The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-02-22

! Only the very good boys
! and girls care for the story of
!, Washington and the cherry
The Others, the majority, are bored, or amused,
or puzzled.
| And then there is the saying. dnned into the
cars of American childhood, Washington never
told lie"
1t alone alicnates vast numbers of children
from Washington In their little hearts it finds
no answering echo, no enthusiastic desire for emu
llation
| For truth telling, much as we love it in chill
dren. and much as we labor to graft it those
highly imaginative minds, is often a virtue that
develops only with years, related to intelligence
and to mature character.
1t derives its beauty largely from association
with other qualities sympathetic.
| Selfassertive truth-tellers often seem rigid in
character. They do great damage to truth by
making it seem, not beautiful, it should be, but
| hideous.
Even in minds OF maturity to the reputation of
Washington there still clings suggestion OF the
comic.
Thackcray did not help the situation when he
introduced the youthful Washington into 1.-THE
Nirginans highly sef-conscious and prggish
colonial
| There is fine chance for new historian of
Washington. one who will bring out the real man.
Owen Wister made start two years ago. when
| he published little book. emphasizing Washing
tons more human qualities But the book was
yet write the complete history needed by the world
| of today
| For today of all times, the world ought to
| reflect the service OF Washington in the making
OF this nation and on the attitude of Washington
toward the future OF this nation.
| Since the Spanish the Farewell Address,
once a classic and apparently just about as much
alive as most classics, has fallen into disfavor. We
don't hear OF its being pointed to with pride" as
often did.
Perhaps If VIC do go back to. it we shall find
that Washington, besides being soldier and
statesman was
And seer is much more interesting than a
little boy that chops down cherry tree man
that has never told lie.
A has a way OF projecting himself into
the future and finding a life there
AS a prophet Washington is a vital force to-
day But he is force that has been consciously
II his advice had been followed we should have
now costly and vcxatious complications in the
Philippines.
Washington the hero OF Valley Forge,
essentially man OF peace. He that the hap
pncss and security of this country lay. just the
happiness of individual did, in policy of nom
interference
As soon as this dountry ceased to follow this
policy Washington foresaw complications.
And at this moment you and ] those
complications approaching, not with the prophetic
eye, but with the everyday eye of sight.
On the surface it strange that man
whose inhertances and ways of life aristo
| cratic should be regarded as the father of Ameri-
can democracy.
And to the day point of view it is all
the more strange when recall the reproach
made against Washington that "the great Nir-
ginian held slaves
But Washington, to be judged fairly, like every
one else must be considered with reference to his
time and surrounding conditions.
Washington deserves little credit for not yield
ing to the temptations to assert his aristocratc
lineage by becoming a Tory. He was directly
affected by the unfair attitude of the mother
try in opposing taxation without representation.
What he did was natural outcome OF what he
was. Where he did merit the highest honor was
in his rising so magnihcently to his responsible
ties and opportunities. A man selfish and arro-
giant might have exacted more for himself, might
have striven to establish himself as permanent
power over the nation he had helped to create.
But there is evidence that Washington ever
felt such a temptation. Aristocrat as he was and
Shareholder he all the more extraordinary
in being able to turn from the prejudices of his
training to realization of the democratic ideal.
Perhaps can reach little clearer under
standing of what Washington was and of what
he did by placing him in our own time 1t was
as if, at the present time. man OF distinguished
position and OF wealth, he were to become'a leader
in the labor movement. For, from the point of
view of England, the colonials humble folk,
mainly tillers of the field, workers in small enter
prises.. To their cause Washington gave dignity,
dS We'll dS HldiNelouS pcIsOHdi SOudSc. WIN MS
tat.ered, half-fed, poorly trained troops he de-
feated the professional soldiers of England and
the Hessian mercenaries. He had, of course, the
superlative advantage of being sustained by the
power of sublime moral idea, all the more
effective because it was opposed by the weakness
that goes with self-conscious and eontemptuous
superiority.
Washington has not been accorded by the
world the credit he deserves for his share in
establishing democracy as a working force in
nation. We are likely to forget that democracy.
while he fought for it. was not accepted by the
world as practicable. To few it was beautiful
theory. an ideal. To the many it was impraeti,,
cable, denial of what they regarded the natural
unhtness Of human beings in large masses to
govern themselves. From France, mainly through
Rousseau, had come the great democratic theory.
But France had yet to seek its establishment in
the blood of the French Revolution
Our next Washington is not likely to be a
soldier-statesman. He will not lead in a war be.
tween nations or between foes identified with any
geographical limits. He will give dignity and
conference and organization to cause now in need
of powerful champion. He will strive. not against
taxation without representation, but against pro-
ductiou without fair eonpensation.