Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-10-02

before the vast audience made up OF
Che sterling citizenship of the middle
west; to be present at this exposition
he purpose of which is to exploit the
products and progress of three great
cities of the nation, to speak to citi-
zens OF our republic upon some of the
questions now engaging public aten-
ton. shall not abuse my privilege
oy imposing upon your patience or
claiming your attention for more than
brief period. I am advised that it
is permissible to speak as a partisan
app told that this is republican day.
snd my theme shall be something of a
comparison of the early leader of re-
publican thought and action with the
present dictator of so-called demo
cratic declarations and protested in
tentions. The present canvass shows
again the folly of the ass that puts on
4 lions skin. The managers of Mr.
Bryan's press bureau are attempting
o couture votes for him by the use
# the sacred name of Lincoln Aesop
declared that when the ass lifted up
is voice and brayed every one knew
lim and his owner came up and gave
him Z sound cudgling The warning
alls on deaf ears. The partisan who
r1es the same tricks invites like
;hame and punishment. The audacity
If the device may capture some of the
inwary. In so far as he has party
behind him, Nh Bryan is the candi-
late of those who maligned and ridi-
;uled the first and greatest president
he republican party has given to the
nation. Mr. Bryan relies for support
IN The forces which at every step op-
POSED Lincoln. which INSTRUCTED the
measures of war and peace OF thai
eavior of the union, and pronounced
the proclamation of emancipation a
'monstrous crime. In his earlier cam
paigns he counted most of the States
which elected Lincoln the enemy's
country. He has never accepted the
principles and policies which glorified
the administration OF that martyred
patriot. What proofs can he offer
that he is a disciple of the president
who struck down slavery, who signed
the Morrill, tariff. who stood stead
tasty for protection and made poss;
bic the present grandeur of the United
States? Lincoln was elected in 1860
by TIE electoral votes of all the free
states except three from New Jersey,
which We're cast for Douglas. 1t was
against him that the mischief and
threat of the solid south came to ter
rorize our politics. Mr.. Bryan has
done his utmost to keep up that sec
tional organization. and it is his main
asset now. He seeks to array for him
self first and surest all the factors
which were hostile to Lincoln.
Compared to Lincoln.
He has had slight favor from those
who learned their faith from that wise
statesman, and the states which broke
down the slave power have with rare
exception refused TO accept the yaga-
ries OF the modern apostle of democ-
racy. 1t is true that in 1896 the silver
issue was responsible for the loss of
one elector in California. Where else
in the Lincoln column of 60 was there
a ballot i'll the electoral college faith.
less to the party of the great enamel
pator. In 1900 the states which elect.
ed Lincoln cast all their influence
against the candidate who now reaches
for the strength of that, hallowed
name.
why should any citizen who al
mires Lincoln. believes in his teach
ings, wishes his principles and policies
perpetuated. tolerate for a moment the
prepOsterous claims of this self-assert
i've candidate? Could two men be
more different than are these? Could
a contrast be imagined more striking
and more edifying? We know Mr.
Bryan as fluent talker He may b,
called Mississippi OF oratory. The
stream of his words is full and free
SO is the overflow of the southern
rivers which have lately carried ruiz
and death to the valleys and cities .
| Georgia and the Carolinas. Hi.
| speeches have a certain brilliancy
have got the baleful fires which hav,
ragged in so many forests thown thei
| red light into the sky in widely scat
| tered regions, yet hosts of lives AM
millions of dollars worth of propert,
and the hope of families and of enter
1 prises have turned to ashes befor,
them.
THE Grafton at Gettysburg present
Lincoln as the world knows bin; a
he will live in history; as he is cher
ished in the hearts of Americans an,
is lifted as model for all the genera
tons to come. While the tongue o
Shakespeare and Addison and Milton
shall endure, that pearl of Englisl
speech will shed its ray of purest ligh
serene, of patriotism and high states
manship. The Judgment is not of PAL
tisan rancor. but of calm reason tina
the brief utterance at Gettysburg
worth more to American ideals thai
all the words put forth by the vel
bose Nebraskan, from his entranc
into national politics in 1896 up TO th
present, aye, even if we continue tina
present until the close of the impenc
ing campaign.
breaches DissenslOn.
Mr.. Lincoln was the champion Q
unity. He declared the union coul