Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-11-14
HARDING ExToLS
FIRST PRESIDENT
AS BUSINESS MAN
Continued from page /,

1T has seemed to me that our stud
es OF Washington have been too much
from those public sides from which
we view him az the military chief,
the inspired leader OF the colonies,
the statesman aud guide Of consti-
tuition making tines the welding force
which hammered fragments OF com
into great nation, as the
first president. and as the author OF
that body OF domestic and foreign poll
cies which he bequeathed In his fare
well address
A Grent Personal Factor.
II think Il may be said that II on
the one side Washington was the great
force that wrenched apart the
two chief branches OF the English
speaking race, he was on the other
the greatest personal factor in saving
this continent to Anglo-Saxon DOM
ination; and in doing that he con-
tributcd very greatly to making pos-
sible the wlde-fluns family OF Eng
lish speaking nations. If as leader of
the revolving colonies in rs, this time
aided by. France. he tore them from
the grasp of England. II is equally
true that two decades earlier he had
saved them from possible domination
OF France. ! am sure that today our
faithful friends and trusted allies OF
France and England alike would agree
that in both cases. viewed In the light
Of subsequent events, he served man
kind well.
"But among the documents which
attest his wisdom, there is one to
mean his last will and testament. On
an occasion such as brings us here to-
day. It is not inappropriate to direct
attention for a few minutes to this
remarkable instrument.
Great ms Business Man.
washington was not only great
soldier and a great statesman; he was
also man of great business affairs
and an eminent humanitarian. Provi-
drnt and always methodical, he amass-
ed fortune, which has been rated
by many ms the greatest of his time In
all the country. But plainly IL was not
his belief that society II best served by
the transmission from generation to
generation of such imposing aggre-
gates of wealth.
Therefore, his WILL after devising
minor and largely sentimental be-
quests to many relatives and friends
directed that the resduary estate
should be divided into % equal shares
10 be distributed among the heirs
whom he named. Thus II comes about
that an estate which, II held together
and wisely administered. might have
become very large, was deliberately sc
distributed that in a few years It's
entity was gone and its portions hat
been absorbed into the general body
of the country's wealth. If that pro-
cess of disintegration and absorption
involved some loss. II is probable thai
in the sum of results the nation was
gamer by the policy of Washington
Wise Distribution Of His Fortune.
Washington as model either
shines forth with n peculiar radiance
. from this last testament. The frs
provision is that his debts shall b'
paid promptly. All the world needs
the example of kept obligations, The
second item makes generous provi
sion for his wife; and then comes th'
direction that at her death all his
slaves shall be given freedom.
Next follow deyises OF funds t'
aid education Of poor or orphaned
children. and for the endowment Of I
University in a central part Of tn
United States" Another specific be
quest goes TO Liberty Hall Academy
now Washington and Lee University
at Lexington. Virginia. A list o
debtors are forgiven their debts. T.
edch Of five nephews he gave one o
his swords with IAN injunction not Z
unsheath them for the purpose o
shedding blood except ii be for self
defense or In defense of their countr,
and its rights. and in the latter cas-
TO keep them unsheathed and prefe
falling with them in their hands I
the .relinquishment thereof" Their
is no selection of words wherewitl
more eloquently TO express the fu
duty with obligation of a good citize
TO his country. Let us be Thankful
that the spirit Of that injunction ha
been borne in upon the nation h
founded, even to this day.
VIII, Charter OF Good CITIZENSHIP
"As charter OF good citizenshi
land patriotic purpose, this last wi
land testament has been an inspiratio
many times TO me. ] commend IL
thoughtful reading 10 whoever woul
lemulate his example. Indeed, as W
lare gathered here. representatives {
a grateful and reverent nation. {
signaliZe the consumnation of on
more public beneficence inspired
him, can think of nothing more al
propriate than to urge the study {
the, farewell address and last will an
testament. as compliments of eac
other. Each of them can be fully al
preciated without the other I'll
farewell address was the final adjurs
ton of the soldier, the statesman, III
founder. The will and testament wa
the last word of the Christian citizel
the loving husband. the devoted kin!
rnan--and the provident man Of bus
ness.
81 am prone to believe they contai
n chart BY which the captains Ar
i pilots of world in distress, seekir
: haIborage from batterng storms al
raging, unknown deeps. might We
lay the course of civilization itse
A Memorial and Shrine.
within brief century and ha
the American people, under Washing
; tons inspiration have created a gre
nation, added to the dominion OF II
I erty and of opportunity and we IN;
q hope, afforded a helpful example
I the'world. 1t has not been. accomplis
a cd without heavy sacrifices. AT fea
s full cost we had to wipe out an al
: biguity of the constitution and +
r establish union where disunion threa
= ened In conflict well nigh as wi