The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1901-06-20
WHAT Mr.. BAENSCH
SAID OF STEBBINS.
Glowing Tribute TO the Memory
of a Dead Friend.
A JUST ESTIMATE OF HIS CHARACTER.
The Late Senator Possessed Of Many
Charming Attributes.
HE WAS MORE THAN A ROUGH DIAMOND"
The Address Was Delivered Before an
Audience of 5000 Persons Who Paid
Homage al Mr. Stebbin'S Bier

Homage al Mr.. StebbinS Bier
1t was appropriate that the Hon.
Emil Baensch. Of this city, was chosen
to speak words Of sympathy over the
bier of the late Senator Stebbius. The
eX-l1eut. governor went to Algoma on
Saturday TO attend the senator's funeral
and to make the principal address before
and assembly Of 5000 persons In
words eloquent. trite and tender he
gave utterance to the following
panagyric:
"On an occasion, such as this. with
! the lifeless form of friend before one,
words do not easily come. The lighter
cares may talk, but mighty griefs are
dumb. If | We're to speak in a formal
way, ii would meet the disapproyal
Of Stebbins, who hated all formality.
Indeed, he was, at times, unconven-
tional to the extreme.
Some years ago, character sketch
i'll one Of the state papers portrayed him
rs II diamond in the rough This trite
illustration is not fully applicable to
our friend. He was diamond indeed,
but not in the rough His mind trained
i'll one Of our splendid national acadia
mics, his character schooled in a life
of sturdy actor, he was polished
diamond, encrusted in manuerism
somewhat brusque and abrupt, Against
this crust the strongest lance when
welded by fraud, or nattery, or deceit,
would hurtless break but in the hands
of II friend a pigmy's straw would
break it
tie Died ChildIess.
"CGildlese he died vet the strong man
now weeping ut his bier, testifes how
our dead friend won the love OF his
adopted son, and the young men who
carried the casket to this hall, and who,
with reverent hands will place it in the
windowless palace of rest, each and
all do bless his name rs that of father
ly friend
"A mans character is best shown by
his friends The ranks of this mans
legion Of friends were recruited from all
the walks Of life. | have seen hin. on
state occasions receiving homage in q
dignified and proper manner. | have
seen him in large and popular assem-
blages meeting hundreds of people each
Of whom he knew, aud each knew him
rs Steb. The presence of these promi-
nent men Ct the state Is proof of his
| position in the commonwealth; this
large concourse Of people, representing
the lake shore communities from Mari
nette TO Manitowoc, shows the respect
he was held in among his neighbors.
His SolderIy Service.
"Of his services as a soldier little has
been heard because Of his modesty He
looked upon that period of his life as
the simple performance of duty, as y
matter Of course as something not to
boast Of 1t was only by search cross
questioning that one could gain infor-
nation as to his experiences on the gun
boats on the Mississippi, or discover
that he was with Farragut in Mobile
Bay.
AS q legislator he was typical
representative Of what has been called
the saving common sense OF the Amer
lean people. He was not given to talk,
yet could he be eloquently silent His
highest ambition was TO be chairman of
the Committee on Charitable Institu-
tons To the study of the defective
classes he had given years Of careful
thought. And the newer institutions of
the state owe their existence largely to
his efforts and influence. Stern of man
{ ner he may have been. yet within his
breast there beat heart of warmest
texture.
A Loyal Friend
His strongest characteristic was his
true and loyal friendship He did not
show it by fusome words or tender
acts But in time Of trouble, when the
sky was O'ercast. then, unsought and
unasked, the hand of Stebblns would
render timely assistance. He was a
friend in need. the highest test of friend,
4 ship.
e 1" 'ris ever wrong TO say good man
h dies He is not dead, but sleeping Hi.
d memory will be an incentive to rightfu
l. endeavor Il check on wrongful tendeu
N cies When, on Thursday last, tn
l. news Of his death flashed through n
r Continued on Page 81