The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1907-10-04


and mold the diverse purposes of
men toward progressive and salutary
action, a magistrate whose poise or
judgment has been tested and vindi-
Gated in a succession OF national
emergencies; good citizen, brave
soldier, wise executive, helpful
leader of men, exemplar to his
people of the virtues that build and
conserve the state, society, and the
home.
"Berkley, May Is, 1901"
1t would be hard to ina CINE an
epipath which good citizen would
be more anxious to deserve or one
which would more happily de-
scribe the qualities of that great and
good citizen whose life we here COM
memorate. He possessed to a very
extraordinary degree the gift of unit
ing discordant forces and securing
from them a harmonious action
which told for good government.
From purposes not merely diverse,
but bitterly conflicting, he was able
to secure healthful action for the
good of the state. In both poise and
Judgment he rose level to the several
emergencies he had to meet as lead
er of the nation, and like men with
the root of true greatness in them
he grew to steadily larger stature
under the stress of heavy RESPONSE
bilities. He was good citizen and
brave soldier, chief executive whose
wisdom entitled him to the trust
which he received throughout the ma
ton. He was not only a leader of
men, but prominently a helper of
men; for one of his most marked
traits was the intensely human quail
ty of his wide and deep sympathy.
Finally, he not merely preached, he
was, the most valuable of all citizens
in democracy like ours, man who
in the highest place served as an un-
conscious example to his people of
the virtues that build and conserve
alike our public life, and the founda-
ton of all public life, the intimate
life of the home.
Many lessons are taught us by his
career, but none more valuable than
the lesson of broad humanity sympa
thy for and among all of our citizens
of all classes and creeds. No other
president has ever more deserved to
have his life work characterized in
Lincoln's words as being carried on
with malice toward none, with char
ity toward ALL" AS a boy he worked
hard with his hands; he entered the
army as a private soldier; he knew
poverty; he earned his own liveli
hood; and by his own eXertions he
finally arose to the position of a man
of moderate means. Not merely was
he In personal touch with farmer and
town dweller, with capitalist and
wageworker, but he felt an intimate
understanding of each, and therefore
an intimate sympathy with each; and
his consistent effort was to try to
Judge all by the same standard and
to treat all with the same justice.
Arrogance toward the weak, and en-
vious hatred of those we'll off, were
equally abhorrent to his just and
gentle soul.
Surely this attitude of his should
be the attitude of all our people to-
day. 1t would be a cruel disaster to
this country to permit ourselves to
adopt an attitude of hatred and envy
toward success worthily won, toward
wealth honestly acquired. Let us in
this respect profit by the example of
thQ ranuh1ioc nj fhic Naotarp IIop,;
sphere to the south of us. Some of
these republics have prospered great
ly; but there are certaia ones that
Jagged far behind, that still con-
tinue in condition of material pow
erty, of social and political unrest
and confusion. Without exception
the republics of tae former class are
those in which honest industry has
been assured of reward and protec-
ton; those where a cordial welcome
has been extended to all kind of en-
terprise which benefits the whole
country, while incidentally, as is
right and proper, giving substantial
rewards to those who manifest it.
On the other hand, the poor and
backward republics, the republics in
which the lot of the average citizen
Is least desirable, and the lot of the
laboring man worst of all, are pre-
cisely those republics in which in
dustry has been killed because wealth
exposed its owners to spoilation. To
these communities foreign capital now
rarely comes, because it has been
found that as soon as capital is en-
ployed so as to give substantial re-
Enumeration to those supplying 1t, it
excites ignorant envy and hostility.
which results in such oppressive ac
ton, within or without the law, as
sooner of later the work of virtual
fiscation. Every manifestation of
feeling of this kind in our civilization
should be crushed at the outset by
the weight of sensible public opin-
ion.
From the standpoint of our mater
ial prosperity there is only one other
thing as important as the discourage
ment of a spirit OF. envy and hostility
toward honest business men, toward
honest men of means; this is the dis
cOuragement of dishonest businees