The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-02-12

possible with his consent. Always the
thought uppermost in his mind was the
veal OF the masses. the men who toll
and for the dignity Of labor he had an
admiration emphasized I'm most OF his
political utterances.
The most practical OF politicians he
refused TO sacrifice honor To expediency
When he made his famous declaration
on the slavery question. he supposed he
was writing his own political death
warrant: but ne would not remain silent
III the face Of the necessity for utter
snoe: and his outspoken honesty wor
him the presidency.
EE$
Is il possible TO return 10 his ideals
or patriotism and public duty? We
think so. In all the welter Of corrup-
ton, OF criminal monopoly through po-
litical favor. I'm the aftermath of the
financial scandals and abuse OF trust
funds. the conviction is inevitable that
the nation is sound at heart. else would
the conditions have aroused no 'reac-
ton and the criminals have escaped
punishment Whether the law or only
public opinion has inflicted the punish
ment the effect has been to show the
existence OF strong public opinion
which will tolerate no further wrong
doing I'm high places. While defiance OF
The law still finds countenance with
some criminal corporations II is the de-
nance " the criminal at bay. not tho
.,f f,S
that laughed at the law only a few
years ago.
Wrongs still exist. grievous wrongs,
some OF which Lincoln foresaw. but
they are no longer condcned: they no
longer dictate what the people may do
or may not do in self-defense; and they
are i'm a way to be abolished though the
process may seem slow To the impa-
tent sufferer. To the clear-eyed believ-
er in republican institutions. the return
to Lincoln's standards seems not only
possible. but already begun with the
aW skenins Of the public conscience and
the growth of public spirit.
In an organization of such vast pro-
portions and of such heterogeneous ele-
ments as this nation concerted action
for the remedy Of great evils is diff
cult and slow. but once a movement has
begun. as il has now. the momentum II
gains with time. the grim determination
OF the substantial masses TO carry il TO
completion. make recession impossible
and final success certain. With all their
patience and Willingness 20 endure inn
position. the American people aroused
are not 10 be triied with long, and
ward the wrong. real and fancied, to
which they have awakened. The stand
ards and ideals which they cherish and
which found their highest expression in
Lincoln. may have been in allegiance for
a time. but they have persisted silently
wrong exists.
Time has enveloped Lincoln's charac-
ter in a glamour that beauties his
memory until It seems impossible that
another like him could ever be found;
I'm the sordid frame that has surrounds
have come to think that his ideals and
standards are no longer practicable.
Clear back In Horace Walpole's day
men thought honesty and patriotism
were forgotten virtues. things to be
hoped for but never to be realized
again. I'm Washington's time the pes-
sinists saw no hope for the new repub-
lie because civic virtue was dying out.
In every day there have been those who
thought the end OF the nation was APP
preaching because they could see no
good IN it's leaders Nor were men
wanting In Lincoln's time who thought
him ir.human and his associates cor-
Tupt.
In the larger view the world has
grown better, is growing better all
the time The wicked flourish as
they did in the olden time. and
the good suffer as they did then:
but the progress OF men makes for bet
torment. and this was never truer than
IL is now. Lincoln's ideals are worth
recalling If only as a measure to which
the best OF the nation-and they are
ultimately the most potent-look as
their goal; and the nations eyes were
never more intent upon the higher
aims. never more certainly directed for
ward and upward than they are now.
That is the reason why the man Lin
coin and his life appeal more strongly
than ever TO national pride, why his
memory is recalled with increasing APP
probation OF his greatness.