The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-02-12
LINCOLN'S HONOR
Big Meeting Held at Auditorium
This Afternoon.
Incidents of Martyr Presidents
Life RecOunted.
w. t. VERNON SPEAKS.
Registrar of Treasury One of
the Orators.
Governor Stubs to Preside at
TOnight's Meeting.
Today is Lincoln Day.

Churches, schools, patriotic organi-
cations and Topeka as a whole are
celebrating the centennial anniversary
OF the birth of the Great Emancipator,
the first president to die martyr to
the cause of the American people.
The day is being strictly observed.
For the banks it is holiday. The
schools were dismissed at noon. The
postoffice alone of the government in
situations remains Enclosed.
This morning every school in the
city observed LincOln's birthday in a
fitting manner. Exercises of patriotic
nature were held, in which the students
recited and detained verses dedicated
to the memory of Honest Abe" Wash
burn college remembered Lincoln and
at noon the college was dismissed for
the day. Many of the schools unfurled
new flags. The Ladies of the G. A. r.
and the Women's Relief Corps held ex-
ercises. The Ladies of Lincoln Post
Circle presented large new flag to the
student of Buchanan school. Mrs. r M
Woods making the presentation speech
The state house is decked with flags
and bunting today. Several of Topekas
leading merchants and business men
have decorated their places of business
with flags. The more patriotic of the
citizens have not allowed the down
town buildings to usurp all of the
decorations. and many private resi-
dences in Topeka today are objects of
beauty with the STARS and Stripes
The Auditorium Meeting.
The largest meeting of the day was
held at the Auditorium this afternoon,
with Mayor Green presiding. Several
notable and eloquent speakers were
present, all of whom paid tribute to the
Immortal president, viewing his life
from different angles.
A medley of patriotic airs arranged
the great pipe organ as the opening
voluntary of the afternoons pro-
gramme. The patriotic songs were
cheered Every time the organ woBld
strike the strains of another song, the
applause would follow. America" and
1.-THE Star Spangled Banner" were
cheered by the old veterans with the
animation and fervor of youth. But no
less was the volume of applause that
greeted the soul stirring strains of
pixie" the air which cheered the
southern soldier and thrilled him with
pride even after the cause of slavery
had been lost.
Rev. Charles A. Finch. pastor of the
First Christian church. called the
meeting to order after which DIR
Francis L. Hayes of the First Congre-
gational church pronounced an invo-
cation. Rev. Finch introduced Mayor
Green who presided at the meeting
Mayor Green made short patriotic
address.
The large Rodeheaver chorus which
is singing at the Biederwo1f meetings
led the singing during the afternoon.
'America" as sung by this chorus and
the large audience, accompanied by
the pipe organ, could not fail in in
spring any American heart with
patriotism.
w. It. Vernon's Speech.
One of the best speeches of the
Afternoon was that of w. T. Vernon,
the coIored orator and registrar of the
United States treasury. Mr.. Vernon
said in part:
Zone hundred years ago today was
- 1T h
mad pencil. paper or slate. but who
crawled to the fireplace at night,
wiped off the back of the shovel with
his sleeve and with sharpened char
most almighty mind. Lincoln was al
ways anti-slavery. He once said: 4
am naturally anti-slavery. If slavery
is not wrong then nothing is wrong
Lincoln gave freedom to America, he
freed the white man and the black
man. No man is free until his soul
is free. There is slavery of the soul
more CALLING than slavery OF the body.
Lincoln put the man above the dollar.
He taught us that no man can rise by
trying to keep another man down and
with malice toward none and charity
for all, he prepared the way for a
reunited country. Today ten million
American negroes Joined with eighty
million white citizens in doing honor
to the great man. Lincoln was con-
sentative in this trying hour and yet
he drew the fire of the radicals. He
was a positive force who stood for the
idea now more and more extant
through the earth as expressed in the
words liberty, fraternity, equality and
law. Lincoln's conservatism won. His
uncommon common sense was his
strength. In this day of agitation and
recrudescence of the race question we
need calm leaders. Unless the leaders
have vision the people will perish.
May Lincoln's wisdom. patience,
charity teach to ever do the right as
y
the Kansas idea of fair play and JUS
tice by the dominant note of the
American republic prevail. His place
Is fixed, none can stand higher.
PaHegyrics or eulogy are but feeble
words to do justice of the character
of this incomparable man, the story of
whose life and deeds read like a ro-
nance and give him front rank
throughout coming ages
w. G. Smyser of Topeka read an
interesting anecdote in connection
coin. This famous address delivered
on the battlefield of Gettysburg on
the occasion of its being transformed
into national cemetery was read by
Brigadier General Wilder s. MetcaIf
formerly of the Twentieth Kansas
regiment.
An interesting number on the pro-
gram was an original poem on Abra-
ham Lincoln, read by Mrs. H. o. Gar
vey. In this little poem Mrs. Garyev
succeeded in telling the audience of
many of the interesting qualities of
the great leader which contributed to
his success.
Rev. w. H. Underwood, chaplain of
the. Kansas senate gave very inter
esting account of "The Sympathetic
Nature of the great civil war states
man. This well known trait of char
acter in the first martyred president
was well described by the speaker