- For long time. fortunately, this was the view of the American people; and when they have eparted from it a long and onlinous step as been taken, not only in the commis- ion of error but towards establishing vii precedent
 Have Serious Problems
 We have, however, problems of seri- us nature confronting for solution, nd doubtless they will increase as time oes on. We. as people. have tolerated he doing of things which must be un- one or made right and not condoned; we ave at times set too much store by mere material success and judged as of minor onsequence things which broaden and levate and ennoble nation, we have lade compromise with things of evil in- ort We have. at times, been unmindful f the rights of others as we have hur-
 ed on to the realization of ambitious ians: and, in our indifference to the emands of good citizenship, we have been
 uilty of or acquisced in a course of con uct that has given rise to sulen express
 ons of an unrest to which we cannot fford to be unconcerned listeners; for un
 hecked unrest is likely to breed discon- snt and discomfort in it's turn disorder.
 nd, unless we frankly recognize this.
 e shall have no reasonable hope of cor ecting the conditions which arouse if ley do not altogether justify those ex- ressions, and which are menace not nly to our continuing prosperity but to
 ir self respect and our repute in the
 prld. Again and again. time goes
 h. in obedience to popular clamor. We hall be tempted to enact stautcs unjust labor or capital and not representing eflecffon a 1d eouxfctio1 S,rs sfaufes which