Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-02-22
GEORGE WASHINGTON.

AS Lincoln in his personal history and his type Of
character represented distinctivey the humble citizen
in our national life, so Washington represented the man
of affairs, the substantial business man. The business
conditions that existed at the time of the revolution
we're widely different from hose of today. The me-
chanical appliances which made possible the general use
of machinery. and which, were essential to the develop
ment of the factory system were then unknown. But as
the conditions were then, Washington was one of the
members of the big business" of his time. He was the
owner Of large estates. He owned many slaves and EN-.
were conducted both manufacturing and commercial
enterprises on no small scale. And over it all was the
guidance and the authority of the lord of the manor.
who recognized his responsibilities and administered
faithfully what was to him a sacred trust.
washington is often described as an aristocrat. In
a sense the description is correct. He belonged to a
wealthy family, as wealth was then understood. He had
the advantage OF culture, and from his childhood he had
been accustomed to the guidance of others. lie had
behind him the tradition of an honorable ancestry, of a
line Of predecessors who, like himself, had been born
into a position Of some distinction, and who, like him.
self, had an abiding sense Of the obligations which that
fact entailed. And that sort of aristocracy was not a
bad thing for the young nation. and it certainly did not
impair the usefulness Of Washington to his country.
Washington has been described by one of his bios-
raphers as solid rather than brilliant" and the descr,p-
ton seems to be an apt one. And it was we'll that he
had that characteristic Of solidity, for his sound sense
aided in the happy solution Of many problems WHICH,
without the balance that his character gave, might have
been disastrously solved by men more brilliant, but less
dependable than he.
Lincoln stands nearer to us in point Of time, and
We feel more familiar with him. Among the more con-
spicuous Of his characteristics was that of clarity Of
thought, which enabled him in times of storm and stress
and confusion to grasp what was vital in a subject and
devote his attention solely to that. Living in different
surroundings. in another age, and with entirely different
family traditions, Washington nevertheless had this
same clearness of vision, and it enabled him on many
occasions to guide the young nation which he had assist
ed in establishing along safe paths. avoiding the pitfalls
of extreme radicalism on the one hand, and Of ultra con-
servatism on the other. :
Washinston's words have been widely quoted, and
his acts have been freely cited in support OF all sorts OF
doctrines. Perhaps in no particular has greater violence
been done to the spirit Of what he taught them in the
emort that has been made to hold him up as the apostle
OF pacinsn and national isolation. His sentence about
changing alliances has been used over and over again
as the basis OF argument against American participation
in war. But 1t is a foul wrong to the memory Of a brave
and noble man to suggest that had he lived today he
would have advocated or couptenanced a course which
would have placed this nation in a position Of shame
and dishonor. which would have countenanced the seek.
Ing Of a pitiful personal safety by Americans while the
world was abiaze in the fires of war which is to deter
mine the fate Of the democracy for which Washington
lived and fought Had George Washington lived today
ne would have been the patriot that he was more than =
century ago, and he would have been as ready to shed
his own blood, and to risk everything for himself and
his nation in the cause Of democracy as he was then.