Evening journal., 1898-06-08
LsTTERS FROM YHE PEOPLE
THE RELATIVE GREATNESS OF
ABRAHAM LINCOLN AND WILL
LIAM EWART GI1ADSTONE-A

Sir: Referring 10 our estimate OF the
late Wilfaam Ewart Gladstons, which
estimate appeared in the journal Of
the 25th nit, we are the recipients of.
several communications. Many of these.
epistles eyldently emanate from am
English source inasmuch as their tenor.
is somewhat insular or clannish. Some
OF the writers protest against our ele-'
waiting abraham Lincoln upon a higher
pedestal OF greatness than Williaml
Fwart Gladstone. 1t is a weakness Of
the Britlsh mind, mere especially of
the uninformed British mind, TO ex-
claim; Can any good come out Of
Nazareth?" OF, in other words. and
with regard to the subject in hand, 90
exclaim: Cam 1t be possible that there
is ur ever was greater man than
Gladktone?" To all such bumptious
tateuTogatory rawlings we would reply:
Yes, II is possible for there to be or
to have been greater man than even
William Ewart Gladstone" Compare
sons are ever odious. more especially
when they mean differentiating be-
tween two such world-beaters as Lin
colin and Gladstone. But when we as
serted THAT Abraham Lincoln was
greater mann than William Ewar4 Glad
STONE. then we asserted that which was
and is absolutely and undeniably cor
rect, We win proceed to demonstrate
The afcuracy OF that assertion, more
especially for the benefit Of these to
whom the word prejudice" is the car
dinal part OF speech ip their mentai
lexicon,
Mr.. Gladstone, hads perhaps, no
peer, certainly nc; superior, in either a
sch0lastlc or moral sense. But Il must
be remembered that neither scholar
ship nor morality is the true touch
stone OF the greatest greatness, mas
much as both attributes are more OF
less negative or irresponsible quail
ties-lthe first being the result of a mat
ural gift; the second being largely de-
pendent upon the natural bent or phy-
siolosical make-up OF the man. Were
either egailition or morality the infall!.
BILE sign Of the greatest greatness, ther
Il would be easy TO cite the names o.
scores Of mem OF rare piety and intel.
lectual attachments. But no one-at
least, MO one with the smallest frag.
ment Of SENSE would dream for a mo
ment Of chasing such men as the great
est Of the worlds really great units
It is related Of Mir. Gladstone that h,
never once laughed at am obscene joke
We beg very respectfully to decline I,
vouch nor the veracity Of any suul
Arabian Night" statement. In fact
such an order" is OF so extraordinaril,
large nature that we admit our in
ability TO ''fill it'-or, rather, to be
Iieve 1t. Well, perhaps Abraham Lin
coin did laugh, at some time or an
other at an obscene joke, for he wa
\ famous raconteur and man 4
whom the sense Of the ridiculous an,
the appreciation OF the sublime wer
etrangeiy blended But IL he did s
laugh-we do not assert 1.-THE great
nese OF the man would ''moult N
feather" except I'M the estimation q
The sQueamish or ultra-purltaHica
mind; neither would the MANS solidit
be in The least degree lessened by S
trivial a falling, if failing 1t be. Again
Abraham Lincoln may, perhaps. hay
never heard OF Homer, or If he di,
then he was not saturated, ais was. M
Gladstone, with Homeric studies. nj
Lincoln may. perhaps. have never il
dited, as did Mr. Gladstone, intelle,
tual and knotty trsatises on the in
mortality OF the isoul. Mr.. Lincoln, Il
augIht we know to The contrary. ma
not have known, as Mr.. Gladstor
doubtless knew, the precise number
letters contained in the Chinese alph,
bet-perhaps Mr.. Lincoln did not wis
TO know. But for all that. and no
wfthstanding all that, Abraham Lii
cqan was greater man-not create
not nearly so great, in a scolast
sense, but yet grsater-than Villa
Ewart Gladstone When Abraham Lii
CON emancipated The negro. and VIII,
he said in effect, If not in so man
words. 'Henceforth and forever the n
gro shall not be bought and sold iii
go much cattle. he not only consur
mated the greatest and grandest act
hqmanity-nou the humanitarianis
clap-trap Of to-day--recorded in eth
contemporary or retrospective histoI
but he won for humankind a great vi
tory, victory greater than ne tn
talteth a city" IL may be that the pc
pie Of the North were not strongly O
p0sed-te4lavery as principle. tim