Bisbee daily review., 1908-03-13
Traits of Character
 of Abraham Lincoln
Chicago Inter-ocean)

(Chicago Inter-Ocean)
 It Is torty-three years since the death of Lincoln. The men of his day and generation have largely passed away. The civil war has been over long time. This is a new cen tury of other manners and new aetiy- ides. Yet there is nothing remote about the name and fame of Lincoln. He is close to us and growing clos CT. Here, as everywhere, the oDser- vation of the day increases year by year.
 The explanation of this extraordi- nary fact is at once simple and satis- factory. It is that the American peo- pie never appreciated Lincoln while he was alive. When he was taken from us we began to see him as he was. We are now beginning to ap- preciate him.
 Many loved Lincoln devotedly while he was alive. Others saw that he was thoroughly good man. But in general even those who loved him and those who trusted him utterly failed to realize that he was as great as he was good.
 The failure of Lincoln to win the appreciation of those who had every chance to judge him seems incredI- ble to us now. Nevertheless, one m=y hazard guess as to the belittling power of intimacy in his case.
 . Never in the histoy of the world was there a great man so entirely and consistently his natural self lie w5s homely and ungainly and poor.y dressed-and he knew it and joked about it. He was entirely self-made- md hn 1pt Nf hn snh In was ambitious-and frankly admitted it. He was so modest, so honest, and SO "easy'' that not a few thougnt he must be simple-minded. He was easy of access, and was the same to every one.
 Traits like these are not evidences of genius in the mind of the common people, who prefer that their idols shall pose. Stephen A Douglas, Lin coln's lifelong and successful rival un- til the final test came, posed effective ly; therefore they knew he was great and dubbed him the Little Giant" Lincoln never posed; therefore 1t never occurred to them that he could be eraat.
 To Be sure. there were some who came to appreciate Lincoln before his death. There were a comparative few who learned by experience that ne was "easv' only when it didn't mat ter, and that, instead of being simple minded. he was literally and absolute Iy a Master of Men.
 Douglas, to whom he put the ques- ton at Freeport that saved the United States, came to know him his master and held his hat for him while he took the oath of office as president. Fremont, the soldier statesman" whom he made-and unmade-learH- ed the same lesson. So did McCIeI- Ian, the Young Naroleon'' So did Seward who went into the cabinet prepared and eypecting 10 taKe the reigns of government. So did Chase, the "indisTenSable man." who re- signed once too often-and, thanks to Dfucoln's magnanimity. administ- cred to him the second oath of office.
 Even Stanton, that saturnine Titan of the cabinet, who vas in the habit of referring to Lincoln as the "origl- nal gorilla" who openly prophesied that Jeff naTis would be in the white house within six months. who be- lieyed himself called into the cabinet for the express purpose of holding up the hands of an impotent president ever. Stanton learned his lesson. It took him a long time. but he learned it well When Lincoln drew his last breath Stanton saii: There lies the most perfect rlller of Men the world has ever seen"
 But it was not until the homeiy face and ungainly figure Of Lincoln were cone from sight. and his point ed jest was no longer heard, that the American people began to sec Lin coin as he was. not as we hsG as sumed him to be. And year hy year we are coming to know him better
 We know now. among other things. that this seIf-made nan from. the log cabin was truly an educated man; that this backwoods circuit rider was not only an honest lawyer, but sreac lawyer. that th's pasf master of the e-t If story-teI1's,- used his arc with 2 Durpose: that this crossroads de batter and political stump sneaker was an orator to whom it was given to speak words that are immortal words tbat are as much part or our national heritage as the Declaration Of Tpdependence and the Constitution
 We know now-not some of us, but aH of us-that this man who saved the union bv force of arms and brought peace out of the hell of civil