Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1908-02-20
LINCOLN BANQUET.
Birthday Anniversary Of Martyred
President Celebrated BrilIiant-
ly at Grand Rapids, Mich.
NOTED SPEAKERS THERE
Probable Attitude the Great Liberator
Would Assume Toward Cues
tlons Of the Present II
Here Today.

Grand Rapids, Mich, Feb. 13.-The
Lincoln club banquet here Wednesday
night was brilliant success, with a
galaxy Of speakers never equalled In
Michigan political banquets. More
than 1000 persons occupied seats at
the tables. The hall was deliberately
decorated, and as a compliment to
Ambassador Jusserand Of France,
French colors were mingled with the
American.
The speakers were Ambassador JUS
serand, Congressman George Edmund
Foss, Secretary of War Taft, Governor
Curtis Guild, Jr., Of Massachusetts,,
and Director John Barrett, of the bu'
reau OF American republics at Wash
ington.
Although all Of the speakers were
greeted with enthusiasm, 1t was Sec
rotary Taft who received the greatest
outburst Of applause.
1t continued for several minutes be-
fore he could begin his address. In
terrupted frequently by applause. he
spoke in part as follows:
What would Lincoln do today?
II did not select this toast. and
should not have chosen 1t Of my own
free will. 1t is difficult to fit into
new niche of history really great
man whose greatness is indissolubly
associated with a particular crisis In
which he lived. One cannot take him
from the environment in which the
grandness Of his character stands out.
There are few lines which seem to
have been shaped so providentially to
meet country's great needs as that
of Lincoln with reference to slavery
and the Civil war. Coming from
childhood Of the greatest penury and
democracy and love of equal rights
that never left him and gave deep
color to his whole life. His soul re-
volted at human slavery, He had
tenderness Of heart and sympathy
with his fellow man that manifested
itself in the smaller details Of his life.
and he had power Of putting him.
self in anothers place which gave him
profound sense Of justice. He under
stood the play Of human nature as few
men have. He knew the motives and
the things which Influenced the plain
people as no other American in our
American race Of politicians has un-
derstood them. He had sense of
humor and power Of quaint express
sion and a capacity for creating apt
stories which enabled him to give
force by homely Illustration to the argu-
ments which his great power Of logic
enabled him to drive home"
Reviewing the principal events Of
recent years and particularly the pos
session of the Philippines, he gave his
opinion as to the position he believed
the martyred president would have as
sumed on each, and concluded as
follows:
FINALLY, can there be any doubt
where Abraham Lincoln would have
stood in the issues which peculiarly
distinguished the administration OF
Theodore Roosevelt? refer to the
struggle which he and his administra-
ton have made for the elimination
from our business and political fabric |
Of the corrupting influences Of the I'M
lawful business combinations and the
demoralizing effect Of disobedience to
law by our great railroad and trans
portation companies. The one thing |
that distinguished Lincoln in all his |
life was the contention In favor OF the |
equal administration and protection of |
the laws. From the soles of his feet
through all that long frame to the top |
OF his head, he was democrat In the |
true sense Of the word and opposed |
to privilege and class immunity. He |
was not an enemy Of wealth lawfully |
accumulated. He welcomed and en-
Outraged internal improvements and OF
course cherished prosperity developed |
by business enterprises and the com
btnations OF capital, but he always ex-
allied in the consideration Of every |
issue the rights Of the individual and
especially Of the humber members of
society who were least able to protect
themselves. Therefore, we may know
with certainty that can not brook con-
tradiction, that in the struggle to make
all business lawful, to take away from |
great corporations the illegal privi- |
leges and immunities that official In
vestigations have shown In many in
stances to prevail, Lincoln would have
made the same good fight which has
endeared Roosevelt to the same plain
people Of the country who upheld the
hands OF the martyred president
through all the great trials Of his ad-
mlnistEation."