The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-02-13


attributed to Lincoln" said General
Waters. HE was a good story teller
upon occasion. but there have been at
tributed to him stories of every shade
and color. stories of a sort in which he
never INDUCED himself. Lincoln never
was a man to sit in a barroom or hotel
and swap yarns. He never told q
story that did not illustrate a point,
and his illustrations were so apt. so
clear, so apropos. that even If some
times they were a trif1e broad they
were disinfected by their witt
The narratives of the speaker made
more easily understood the greatness of
the president who passed unmoved
through the trials of the civil war, I'M
mindful of personal assault and criti-
cism, to work out the problems of gov
eminent in his own way, which his ira
ducers were compelled to admit proved
best.
Following General Waters, J. G.
Wood read the resolutions prepared
and presented by committee of the
local G. A. r. organizations The clos
ing number followed. The Wyatt sis
ters and the Modoc club gave several
excellent numbers in the course OF the
programme. After the invocation by
DR.. ]. T. Mcfarland. of the First
Methodist church. Department Com
mander A. w. Smith was presented as
the presiding officer Of the evening. 1t
was he who. with few well selected
words, introduced General Waters.
As Tie QIdpCI1So arranged lCT Tic
Kansas Midwinter exposition have
been loft in the Auditorium. the hall
now presents more attractive appear
ance than it has ever before shown.
The central figure of the decora tons
consisted of a large scenic representa-
ton of the cabin where Lincoln was
born. 1t was presented in an immense
panel painting, the work of w. W.
Gillespie and p c. F'leniken, of Topeka,
on a canvas about 10x16 feet, placed in
the direct front of the hall. The little
cabin is shown by road side. At the
end of the road Is family shown the
dome of the capitol where the life of
the martyred president was closed. In
every respect the painting is approDri-
ate and should be the source of consid-
cradle pride to the members of the
Grand Army. It is an exceptionally
fine piece of scenic painting.
GEN. MILES ADDRESS.
The inability of Gen. Nelson A. Miles
to be present at the Lincoln Day OBJ
servance was the cause of keen disap-
pointment to the Grand Army men of
Kansas. His coming was prevented by
the illness of Mrs Miles. However.
General Miles sent the address which
he had prepared for the occasion, and
it was read by Charles Martin. being
received with appreciation by the au-
dience. In his address General Miles
SAID:
TT ever affords me the greatest graft
f1catiOn to mingle with the actors in
the great Civil war-the defenders of the
nation, the members of the Grand Army
of the Republic.
ION this occasion we are gathered to
celebrate one of the important events in
history, the anniversary of the birth of
that most eminent statesman whose
wisdom, high character and exalted
purpose guided the fortunes of the ma
ton through the most perilous and try
ing ordeal in its history. This is indeed
a day fittingly to be celebrated-a day
sacred to the memory of one of the
pureSt and nOblest of men.
Il esteem myself most fortunate to
have lived in the age of Abraham Lin
coin and to have had the opportunity
of seeing him under varied cfrcum-
stances. I saw. hina1 at the head of the
government amid the darkest hours in
the history of this country. In the time
of gloom, disaster and almost despair
his visits to the army were most fire.
Qeunt; and his presence inspired hope
and gave new confidence. No matter
how dark the disaster OF how bright
the success, Abraham Lincoln never
forgot the misfortunes of the suffering.
With him 1t was but a step from the
tent Of a most distinguished general to
the side of some poor wounded soldier in
whose heart he might plant words of
kindness to cheer the last dying hour.
He was oftener seen in the hospitals
than in camps of martial display.
Reared among the forests and begin
ming life in the humblest of spheres, he
received from nature those inspirations
which engendered the noblest impulses
of the heart and developed the sublimest
energies of the intellect.
His success though gradual was re-
markable. He soon turned from manual
labor to the study of the profession of
law. Slowly, but surely, he assembled
the scale of fame until he became the
peer Of the brightest intellects of the
time
He assumed the defense of the great
question of human liberty, and his
powers were appreciated by the Ameri-
can people. who called him to the high
est position of honor and responsibility
in the gift of the people.
I'm him grandeur and simplicity were
combined with justice, honesty and a
self-sacrif1cing nature that was I'M
equalled; and moreover he was abso-
lutely devoid of hypocrisy. Bold and
determined as he was in carrying on
the great cause of humanity, his nature
was at the same time as gentle as that
of a woman: and his generous heart
large enough to embrace the misfor-
tunes of a race and the welfare of a
nation.
His high executive ability was never
more conspicuous than when he gath
cred into his cabinet the ablest men of
the nation, regardless of their former
political Civilizations, harmonizing them
into one grand council, yet towering
above them all
"In my opinion the onward march of
civilization received it's severest check
in the death of Abraham Lincoln at
the time it occurred.
Like Winfield Scott, Farragut, and
George H. Thomas, he was born in the
south and knew thoroughly the senti-
ments and impulses of the southern
people. He could, better than any 9TH
er man, have guided those people with
wisdom and gentleness from disloyalty
and bankruptcy to peace and prosperi-
ty. I believe that the wheels of politi-
cal progress stopped for a time when
that great patriot ceased to breathe.
His fall was like the fall of the ma
iestic oak-the earth trembled and
moaned-he left a void that could not
be filed.
1.-THE good gray poet Whitman, who
sang his death song. has voiced the
sorrow that weIled from every Amer