Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1896-02-27

have seen written OF spoken oi iite
on the martyred president:
In windowless log cabin of one
room, chaiyless, destitute of other
furniture. save rude bunk, straw
filed. seventy-eight years ago today,
Abraham Lincoln first saw the light
of the world he frightened. Lincoln
was born wise. He acquired know
ledge. He achieved greatness. No
honors were ever thrust upon him.
He won them from a strong and re-
sisting and ungrateful nation, which.
slow to recognize his worth, will be'
slower To part with it. The Lincoln
They cannot understand how this
man of the people, self-taught, arose
from humble surroundings to the
highest position of modern times,
the presidency of the United States, or
why, thirty years after his death,
there should be a revival of Lincoln
lana. These who Thus wonder are
the little souls who move in their
circumscribed limits, eat sleep, drink,
marry, beget children and die-satis-
fed with themselves, their surround
ings. if placed but one degree above
commonalty. Lincoln could not
have sprung from such n class, ana
such people cannot appreciate the
man who rose above them. There
are more of them now than there
were i'm his day, more of them than
there would have been had he lived,
but his spirit lives, moves and con-
trols the people from among whom
will come a ruler, perhaps as mighty
as he.
1t has been said that Lincoln might
have become a greater man If he had
received a collegiate education. I'M
possible He was an educated man.
He might have matured quickerwith
assistance given him i'm youth. but
no university degree would have
given him the power to understand
men as he understood them, each
spring and bia Of life, the hopes and
aspirations locked in the breast of
the poor, revealed only to those who
have the golden key of sympathy.
| Lincoln might have been more
polished. but what he gained in
brightness he would have lost in
weight He had refined soul.
Acknowledging no faith. he was
true Christian. Bound by no creed
he worshipped the Supreme Being,
and in the nations hour of stress
and peril prayed to God for guidance
and deliverance. Self reliant, hs
controlled mighty men and guided
them Alright to destiny their eyes but
dimly saw. Humane, he shrank
from infiicting pain. He would
sooner dry thousand eyes than
cause n single tear. Generous ht
was. yet just, and shrank not to
secure justice at any cost of blood
and treasure. He looked upon the
country he loved, rent by treason
torn by warfare, upon bloody bat
tlefields. smoking homes, desolatt
hearthstones, and wept-but clinched
his hands. Among superior men ht
became superior. He lOosened tn,
shackles of the slaves, and gave then
liberty. lie curshetl a mighty rebel
lion. He preserved a mighty nation
His work was done. Struck dOwI
by an assasin's bullet. he foun(
sepulture i'm the hearts of millions. o
his cOuntrymen. Death never stillet
a. kindlier. mightier heart, nor closes
clearer eyes. Days add brightness
to his fame, years lustre to hi'
memory, and decades pages to hi
history. In years to be his mann
: will be honored as it is honOres
, now-patriot. philosopher and sage
, n wise ruler. n profound Statesman
, and n man.