Harper’s Weekly and Washington Worship
Harper’s Weekly, April 7, 1900, says, “If we had the power, we would compel every pupil of our public and private schools, of our colleges and seminaries, to pass an examination in ‘the writings of George Washington,’ before permitting him to receive a diploma.” And after compelling them all that far, next the editor of the Weekly would compel them all to “quote his words” accordingly to the views held by the Weekly. And so the editor says: “By compelling all American citizens to acquaint themselves with the dicta of the first president, still facile princeps, and by making it a penal offense to quote his words to the confounding of their real spirit and the real meaning of their author, we might interfere with some of the liberties men take; but we should be performing an inestimable service in behalf of the liberties we have fought so hard to secure.” And such as this, from Harper’s Weekly! How the glory has departed! How are the mighty fallen!