The Irish standard., 1905-05-13
Consensus Of Opinion However is That
Lincoln Was the Author and Used
it on Many Occasions.
Pleasing Stories of the Great Emancpator
{. i. Told by Those Who Heard Them
From His Own Lips.

Washington, May THE inquiry
made several weeks ago whether any
body knew the time and place that
President Lincoln uttered the famous
epigram so often attributed to him
ut is true you can fool all of the peo-
pie some of the time, and some Of the
people all of the time but you cannot
fool all of the people all of the time"
has brought out some interesting
information, says the Chicago Record
Herald.
Miss Helen Nicolay, daughter of the
late John G. Nicolay, President Lin
coins private secretary and biograph-
err, says that her father, when ques-
toned, as he was frequently, told all
inquirers that he did not believe Mr.
Lincoln was the author of the cpl
gram-at least, that he never heard it
quoted or attributed to him while he
was alive. Mr.. Nicolay was convinced
that p. 7. Barnum was the author.
A. r. Spofford of the Library Of
Congress, who is the highest author
ity on all such subjects, says: "rhe
passage quoted about fooling the peo-
pie is not found In any of the authent-
ic writings of Abraham Lincoln, and
his biographers believe it to be spur
ious."
James II. Smith, who has held a
position in one of the executive de-
partments in Washington ever since
the civil war; says that the late JUS
tice Cartier of the Supreme Court Of
the District of Columbia told him that
Mr. Lincoln made the remark at the
White House to u delegation Of citi-
zens from Ohio, who were being intro
duced by him (Cartter) when he was
q member of Congress in the early
days Of the war. The subject Of the
conversation was the arguments used
by the advocates of peace in the
North in favor of stopping the war
E. +. Swetting of Algoma, Iowa,
says: "The remark appears on page
1874 of book entitled 'Lincoln's Yarns
and Stories,' published by Henry Neil
in 1901. In conversation with call
er at the White House Mr.. Lincoln is
alleged to have said: If you once
forfeit the confidence Of your fellow
citizens you can never regain their re-
spect and esteem. 1t Is true you can
fool all of the people, etc."
Judge George w. Burnell, Of Osh-
kosh, Wis, calls attention to an ad-
dress delivered before the Wisconsin
Commandery of the Loyal Legion in
1896 by Colonel e. A. Calkins, vet
eran Chicago editor, which may be
found in Vol. Ill. page 10, of War
Papers," Wisconsin CON-, o. l.. l.. 1t
is entitled "Humor Of Abraham Lin
coln," and in it Colonel Calltins states
that Lincoln was not the author Of the
famous phrase, but that 1t appears in
one of P. T. Barnum's speeches.
There are several volumes contain
ing autobiographies, speeches, max
inns and other acts and utterances OF
Mr. Barnum, but the phrase in ques-
tion does not appear in any of them.
There are many other epigrams, max
inns and bits of philosophy developed
from his extraordinary experiences
and keen knowledge of human nature.
Mr.. Barnum was fond of making SEN
tentious remarks, and 1t is singular
that he did not include that epigram
among the rest of his sayings, If he
was really it's author. Indeed, the
fact that it does not appear in any of
his books is convincing evidence
against the theory of Colonel Calkins.
The correspondent of the Toledo
Blade at Bellevue, Ohio, quotes T. H.
Hirst of that city as saying that he
heard Mr.. Lincoln use the words:
You can fool some of the people all
of the time and all of the people some
of the time, but you cannot fool all
of the people all of the time," in a
speech. Mr.. Hirst says:
"In 1853 was a resident at Atlanta,
Ill.,, twenty miles south of Blooming
ton. Mr.. Lincoln spoke in Harvey