New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1909-03-03

worst enemy of man is that very habit
of separating ourselves from others
because we think we are better than
they. Because Of conduct or cOnven-
ton or blood or dollars or some other
purely external or accidental thing we
exclude somebody By so doing we ex-
clude God, who is universal and has all
in his image. By SO doing we exclude
our own complete and higher natures,
for in us is correspondence to all
other beings. Caste is prison to those
in it and an insult to all others. It
dwarfs the individual and divides the
state. It is artificial and denies the
universally of Gods love. 1t is DOOM
cd to die with the other lies of an out
worn age. Such souls as Lincoln have
given the race new and broader out
look. We now see he is greatest not
who is most exclusive, but who is most
inclusive. He is highest who has most
completely and adequately what is in
all other men. Common sense thus
becomes the most precious kind of
sense. 1t is the wisdom derived from
all experience. That which is most
common is most universal and that
IL we get deep enough into this philos-
ophy, we shall have explained the
hOmely anecdotes, the unassuming
clothes and manners and the demo-
cratic attitude of Abraham Lincoln,
likewise his love for the plain people.
We have not had democracy as yet.
He was the prophet of the democracy
5 that is to be.
A kindred trait in Lincoln is like
wise illuminative. He saw the clear
, distinction between private and pub
lie. He was most charitable to private
faults the while he fought public ones.
/ With the first he had little or no con-
Germ. They were none of his business
With the last he had every concern,
| for, he being a part of the state, the
| public faults to that extent We're his
faults. He was responsible for them,
! along with all other citizens. This at
titude he carried through life. Rigidly
opposing every public wrong, he was
/ most lenient and merciful to the indi-
vidual wrongdoer. He pardoned such
! whenever he could do so without in
jury to society.
The same tendency was shown in an
other way and brought on Lincoln
! criticism from his old Illinois friends
and relatives. He refused for the most
part to appoint them to Office. holding
that the private attachments Of Lin
coin the individual should in nowise
influence the acts of Lincoln the presi-
dent. He believed his old friends and
neighbors to be incompetent for the
Offices they asked for However much
he wanted to accommodate them, how
ever much their i'll feeling would hurt
him, he could not allow personal feel
fngs Of this nature to govern his acts
as public official. That would be
akin to treason to the state. Nepotism
was impossible to this pure minded
man, and graft, private gain at public
expense, would have seemed the great
4 est of crimes because crime against
society.
Just as he would not appoint his
friends to Office If he thought them
incompetent, SO he would not refrain
from appointing his enemies if he
thought the state needed their serv.
ices. A conspicuous example is found
in the naming of Edwin NJ Stanton
for secretary Of war, at the time the
most important place in the govern
ment second to that of the president
himself. Stanton had been criticisine
Lincoln in the most persistent and Of
fensive fashion. He had called hin
ape and other names quite as uncom
plimentary. Once in a lawsuit in Gin
cinnati he had snubbed Lincoln anC
hurt him cruelty. But Stanton was 6
Union man and one of great energy
and acknowledged ability. Mr.. Lin
coin believed him the man to place a
the head of the war department. Not
per and other faults the step has beer
approved by history. What other pres
ident, with the possible exception O.
Washington, was great enough tt
place a personal enemy in his officia
family on the sole ground that the ma
ton needed him? Where was Their,
ever more perfect example of divid
ing private from public concerns?
On the circuit Lincoln rode at frs
an old horse and afterward drove
dilapidated looking buggy. He car
ried faded umbrella and wore for tn,
most part hat that had seen better
days. He was one of those meek ant
accomplishing men that landlords ant
other like important personages i'm
posed on. In the presidency he wa.
open TO access by everybody. His de
sire to meet people amounted to
passion with him all his life Fl,
would stay out on the circuit Sun
days or wander around the streets O
evenings to meet people and tell sto
ries. He called his receptions in Wash
ingtcn his public opinion baths.' Fl,
genuinely loved all kinds and condf
tons of men. What wonder that the,