The San Francisco call., 1909-02-13

BIRTHPLACE
IS MARKED
Roosevelt on Centenary Applies
First Mortar to Memorial
Pile of Stone
Political Parties, Sections, Races
and Generations United at
Historic Spot
Classic Building of Granite GiveA
Beginning When President
Lays Foundation
Address Commentaries MOnn'
ment Lincoln Builded in
Hearts of His People

r YODGENvILLE. KY. Feb. 12-a
- Henceforth the birthplace OF
i i Abraham Lincoln is to be
marked by pile OF stone. The
emancipatOr OF race-and. more than
that. the liberator of the thought OF a
nation-builded his own monument in
the heart OF the world. and appropri-
ately the physical structure that has
now found a beginning at the place
where Lincoln first saw the light takes
the simple name of memorial 1t is
to be a simple and classic building OF
granite, and it is hoped that it may
be completed some time next fall when
then President Taft will ofhciate in
dedicating it. as the president Theo-
dore Roosevelt. today ofaciated in lay
ing its foundationstone.
The cornerstone laying ceremonies
were participated IN by the president.
Governor A. E Wilson of Kentucky:
former Governor Joseph W. Folk OF
Missouri. president of the Lincoln
farm association; Hon Luke Wright.
secretary of war. an ex-confederats
soldier; General Grant Wilson OF
New York. representing the union sol
diers. and L T. Montgomery OF NIissfs-
sippi. negro and an ex-slave. With
one exception the orators, representing
not only the conflicting sides in the
great struggle. but the present genera
tion as well. the two political parties.
the white and black races. and the Diff
ferent sections Of the country. spoke
from the same platform and with the
same flag. a splendid specimen OF the
stars and stripes, huttering over them.
Mrs. Lincoln's Sister Absent
Six or eight thousand people were
present. Among those who had been
expected to be present was Mrs. Ben
Hardin Helm, the only surviving sister
of Mrs. Lincoln. 92 years old. but she
was kept at her home in Louisville.
much to the regret of all. by her in
frmities.
The exercises were conducted under
a tent erected alongside the cabin in
which Lincoln was born. The weather
was sufficiently disagreeable to render
the tent useful
President Roosevelt and his immedi-
ate party arrived shortly before L
o'clock, after drive over a heavy red
clay road from Hodgenville. and i've
minutes afterward Governor Wilson
called the assemblage together and in
troduced Rev. z. l. Powell of the First
Christian church OF Louisville. who
pronounced the invocation.
The speakers platform accommo-
dated few except the participants in
the exercises and the presidents i'm
mediate party including Mrs. Roose-
welt, Miss Roosevelt. Mrs. Augustus E.
Wilson. Captain A. W. Butt and Doctor
Rixey.
The president was frequently inter-
rupted by applause. He confined him
self closely to his manuscript. except
at the beginning he departed from it
to make reply to complimentary aIlu-
sions to himself by Governor Folk
President Roosevelt Said:
We have met here to celebrate
the hundredth anniversary Of the
birth OF one of the two greatest
Americans: of one Of the two or
three greatest men Of the nineteenth
century; of one of the greatest
men in the worlds history. This
rail splitter, this, boy who passed
his ungainly youth in the dire pow
erty of the poorest of the frontier
folk. whose rise was by weary and
painful labor, lived to lead his
people through the burning flames
of a struggle from which the ma
tion emerged. purified as by fire.
horn anew to a loftier life After
long years OF iron effort and of
failure that came more often than
victory, he at last rose to the lead
ership of the republic, at the mo-
ment when that leadership had be-
come the stupendOus world task OF
the time He grew to know great
ness, but never ease. Success came
to him. but never happiness. save
that which springs from doing well
painful and vital task
Power but Not Pleasure
Power was his. but not pleasure.
The burrows deepened on his brow,
but his eyes were undimmed BY
either hate or fear. His gaunt
shoulders were bowed. but his steel
thews never faltered as he bore
for a burden the destinies OF his
people. His great and tender heart
shrank from giving pain. and the