Omaha daily bee., 1909-02-14
new YORK CITY PAYS HOMAGE
Half Million School Children Take
Part in Lincoln Exercises.
TRIBUTE OF JOSEPH H. CHoATE
Diplomat Quotes from speech He
Heard Martyred President Make
in Cooper Union Before
war.

NEW YORK. Feb. 1~3.-Beautiful and
sincere was the homage paid here yesterday
10 the memory OF Abraham Lincoln. In
practically every school house, church and
hall memorial services were held and II
Is estimated that moro than a million peo-
pie participated. More than 10000 children
attended exercises in the ISL public school
houses and 1t was an inspiring blight to
sec the eager interest young America took
In the deeds, sayings and life OF the man
whose figure looms so large in the century
Just past.
Tonight there were scores OF Lincoln
meetings for the elders and a dozen or
more Lincoln dinners at leading hotels at
which the praise Of the msrtyred president
was sung. All in all, the celebration today
was the most hearty and widespread OF its
hind ever seen here.
The city's official celebration was held
In Cooper Union in the hall in which Lin
coin made his first public address in the
east Mayor George b. Mcclellan presided
and addresses of appreciation and tribute
to Lincoln were delivered by Joseph II.
Choate and Rev. DIR. Lyman Abbott.
A memorial tablet placed in the middle
column at the back of the stage was UNI
yelled.
"RiRht Makes Might
Mr.. Choate in a personal reminiscent adj
dress told Of meeting Lincoln forty-nine
years ago on the very platform from which
he spoke today.
THAT wonderful speech he made here"
said the former ambassador, lied directly
to his nomination
"'Let us have faith that right makes
might that closing sentence rang through
the city and country"
The other noteworthy features during
the day were the celebration at Columbia
and New York universities and the exhi-
billions Of Lincolniana at the College of
the City of New York and in the Lennox
library.
The evenings principal observation was
in Carnegie hall, where General Horace
Porter presided and Bishop Alexander
Walters Of New Jersey. one of the most
distinguished negro clergymen in the
east, delivered a eulogy of Lincoln from
the standpoint OF a negro and spoke OF
the progress, condition and future Of the
negro race.
Another celebration of note was held
in the hall of the University of New
York, at which President John H. Finley
presided and Andrew 8. Draper. state SUI
perintendent of education, delivered the
Grafton.
Among the speakers of prominence at
other functions were Secretary George b.
Cortelyou, who spoke at the dinner of the
Graduates club at the Hotel Aston;
Booker T. Washington, at theR Republican
club; Andrew Carnegie, at the meeting
Of the Cooper Union alumni, and Judge
Emory Speer Of Georgia, at the armory
Of the Twelfth regiment.
Booker IT. w~ashington's Address.
Mr.. Washington spoke as follows:
You ask that which he found a piece of
property and turned into a free American
citizen to speak to you tonight on Abraham
Lincoln. l am not fitted by ancestry or
L have stated. / was born a slave.
My first knowledge of Abraham Lincoln
came in this way; was early
lay wrapped in a bundle of rags on the
dirt of our slave cabin by the prayers of
my mother, Just before leaving for her
days work, as she was kneeling over my
body earnestly praying that Abraham Lin
coin might succeed and that one day she
and her boy might be free. You give me
the opportunity here this evening to cele-
brate with you and the nation the answer
to that prayer.
Says the Great Book somewhere: Though
a mar die, yet shall he live If this is
true of the ordinary man., how much more
true is It of the hero of the hour n the
hero OF the century-Abraham Lincoln?
One hundred years OF the life and influence
of Lincoln is the story of the struggles, the
trials, ambitions and triumphs of the people
of our complex American civilization. In
terwoven into the warp and wool of this
human complexity is the moving story of
men and women Of nearly every race and
color in their rogress from slavery to
freedom, from poverty to wealth, from
WEAKNESS to power, from ignorance to in
telligence. Knit into the life of Abraham
Lincoln is the story and success OF the
nation In the blending OF all ongues, re-
nation. leaving each group and race free
to live Its own separate social life and yet
all apart of the great whole.
II a man die, shall he live? Answering
this question as applied to our martyred
president, perhaps you expect me TO con-
fine my words of appreciation to the great
boon which through him was conferred
upon my race. My undying gratitude and
that OF 100000 OF my race for this and
yet more. To have been the instrument
used by Providence through which 100000
slaves, now grown into 100000 of free
citizens. were made free woulc pring eter-
nal fame within itself, but this is not the
only claim that Lincoln has upon our sense
of gratitude and appreciation. Here let me
add, however, that these black millions in
whom Lincoln and those who held up his
hands had faith have sought to justify that
confidence.
BY the side OF Armstrong and Garrison
Lincoln lives today. In the very highest