The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1899-02-11

Talent, even genius, does not make a
man a leader, Tor some men of the pro-
YOUNGEST talents, others of the most daZ-
zllng genius. have been servile followers
ana have debased their rich gifts from
GEO to the fiattery of despoIs. Most. no.
table among those was Lord Bacon, the
father OF the inductive philosophy, who
possesses the most exquisite intellect ever
housed IN a human skull. and whose spir-
- was SO AFFECT that he was not u~njustly
described In that biistering, Scornful
couplst by Alexander Pope:
III parts allure thee, think how Bacon
THE wisest, brightest. meanest of man.
Kind"
Courage is not synonymouS with the
qu4-liy OF leadership, though necessary
70 Al, Tor some OF the braVesJ soldiers that
Ever met death upon the battlefield and
Gelei tim To his face We're amazingly
iacGiHS in that regard.
Learning does not render a man a .Isadi
er. lor some OF the greatest scholars OF
Nnoil history tells Were wholly wliEeur
influence over their fei!ow-Elen. lilo,
OF tae worlds greatest orators. among
tAem Cicero. have been the veriest cra-
ems and no craven can head men.
but, whatever the quality Is, people rec
oS;:tZe II insuTctIveiy, anu inevitably fol-
4O% me man who Possesses it.
frank Blair was a natural leader.
ms man was of the stun out of which
martyrs are made, and Ec would have
gone grimly, u~ndauntedly. unaincninS.v,
a:.u dei!dnt!y 10 the block, Ine scatfoid;
or me stake IN defense OF any cause
which he considered Just. Though la was
iiA.ierlous, tempestCOuS, dCEnlatic.' and
iLtetCouS,t though no Danger could swerva
ma from the path of uuty, Tough he
gave tremendous blows 10 mis- auIagon=
lists, and received many of the same kind,
ne FAD INFINITE compassion tDr tGe help
Ivs9 ana the weak and 10 the end ms
hG'irt remained tender as Il little child's.
hehtonS scorn of his opponents was so
!ottE ana 50 CALLING, the excavations he
ia ~ ] = ~ GFHa n non no. lr.A
Such iancCr in their hearts. the lash with
when ne ScOurSed them left such irSterIi.g
wounds, that they never fOrgave him UNI
III tley Knew he was dcad-dedd as julius
tdtsdf-%ead beyond ali cavi.. Then Tiiey
put on sackc!oth and ashes and gave Kim
inc most magnificent funeral ever seen
west of the Mississippi.
Liar was i h&pDler fate than that of
MS liustfious prototype anu exemplar.
" hi!e from the day Of mis- return frcm the
HitAlCah war 10 the nOur of his retire
Lncnt from tEc senate ne was in the fore
front 81 every political battle in Missouri
and nowhere on earth We're political
wars "a%sd with more ungovernable fury
-,SucL; Here lis caaeariES qualities that
Tie closing years of his life were placid =.
as a summer evening. and he died amid
ne ORGANIZATIONS ut Il mighty people.
republicans seemed to remember only
me coed he had done thea. forgetting
the injuries, while De mocratS forgot the
injuries he had inflicted upon them and
remembered only the invaluable service
ne MAD rendered. Union veterans named
- 49, l AZ Ibsl . llIl, cOllitfltfdtcS
proudly call their boys Frank Blair. and
ms feiiow-citizens without regard TO
Greco or party, erected his statue OF he
roc size N Forest park to pcrpetuate his
tame 20 Coming generations.
Thomas II. Benton and Ills Commanding
Public Labors.
Hon. James +. Lloyd, of the FIRST
district. in following Mr.. Clark. spoke =
ably on TIE public services OF Thomas
II. Benton. lie said in part:
Missouri; presents today to the con.
E:.Ss Of the United States statues Of TWO
81 n"r koLorc,l dead and asks that rhpv
may be received ami placed in S;atuary
nall II this capitol as a permanent r:Ic-
moral Eo5 only of hcr devotion to tl;-ir
memory, but IN recognition of the Idrt
mat lew men nave accomplished more
for this nation than they have don..
Inc cold marble. fashioned through skill
ana energy to represent the body of tho
liz ing OF the deai. is one of the wonder
fui achievements of the age. Two excel
lent evidences OF perfection in this art are
TO See either OF the cX:-aOrGi-
nary characters thus shown in s.atUarE
form, but the names of Benton ana Blat-
are household words in Missouri, and are
recognized anywhere as The uaEncs Of
prominent characters in national history.
know that inanimate representations, per-
feet as they may be. have not tho Vital
force OF the living being. and but ser.e
" s'-p" 40 NtihiltSS - l.t.ts IN NE Ell
Ior,s to Reproduce that from which the
providence or Sod has withdrawn the
breath Of life. /
among the great men OF this nation
" 40 have had part in its achievements.
Who have secured place in the hearts "
their countTyTen. and who have lift IN
been entitled TO greater hcncr aII
srect than Thomas II. Benton and Fran
els =. Blair, Jr.
Msour: uoes not present these eril!eHis
IN g 6 e. s Etr1T = &C Psarf TO- 90 49, v[--
1t may have the honor of representation
in yonacr Statuary hall, once the ma
tional house of atiycs-but that
II may discharge Il duty in showing APP
p"cc.atinn of its hoEorel dead. 1t woulI
teach its youth to cherish the merInry Of
those who have built up it's institutions
and given the state SuCn high place. 1t
would remind them to LOOK with admiral
ton upon the good GCo3S of its greac
men, and who ever show respect - the
lead whose lives Were spent in successful
achievement for their COuntry's honor
and development.
Mr.. Lloyd then detailed the h:orrapn-
,Cal part of Col. Thomas H. Benton and
his career as Il soldier ard lawyer.
Nluch stress was laid on Benton's, greet
The "est On this latter point Mr. LIp,d
;.
Col. E=nton was fully imbued with
re political teachings, Of Thomas JEFF
school of statosmanship. and was the
very impersonGt;oE OF the genius of the
west. NaeEc tEE.SH theories N3u tHkyn
heir deepest root. lie knew better than ,
any one who preceded hin ito feeds.
It's capabilities. and It's destinieS. He
himself with all of his unusual
nowcr OF body and mind to the I'M
.portant duty OF supplying these wants,
its capabilities, and in prepar-
inG the way for its future develop
lie sought {, expose to public
gaze the vicious Legislation that SO
hampered its growth and chained lis
energies. .
In conclusion Mr.. Lloyd said: -
1t is rot my purpose to refer 20 acts
the friends of Col. Benton would
blot from memory nor to deeds which
could bring the tinge of remorse. I would
cover his imperfections with the mantle
Of charity. but would imprint in burning
if / could. his patriotism. energy.
industry. honesty. and devotion To the
right as qualities worthy of emulation.
Nor would my remarks be complete did
I not refer TO that greatest of his virtues.
which showed itself in the devotion and
ne exhibited toward his family.
In 1874 his wife suffered n stroke of
from which she never fully re-
From that time Col. Benton
never known to go to any place of
f~eStiVity or amusement, hut devoted his
hours to trying to make comfort
able. pleasant. and happy the loved one
50 sorely afflicted. No man. ii is said.
ever regarded his family with more ten ,
de- soliCitude than cid he. In this are
- H. ~ A-N.A --,~ : - 6 III >