The state herald., 1890-04-25
Uur Grand did Man,

General Sherman is the Grand Old
Man of the United States. "Age can
not wither nor custom stale the infinite
variety" of his wise counsel and cheer
fnl expectation. The venerable patriot
has lived for three score years and ten
without learning the unpleasant art of
grumbling, and if, as is hoped, he should
pass the allotted four score, he will be
found us blithe an instructor of youth
and as hopeful a comforter of age as
he now is.
The secret of the Generals charm is
revealed by himself in his admirable
address to the Union League Club of
New York; "Every man." he says,
"loves his neighbor nearly as well as
himself" 1t would be well IL every
man did, but every man Of such sunny
temper Us General Sherman does.
Hence, the General has kept himself
surrounded by neighbors, and has loved
them 'nearly Us well us himself" lie
had circle of friends whom he loved
in St. Louis, 'but," lie says, "they were
my seniors, and they have passed away,
and when l came to New York l
thought that ipstead of going among
the old I would look for the younger
ones, who, possibly, might outlive me-"
II any man has right to live entirely
in contemplation Of the past the hero
of the march to the sea has. But no
man has such right. However glo-
rious the past may be 1t was but pre-
paration for the important work of the
present, as tO-day's work is but laying
one course in that great fabric of uni
versal freedom and prosperity to which
we or others shall be called to add
another tomorrow, and tomorrow,
and tomorrow, "until the whole build
ing, iitly framed, riseth up holy
temple" This eternal living in the
present aud doing to-day's work well
is a peculiar attribute Of our Grand
Old Man.
When to-day's work Is that of ad-
dressing the veterans of :the war for
freedom, no voice cheers the ancient
soldier like that Of the great General
When it Is that Of maintaining the
justice Of the claims of wOrn-out or
invalid warriors to n pension adequate
to their support, no voice Is more
potent than that Of "Old Tecumseh.n
When the humor Of the day is festive,
or its duty economic. or It's issue that
of free ballot, General Sherman never
obtrudes the tale Of the war upon his
hearers. No one knows better thon he
that there Is a time appointed unto
all things under the SUM-" lie demands
u free ballot because the right TO 1t is
found In the Constitution, and he
would enforce the provisions Of the
Constitution by arms In 1891 rs readily
ashe did In 1851; but lie never mixed
1851 and 1891 together. When the
occasion is so purely kindly rs that Of
the Union Leagues banquet In honor
Of his 10th birthday he rises 10 the
most optimistic, philosophy.
We entreat our readers, especially
our young readers, to contemplate the
Grand Old Man as lie appeared before
the Union League Club. You think
thnt the world Is in very bad condi-
ton, md that yourself are In n very
good condition. You are wrong, the
world Is not half MS bad as you think
1t to be, yourself are not quite so geod
us you think. Hear the old man, whose
spirit Is rs youthful ms yours, though
his judgement be more mature: "And
now, my friends, l know that you wish
10 make the world us good as your
selves; but the first way to reform the
community Is to reform yourselves.
You will have to take the world as It
Is. 1t Is = good world; II is the bcs,
We have. ! don't ilnd many who nre
anxious TO leave II. We sing the praises
Of the dead, but they do not hear us.
l nm willing to have little relaxation
while live" This from man who
has been one Of the hardest workers
Of his century, and who has done sue
ceSsful battle with "inipuity In high
places"
"iie does we'll who does Ms brsti
Is sho wraiyi Lct him rcs,."
Whether general Of the army or
private IN the regiment, "captnin OF
industry" o. artIliccr In the shops, IN
little relaxation" is II necessity. "Nlorc
work less wages, fewer holidays is
Mr.. GifIen's demand for tho continued
commercial supremacy Of England.
Less work, more wages, more holidays
Is the demand of tho American work.
man, whose earnings make most OF the
purchasing power OF the American
markct. Mere wealth Is not true pros.
perlty. "Let us labor 10 make the
people OF tho United States not only
tho most weakly, but also the most
contcnicd, Oh tho face Of tho globc.'
says our Grand Old Man. Let US make
AN end Of monopolies, let IN give 10
each the opportunity Of doing the best
that he can for himself, according 10
the measure Of his ability. "Doipg
this" continues tho Grand Old Man,
Two may look 10 the common Master
Of ns nll, who will reconcile NIL troubles