Bisbee daily review., 1913-05-18


 short Space and with rne JOSS Of SC little blood"
 He hoped, but did not believe, that it would run its course without fatal disorders; and he meant, in any case. to keep America from the infection She was herself but ''in a convales cent state" as he said, after her owI struggle. She was too ohservant still moreover, of European politics and opinion, like a province rather thar like a nation-inclined to take sides as if she were still a child of the Flu ropean family, who had flung away from her mother England to cling ir pique to an ancient foe.
 Washington's first and almost single object, at every point of policy, was to make of the provincial states of the Union yeritable nation, independent at any rate, and ready to be great when its growth should come, and it's self-knowledge. Every true friend to this country" he said, at last must see and feel that the policy of it is not to embroil ourselves with. any na tion whatever, but to avoid their dis putes and their politics, and, if they will harass one another, to avail our selves of the neutral conduct we have adopted. Twenty years peace, with such an increase of population and re- sources as we have a right to expect, added to our remote situation from the jarring powers, will in all probability enable us, in a just cause, to bid de- fance to any power on earth" and such were his thought and purpose from the first.
 'I want an American character" he cried, that the powers of Europe may be convinced we act for our selves, and not for others" He had charge Of a nation fn the making. and he meant it should form, under his care, an independent character.
 Not a sentlmentalist. It was thus he proved himself no sentimentaNst, but a statesman. It was stuff of his character, this pur- pose of independence. He would have played a like part of self-respect for himself among his neighbors on the { Virginia plantations; and he could neither understand nor tolerate the sentiment which made men like Jef- ferson eager 60 fling themselves into European broils. Truly this man was the American, the men about him provincials merely, dependent still for their life and thought upon the breath of tAe Old World. unless, like HamIl- ton, they had been born and had stood divined Europe in her own capitals with clear, unenamoured eyes.
 Fortunately affairs could be held steadily enough to a course of wise neutrality and moderation at first, while Frances revolution wrought only it's work Of internal overthrow and destruction; and while things went thus opinion began slowly to cool. Twas plain to be seen. as the months went by, that the work being done in France bore no real likeness at all to the revolution. in America; and wise men began to see 1t for what 1t was. social distemper. not reformation of government-efectiye enough as a purge, no doubt: inevitable, perhaps; a cure of natures own devising; but by no means to be taken part in by a people not likewise stricken. still free to choose.
 At first Washington and few men of like insight stood almost alone in their cool self-possession. Every man of generous spirit deemed 1t his mere duty to extol the French. to join clubs after their manner, in the name of the rights of man, to speak everywhere in praise of the revolution. But by the time 1t became necessary to act-to declare the position and policy of the nations government towards France a sober second thought had come, and Wsshlngton's task was a little sirnpli- fed.
 The measures already adopted by the government, though well enough calculated to render 1t strong, had not been equally well planned to make 1t popular. The power to tax, so jeai- ously withheld but the other day from the Confederation. the new congress had begun promptly and confidently to exercise upon a great scale. not only laying duties upon imports. the natural resource of the general gov ernment, but also imposing taxes upon distilled spirits, and so entering the fiscal field of the states.