The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1906-07-13

he did not want the nomination, ht
received many votes anyhow. 1t IL
certain that had united Democracy
chosen him, and not have split, be
would have been overwhelmingly
elected the sixteenth President of the
United States. In this same conven-
tIon year Lincoln was nominated by
the Republican convention at Chicago
Can any unbiased person say that at
this point of their careers Jefferson
Davis was not very much greater
man than Abraham Lincoln? l t
must be conceded that he was. Lin
coin was fair backwoods lawyer, and
an effective speaker on the subject of
slavery when before crowd Of back
woods abolitionists and South haters,
but he could not be mentioned In the
same breath with the Mississippian.
Ii he had any reputation outside Of
his own State it was in consequence
of his canvass about 1858 with Doug
las. He shone By reflected light.
That Lincoln was elected President
Is not necessarily an indication of his
superiority. There have been several
smaller men tilted into the Presidency
than Webster and Clay and Calhoun,
who never got there. At the Presi-
Dental election of 1924, Jackson re-
ceived 80 votes, Adams 81, Crawford
Al, and Clay 81; and though the most
unpopular public man Of his time,
John Quincy Adams became President.
Circumstances made Lincoln Presi-
dent; the unfortunate divisions among
Democrats which would have made
possible the election Of a much more
Insignificant candidate than Lincoln.
Lincoln's popular vote was only 1885,
462. That OF the three Democrats,
2,sl3,741.
Let us take the Civil War period as
a concluding test of greatness.
la the nature of things, both made
mistakes of judgment. These can be
easily pointed out If anything beyond
the assertion was necessary. They
were human beings.
The States over which Davis pre-
sided were small and poor in every
thing but patriotism, generalship and
valor. No finer soldiers have ever
been marshaled than his, while there
were several generals VINO were greater
than the best cheiftain In the Union
army. No less than 276, ,439 Southern
whites and l7S,975 Southern negroes
fought against the Confederacy Da-
Wis had not even the beginning of a |
navy.
On the other hand, Lincoln had at
his command the United States navy,
the United States treasury; more,
larger and richer States. The total
enlistment in his armies, against Da-
Wis 100000, was 2,775,304.
Why charge inefficiency or lack of
greatness in leader who went down
before the odds against Davis? Why
accord superiority In craftsmanship +
Ind humanity to one who was sup
ported as Lincoln was. aud forced only |
ly threats from his own side to liber-
tie the property on the sale Of which
o the South the North had grown
wealthy?
II Davis had not been one of the
treatest men of the century he could
lot have made the four years war
,ossible.
In death circumstances were again :
n Lincoln's favor. While Davis bore
he odium that always goes with de- s
eat, no matter if the defeated was in
he right, Lincoln was assassinated. /,
'he deed awoke charity for him-for /.
cath mellows animosities- so
'ooth contributed more than all else
. his fame. Had he lived, it is pro- 4
able that those South-haters who g
ried to break Andrew Johnston on \
he wheel for trying to thwart their
themes 30 ruin the prostrate South, !
e would have been prosecuted as
0hnson was, for his attitude after \
eace was evidently conservative q
7ill Il. Hale in Commercial Appeal n
4
Get your lunch at Dahnke's. II