Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1902-03-05

way. Ills VIII, not ours, De done,
were all the instructive expressions
OF nature so lofty and so pure in its
nobility at once softened and en-
hanced the nations sense Of loss.
The republic grieved over such son
but is proud forever Of having pro-
duced him. After all, in spite OF the
tragic ending, his life was extraor.
dinarily happy. He had. all his days,
troops of friends. the cheer of fame
and fruitful labor; and he became at
last
Ion fortunes crowning slope.
1.-The pillar OF a peoples hope,
THE center of a worlds derire.
"He was fortunate even in his un.
timely death. for an event so tragi-
cal called the world imperatively to
the immediate study Of his life and
character, and thus anticipated the
sure praises of posterity.
Every young and growing people
has to meet, at moments. the prob
lens Of its destiny. Whether the
question comes. as In Egypt, from a
sphinx. symbol OF the hostile forces
of omnipotent nature. who Furnishes
with instant death our failure to un-
| derstand her meaning; or whether II
comes, as In Jerusalem, from the
Lord OF Hosts. who commands the
building Of His temple, II comes al.
ways with the warning that the time
is past, and experience vain. Your
| fathers are dead. where are they?
and the prophets, do they live for.
ever? The fathers are dead; the
prophets are silent: the questions
are new, and have no answer but In
time.
when the horny outside case
which protects the infancy OF chry
salic nation suddenly bursts, and. In
a single abrupt shock, 1t finds itsel
floating on wings which had not ex
listed before. whose strength II hal
never tested, among dangers II can
not foresee. every motion is a prob
lem, and every hesitation may be ar
error. The past gives no clue to the
future. The fathers. where are they
and the prophets. do they live for
ever? We are ourselves the fathers
We are ourselves the prophets! The
questions that are put to us we mus
answer without delay. without hell
for the sphinx allows no one t.
pass.
AT such moments. which have al
ready occurred at least twice In th'
brief history OF our own lives, w
may be humbly grateful to have hat
leaders simple in mind, clear in Wis
ion-as far as human vision can safe
ly extend-penetrating in knowledge
of men. supple and flexible under th'
strains and pressures OF society, in
stinct with the energy Of new lif
and untried strength. cautious, calm
and. above all, gifted In suprem,
degree with the most surely victorI
ous OF all political virtues-the geniu
OF infinite patience.
1.-The obvious elements which ente
into the fame OF public man ar,
few and by no means recondite. TIL
man who fills a great station in
period OF change. who leads his coun
try successfully through a time o
crisis: who. by his power OF persuad
ing and controlling others. has beel
able to command the best thought o
his age, so as TO leave his countr.
In moral OF material condition Il
advance OF where he found it-sucl
mans position In history Is secure
If. In addition TO this. his written o
spoken words possess the subtle qual
ity which carry them far and lodg
them in mems hearts; and, more thar
all. II his utterances and actions
while informed with lofty morality
are yet tinged with the glow OF hu
man sympathy, the fame OF such |
man will shine like beacon through
the mists Of ages-an object OF rev
erence, OF imitation. and OF love.
should be to us an occasion OF sol
emn pride that In the three grea
crises OF our history such a man wa
not denied us. The moral value I,
a nation OF renown such as Wash
lngtons and Lincoln's and McKin
ley's is beyond all computation. n,
letter ideal can be held up to tn,
emulation OF ingenious youth. Witt
such examples we cannot be who'll,
ignoble. Grateful as we may be 70
what they did. let us be still NOR,
grateful for what the were. Will,
our daily being. our public policies
still feel the influence OF their work
let US pray that in our spirits thei
lives may be voluble. calling us up
ward and onward.
There is not one of us but feel
prouder of his native land becaus
the august figure OF Washington pre-
sided over It's beginnings; no one bu
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