The Globe-republican., 1897-02-11

3XX the Father of his Coun-
try" Congress has not yet mace
the 18th of February a naiohai
holiday, but the State of Illinois mas
done SO, and each recurrence OF the
day will, by formal public Observance
serve to recall the example and the les
SON furnished by the character anu
career of the great war president.
Opinions will always differ as to
which was the typical American
Washington Or Lincoln. Washington
was the product of the monarchy I'M
der which he was born, and in spirit,
as well as in fact, belonged to the aris-
tocracy. Lincoln was a child OF the
republic, and in the strictest sense
man of the working classes. Inc one
possessing hereditary wealth and the
traces of eminent social culture-the
other born to the inheritance or nara
work, and from the age OF seven 10
seventeen years employed as SIM
Iple farm laborer-it would be dihcult
to ind two men of more widely differ
emit spheres and characteristics. To IL
Illustrate, is it possible to think OF
Washington, at midnight, dancing
about his chamber-with long, lean
legs protruding from an abbreviated
might gown-as Lincoln did when
Stanton carried him the news OF Get
itysburg? Gen. Washington would have
larrayed himself in regimentals before
receiving the tidings; or he would have
said: mr. Stanton, shall be in the
presidents Office tomorrow morning
at nine o'clock, if you have any COM
munication to make" Yet as a man
of affairs, pratical statesman. charged
with the duties of momentOus time,
and in all that constitutes the highest
elements of character, Of personal
force, of perception of the thing to be
done, and of how and when to do 1t,
Lincoln was the peer Of any Of the
great leaders recorded in history. 1t
will always be the glory of this coun-
try that it could offer two such men as
Washington and Lincoln, who in
monarchal or aristocratic states could
never have reached the destiny for
which they were created.
Two years ago the venerable Han
nibal Hamlin, then ''the surviving
standard bearer of 1860" journeyed
from Bangor to New York, in spite Of
his eighty-one years, to attend the Lin
coin anniversary banquet. When COM
plimented by the POSTMASTER, he re-
piled: II came here to testify to the
worth of Abraham Lincoln, and to say
90 thing only. We speak Of the worth
and wisdom of George Washington.
We have a day set apart by congress
to celebrate the memory of him, the
Father of his Country. Why not have
. day set apart to celebrate the Savior
Of his Country? Old as am in years,
shame covers me when see how dis
gracefully our senator's have deserted
their duty. See that the birthday of
Abraham Lincoln Is made q national
holiday II the honored guest Of that
occasion were still living he would re-
joice to know that this demand was
complied with by the state Of Illinois.
the last legislature having passed .
bill making Feb. II. Lincoln's birth
day. q legal holiday. The occasion was
variously honored in Chicago by Grand
Army posts and other civic organiza-
lions. and the Auditorium was filled
BY IN enthusiastic audience to listen to
the glowing periods Of Robert G. In
eorsoll over the achievements Of the
roat emancipation. But making q
dnv q legal holiday does not seem to
co0pel its observance in the least. All
panees of business should be shut down
- same as on Sunday. All public,
pg1vate and parochial schools should be
G11oed. Shops and factories should b
G1Ded snd employees thereof should not
- sdocked" for loss Of time BY reason
soee na4lonal holiday. In tact. the only
- b the way Of making WAsAing.
80 tkthday and NneolniO 1kGA1av