The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-11-14
H RDING PAYS
HIGHEST TRIBUTE
TO Washington
Will of First President Is
Recalled at Laying Of
Corner Stone for Vic
tory Memorial
URGES STUDY OF
FAREWELL ADDRESS
Whoever w oul d Emulate
Washington's Example Is
Urged to Read Will

WASHINGTON, Nov. l4.-Speaking
today at the exercises attending the
laying Of the corner stone for the
new victory memorial, President Hard
ing dedicated that atructure as "a
gathering place for Americans. where
American minds begin the fulfillment
of one Of the striking provisions of
the last will Of George Washington,
which set aside a bequest for the
founding of an institution to dis
semnate learning, culture, and a pro
per understanding of right principles
in government"
The presidents address was given
| largely to an ANALYSIS Of the well
known attributes of the first presi.
dent. which, he said, made Washing
ton ION his private and personal side
very model Of good citizenship"
WashingtOn's Great Personal Force
ct is an impressive fact" Mr.
| Harding said, worthy of our especial
thought, that in the century and u
half since Washington became the
leader, the heart and soul of its strug
| gle for independence and unity, this
nation has so many times found oc
casions 10 record revolution 10 the
precepts which he laid down for It's
guidance. SO today after more thar
a centurys delay. we are come tc
pay tribute to the foresight which
! first encouraged and endowed the IL
stitutiOns here established--an insti
tuition which is to be alike monh
muent 10 those who sacrificed In &
noble cause and beacon TO sheC
afar the light Of useful knowledg,
and grateful understanding among
men. II has seemed TO m that oui
studies of Washington have been too
much from those public sides from
which we view him as the military
chief. the inspired leader OF the col
onies, the statesman and guide of con
stitution making times, the welding
force which hammered fragments o
communities into great nation-a
the first president and as the autho
Of that body OF domestic and foreigr
policies which he bequeathed in hi
farewell address, think it may b
said that IL, on the .one side. Wash
ngton was the great personal fore
that wrenched apart the two chic
branches OF the English speaking
people. he was one of the creates
personal factors in saving this con
tinent to AngloSaXon domination an,
in doing that he contributed yer,
greatly to making possible the wide
/ e.. - Lit
nations.
Served Mankind We'll.
If, as the leader OF the revoltin
colonies in 70, this time aided b.
France. he tore them from the gras
Il England, it is equally true tina
, two decades earlier he had save
them from the possible domination q
France. am sure that today ou
. faithful friends and trusted allies o
France and England alike would agre
that in both eases, viewed in the ligh
Of subsequent events, he served man
kind well.
But among the documents whic'
attest his wisdom there is one 4
which little study has been given.
mean his last will and testament
on an occasion such as brings u
here today it Is not Inappropriate L
direct attention for few moments L
this remarkable instrument.
An Eminent Humanitarian.
Washington was not only a grea
soldier and great statcsman; he wa
also man OF great business affair
and an eminent humanitarian. Pre-
vident and always methodcal, h
amassed a fortune. which has bee
rated by many as the greatest Of hi
time in all the country. But plalnl
IL was not his belief that society
best served by the transmission fror
generation to generation Of such i'm
, posing aggregates OF wealth.
Therefore, his will, after deyisin
minor and largely sentimental b,
quests to many relatives and friends
directed that The residuary cstnt
should he divided into twenty-thre
equal shares. to be distributed anon
the heirs whom he named This
} comes about that an estate which
, 1, held together and wisely admins
tered. might have become very large
was deliberately 20 distributed that
"A few years It's entity was gone an
, its portions have been absorbed int
the general body Of the country
wealth. That process of disintegri
ton and absorption involved som
= loss, but II 1t probable that in IN
, sum OF results, the nation was tn
gamer by the policy of Washington
Kept Obligations
washington as model citig'
! shines forth with peculiar radian'
from this last testament. The fir
provision is that his debts shall
! paid promptly. Al the world needs u
4 example of kept obligations. Tho se
9 ond item makes generous provision f
his wife and then comes the directi'
that at her death. all his slaves sht
u be given freedom. Next follows devils
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