The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-02-22

from Cle eU6plC8JlOu ana lOe8S
which gave birth to this nation,
there has come the largest measure
Of liberty that man has yet devised.
So securely were the foundations Of
this free government laid that the
structure has been able to adapt It.
self to the changing world relations,
the revolutions Of invention and the
revelations Of scientific discovery,
the fabulous increase Of population
and Of wealth and yet to stand the
kaleidoscope complexities of life
which these changes have brought
upon 1t.
What other great, purely human
institution, devised in the era of the
stagecoach and the candle, has so
marvelously grown and survived in
to this epoch Of the steam engine,
the airplane, the incandescent lamp,
the wireless telephone, and the
battleship?
II we are to get refreshment to
our ideals from looking backward to
washington, we should strive to
identify the quality in him that
made our revolution q success and
our nation great. Those were the
qualities that marked washington
out for immortality.
Was Never Spectacular
We find they were not spectacular
qualities. He never charged with a
victorious army up the capital
streets Of conquered enemy. Ex-
cepting only Yorktown and Tren-
ton, he won no striking victories. His
great military strength was In the
strategy Of attrition, the patient en-
durance Of adversely, steadfast pur-
pose unbent by defeat. The Ameri-
can shrine most associated with
washington Is Valley Forge, and
Valley Forge was not place of VIC
tory-except the victory of WASH
ingtons fortitude, triumphant above
the weakness and discouragement of
lesser men. Washington had cour-
age without excitement, determina-
ton without passion.
The descriptions of George Wash
ington by his contemporaries give us
clear picture of the inner man, the
Washington whose spiritual force so
palpably dominated his whole epoch.
AS mirror, his own writings do him
Indifferent justice, whilst the writings
Of others are clouded by their awe or
are obscured by their venom. We
must deduce mainly from other rec
ords why he stood out head and
shoulders above all the crowd around
him. It was an extraordinary crowd,
living at white heat comprising men
as varied, as brilliant, as versatile as
the extraordinary demands which the
times made upon them. They were
men flexible In intellect and versed
in the ways Of the world. Yet in every
crisis, and for every role, they turned
to Washington. They forced upon
him the command of the Indian fight
ers; they made him general against
trained British troops; they demand
ed that he be a constitutionalist and
q national statesman; they insisted
he must guide his country through
the skillful ambushes of European
kings; they summoned him to estab-
lish the nonexistent credit Of an in
solvent infant nation. Why did his
brilliant fellow patriots always thus
turn to him?
Answer Is Character
The answer of history is unmis-
takeable: They brought their prob
lens to Washington because he had
more character, finer character, a
purer character, than any other man
Of his time. In all the shifting pres
sures Of his generation, all men ac-
knowledged that the one irresistible
force was the overwhelming impact Of
his moral power, motives and men
were measured by their stature when
standing in his shadow. SANDER fell
harmless before him, sham hung its
head in shame, folly did not risk to
look him in the face, corruption skunk
from his presence, cowardice dared
not show its quaking knees.
In his integrity, all our men of
genius in his day found their one sure
center OF agreement. In his wisdom
and authority they found one sure
way to practical fulftllment Of their
dreams.
We need no attempt at canonization
Of George Washington. We know he
was human, subject to the discour-
agements and perplexities that come
to us all. We know that he had mo-
ments of deepest Anxiety. We know
Of his sufferings and the sacrifices
and anguish that came to him. We
know Of his resentment of injustice
and Misrepresentation. And yet we
know that he never lost faith in our
people.
Nor have I much patience with
those who undertake the irrational
|humanising Of Washington. He had
indeed fine qualities Of frlendliness
OF 6ociableness, humanness, Of simple
hospitality; but we have no need to
lower our vision from his unique
qualities of greatness, or to seek to
|depreciate the unparalleled accom-
plishments of the man who dominat-
ed and gave birth to tho being Of a
great nation.
What we have need Of today in this
celebration Is to renew In our people
the inspiration that comes from
George Washington as founder Of
human liberty, as the father Of q syS-
tenn Of government, as the builder Of
Z system Of national life.
It IS Of primary importance that
we Of today shall renew that spark Of
immortal purpose which burned with.
In him, shall know Of the resolution
and steadfastness which carried him
forward to the establishment Of
nation. That establishment was not
. mornentaty flash Of impulse. in a
people rebellious and passionate un--
der oppression. destined to fade into
the cliaos 70 often born Of revolutions.
On the contrary. 1t was builded upon
foundations Of principles and ideals
which have given the power ana
strength that made this nation and
inspired the establishment OF ordered
liberty in score of other nations.
Should Remember Trials
We have need to ,efresh to the re-
membrance Of the American people
the great tests and trials of character
Of the men who founded our republic.