The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1923-02-21
HAPPY FORTUNE THAT
GAVE WASHINGTON
TO THE NATION

For many years there was q QlSpO-
sition to think Of Washington al a
good nan but not a great n This
view prevailed even in this country
to a very considerable extent. But 1t
Is no longer held by those who are
best informed, for W~ashington's great
ness is now everywhere acknowledged
1t would be difficult-perhaps imp0ssi-
ble-to point to q more completely
rounded character. John Fiske has
shown that he vas a great military
commander. OF the fine quality Of
Washington's craftsmanship there can
be no question. He was a patriot with
out even the suspicion Of q faint OF
jingoism. He thought Of his country
not as something to be Dragged about,
but to be served.
The law Of service was. one may al
most say. the fundamental law of the
life Of Washington. He never sought
office, and never desired it. One a
not imagine him suggeSting-Or con-
senting to-legislatiOn in order to win
votes. The first Presidents moral
courage was perhaps his most striking
trait. He resisted every effort on the
part Of politicians and people alike to
force the nation into war with Eng
land on the side Of revolutionary
France. One may family imagine
what he would have said In response
to a suggestion that he could win
votes by going to war, and would lose
them by staying out. Not often has
there been a more accurate character
ization OF q man than LOwens Of
Washington, 'TWhere the lot turks that
gives liGe's foremost place." Washing
ton knew:
Yet Duty'a ieaden casket holds It STILL
And but two ways are offered to our Will
Toll with rare triumph. eass with sare
disgrace.
Tns problem still for US and all OF hui
man race.
He chose, as men choose, where most
LANCER showed.
Nor ever faltered meath the load
OF petty cares, hat gall great hearts the
most,
But kept right on the uphill
Strong to the end, above complaint o.
boast;
The popular tempest on his rOck-maiied
coast
Wasted its wind-borne spray:
The noisy marvel Of a day;
HSa aoul safe still in It's unstormed abode
Washington was the master of him
self. In subsection only to his con
science. The English historian say
that mo nobler figure ever stood IL
the forefront Of a nations life.
Thackeray's tributes to him are ia
miliar. All who have studied the char
acter and work Of this great mai
agree that there was in him nothinI
of the ~self-seeker, nothing even Of am
bition-except in that noble sense Il
/ which all good men are ambitious
Much he undoubtedly owed TO the char
acter with which he was born, and t
his inheritance, but much he also owes
to discipline. He had schooled him
self to generosity In victory, patienc
I'm defeat. and In that hneness Of sou
which ~safeguarded him against tn
Establishments of power. His was tina
-long-breathed valor and undaunte
will,
Which. slike his own. the days disaste
q done,
Could. safe in manhood. suffer and b
still.
= Washington's fame grows with til
y years, and shines ever more bright,
!" He was a strange figure to be cast u
out Of a revolution. Demagogues {
= tyrants are usually the fruit Of sue
: upheavels. Perhaps the difference b,
tween him and other revolutiOnar
Henderson some of them-refieci
In a measure the difference betwee
N our revolution and other revolution
pr At any rate 1t was the happy fortuI
he Of our country, and of the worl
te that this nation was led during II
ID perilOus days of the Revolution and
the formative period by a man WI
D. loved order and institutional libert
and who coveted for America only Il
III honor of duty-dolng and Of service
ed tie world.
!"
Rule ser National Conduct.