New-York tribune., 1908-02-13
WHAT WOULD
LINCOLN DO TO-DAY?
Mr.. TAFT REPLIES TO
That QUESTION.
.Saus the Great Var President Would
4pmoue the Policies of Nc
Kinley and Rooseuelt.

Grand Rapids Mich. Feb. 12-The Lincoln
Club dinner here tonight a brilliant sue
cess with a galaxy OF speakers never equalled
in Michigan political dinners. 1t held in the
Klingnan Furniture Exposition Building and
than two thousand persons occupied seats
al the tables. The hall was elaborately deco
rated and as a compliment to Ambassador Jus
serand- French colors were mingled with the
American.
President Roy NJ. Watkins of the Young Mems
Republican Club and President Charles Holden
Of the Lincoln Club opened the dinner with
greetings United States Senator William Alden
Smith was toastmaster and introduced the
guests Of the evening The speakers were Am
bassador Jusserand, Congressman George Ed
rnund Foss William H Taft. Secretary of War;
Governor Curtis Guild, jr-, of Massachusetts and
Director John Barrett of the Bureau Of Ameri-
can Republics at Washington.
Although all of the speakers greeted with
enthusiasm. il was Secretary Taft who received
the greatest outburst Of applause. 1t continued
for several minutes before he could begin his
address, and his speech was freely interrupted
by applause.
SECRETARY TAFT'S ADDRESS.
Secretary Taft said:
What would Lincoln do to-day"
I did not select this toast and should not have
chosen IL Of my own free will II is difficult TO
Fl into new niche OF history a really great
man whose greatness is indissolubly associated
with particular crisis in which he lived one
cannot take him from the environment in which
the grandness of his character STANDS out Ihere
are few lives which seem to have been shaped
50 providentially to meet a countrys great need
as that Of Lincoln with reference to slavery ana
the Civil War. Coming from chlldhooo OF the
greatest penury and discomfort and sQualor,
rnireling with the humblest and the poorest IN
a Western settlement LINCOLN acquired sense
erue 1irxra and and
rights that never left him and gave deep color
% his whole life. His soul revoted at human
slavery. He had a tenderness of heart and a
sympathy with his fellow man that Inanlfesteo
itself in the smallest details OF his life, and he
had a power Of putting himself In another
place which gave him a profound sense OF JUS
uce. He understood the play of human nature
few men have He knew the motives and the
things which influenced the plain people as no
other American in our American race of poll
tcians has understood them. He had sense OF
humor and power Of quaint expression and
capacity for creating which enabled him to give
Force by homeiy illustration TO the arguments
which his great power of logic enabled him to
cr1ge home
GREATEST POLITICIAN OF HIS AGE.
He was the greatest politician of his age. and
while he had deeply inlbedded in his moral ma
he do not purpose to sacrifice his influence 10
bring about the goal Of his whole MES ambluoh
ny going fast in extreme declarations OF an
stract principles 10 deprive him OF future
usefulness i have read and reread with pleas
ure the story Of Lincoln of Herndon. his part
ner. and noted with intense interest his unwili-
ingness TO attend q meeting OF apoinlolists rest
ne might lose his influence with the WINGS VINO
Old syrnpathize with the abolittonists- Nor
Old he wish 10 offend the abolitionists so he
made a court engagement for hlInsel1 some
twenty miles away which made II Impossible
Tor him TO attend the meeting. Now. III wouid be
easy 20 say that this was coWardiy, thal lhis
was tie trick of a mere politician, but / think
We may well ascrihe the motive 10 q oesife ho-
10 lose his usefulness AT time rnen the future
hipr Wi
life showed that while he had fdealE, he never
allowed the longing for the Impossible TO inter-
iele with the securing Of the possible
HE was q party man. as every man must OS
who wishes 20 leave his Individual impress upon
The individual character of the nation. DO not
mean for q moment 10 depfecdt" ING peiii. .5iec
cf psrt,- or ,ngwurflpisnl because believe that
'oe inderenden, vote the whole exercises