Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-02-15
TAFT COMP Ares
TWO PRESIDENTS
SECRETARY TAFT IN SPEECH
LAST NIGHT HOLDS ROOSE-
WELT AND LINCOLN ALIKE.

Grand Rapids, Mich, Feb. IS. The
Lincoln club banquet last night was
a 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 compliment to Ambassador
Jusserand of France. one of the speak
ers, the French colors were mingled
with the American.
President Roy M Watkins of the
Young Mems club. and Pres. Chas.
Holden OF the Lincoln club, opened
the banquet with greetings. Senator
William Alden Smith was toastmas-
ter. The speakers were Ambassador
Jusserand, Congressman George Ed
mund Foss, Secretary Taft, Governor
Curtis Guild, Jr, of Massachusetts
and Director John Barrett of the Bu-
reau Of American Republics at Wash
ington.
II did not select this toast, and
should not have chosen it Of my own
free will" said Mr. Taft, in respond
ing to the toast. what would Lin
coin do today?"
st is difficult" he continued, ito
fit into a new niche Of history really
great man whose greatness is indis-
! solubly 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 lives which seem so
have been shapen so providentially to
meet country's great need as that of
Lincoln with reference to slavery and
the civil war. Coming from child
hood of the greatest perjury and dis
comfort and squalor, mingling with
the humblest and the poorest in a
| western settlement, Lincoln acquired
a sense Of equality and democracy and
love of equal rights that never left
him and gave deep color to his whole
| life.
His soul revolted at human
slavery. He had tenderness of heart
and sympathy with his fellow man
that manifested itself in the smallest
details of his life. and he had a power
Of putting himself in anothers place.
He understood the play of human ma
ture as few men have.
idCdliSIJ pAh dSltSdIs
His whole life showed that while
he had ideals, he never allowed the
longing for the impossible to interfere
with the securing of the possible.
He was party man, as every man
must be who wishes to leave his in
dividual impression upon the individ-
ual character of the nation. l do not
mean for moment to deprecate indie
pendence of party or mugwumpism,
because I believe that the independent
vote on the whole exercise more direct
effect in an election than the party
vote.
1T must be so. But while all in
dependent voters. as a mass, exercise
more control over the decisions in an
election, as individuals they do not dc
SO. The man who would retain his in
dividual influence and effect good
measure in our country, where parties
are a necessity in the carrying on OF
the government, must be a party man
"And no one recognized this more
fully than did Lincoln. For that rea
son we may say in the first place that
if Lincoln were living today he would
be republican.
"Lincoln's econmic views were NOT
distinctly marked. Early in his career
he favored internal improvements in
Illinois, as member Of the legisla
ture, to, such a point as to invole the
state in heavy Indebtedness which
insured largely to the benefit of the
people
His mind was not directed, even