The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1904-10-21
WORDS TO YOUNG MEN
WHAT LINCOLN SAID IN ts48 AND
GARFIELD IN 1879.


Their Tents In One or the Other of
the Political Camps.
From out the musty files of old polit-
ical literature two splendid gems Of
thought have been dug up. Both of
them relate to the part which young
men can bear and ought to bear in the
activities which make for their coun-
try's good. Both are as interesting now
as vital, as they were fifty-six and
twenty-five years ago respectively
Both appeal to the young men of today
10 bear their part, to do their duty
rightly. First a quaint, forgotten thing
from the pen of Abraham Lincoln, full
of the unstudied simplicity of that
monumental man. Here it is:
Lincoln's Appeal to Young Men.
[From letter to William II. Herndon,
Washington, June %, 1881
AS to young men. You must not wait to
be brought forward by the older men.
For instance, do you suppose that
should ever have got into notice II had
waited to be hunted up and pushed for
ward by older men? You young men get
together and form Rough and Ready
club and have regular meetings and
speeches Take In everybody you can get.
Harrison Grimsley. L. A. Enos, Lee Kim
ball and c. w. Matheny will do to begin
the thing, but as you go along gather up
all the shrewd. wild boys about town,
whether just of age or a little under age
Chris Logan, Reddick Ridgely, Lewis
Zwizler and hundreds such. Let every
one play the part he can play best, some
speak. some sing and all ''holler." Your
xxVfII IL - LID
men and the women will go to hear you;
80 that 1t will not only contribute to the
election Of "Old Zach" but will be an in
teresting pastime and improving to the
intellectual faculties Of all engaged
Don't fail to do this.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
Next, the magnificent eloquence of
Garfield, among the greatest of the
great orators Of all time, also appeal
ing to young men. Its keynote is,
when you pitch your tent, pitch it
among the living and not among the
deadv' To the million and q half Of
young men who will this year for the
first time choose the political camp in
which their tents are to be pitched
the words of Garfield must come with
tremendous force:
Gnrfeld's Appeal to Young Men.
[Extract from the speech of Hon. James
A. Garfield, delivered at Cleveland. O.,
Oct. IL, 1871
Now, fellow citizens, word before I
leave you on the very eve of the holy day
of Coda fit moment to consecrate our
selves finally to the great work of next
Tuesday morning. L see in this great
audience tonight great many young
men, young men who are about to cast
their first vote. 1 want to give you a
word of suggestion and advice. l heard
a very brilliant thing said by boy the
other day up in one of our northwestern
counties He said to me, General, l.
have great mind to vote the Democratic
ticket" That was not the brilliant thing.
1 said to him, "Why?" why" said he,
my father is a Republican, and my
brothers are Republicans and am a Re-
publican all over, but / want to be an
independent man, and don't want any
body to say That fellow votes the Re-
publican, ticket just because his dad does
and have half mind to vote the Demo-
cratic ticket just to prove my independ-
ence." 1 did not like the thing the boy
suggested, but 1 did admire the spirit of
the boy that wanted to have some indie
pendence of his own.
Now, 1 tell YOU, young man. don't vote
the Republican ticket just because your
father votes 1t. Don't vote the Democrat
ic ticket, even If he does vote 1t. But let
me give you this one word Of advice as
you are about to pitch your tent in one
of the great political camps. Your life is
full and buoyant with hope now, and
beg you, when you pitch your tent pitch
it among the living and not among the
dead. If you are at all inclined to pitch
it among the Democratic people and with
that party let me go with you for mo-
ment while we survey the ground where
I hope you will not shortly lie. IT Is a
sad place, young man, for you to put
your young life into. 1t is to me far more
like a graveyard than like camp for the
living. Look at 1t! 1t is billowed all over
with the graves of dead issues, of buried
opinions, of exploded theories, of dis
graced doctrines. You cannot live in
comfort in such place. Why, look here!
Here is a little double mound. l look
down on 1t, and read, Sacred to the
memory of squatter sovereignty and the
bred Scott decision" A million and
half Democrats voted for that, but II has
been dead fifteen years-died by the hand
of Abraham Lincoln, and here 1t lies.
Young man, that is not the place for you.
But look q little farther. Here Is an
other monument black tomb, and be-
side 1t, as our distinguished friend said,
there towers to the sky monument or
ZOO pairs of human letters taken
little headstone this: Sacred to the MEM
DRY of human slavery" For forty years
of it's infamous life the Democratic party
taught that it was divine-Gods institu-
ton. They defended it, they stood around
it, they followed 1t to its grave mourner.
But here it lies, dead by the hand or
Abraham Lincoln, dead by the power or
the Republican party, dead by the JUS
tice of Almighty God. Don't camp there,
young man.
But here is another, little birthstone
tomb, and read across its yellow face In
lurid bloody lines these words: Sacred
to the memory of state sovereignty ana
secession" Twelve millions of Democrats
mustered around it in arms to Keep IL
alive but here 1t lies, shot to death by
the million guns of the republic. Here IL
lies, its shrine burned to ashes under the
blazing rafters of the burning Confed-
eracy. 1t is dead. l would not have you
stay In there a minute, even In this balmy
night air, to look at such place.
Come down the glorious stars or our
banner Every great record we have
made we have indicated with our blood
md with our truth. 1t sweeps the ground
md It touches che stars Come there,
soung man, and put In your young lie
where all is living and where nothing is
dead but the heroes that defended IT,
think these young men will do that.
Mother Goose Rhyme.
III.