The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1909-02-12

k><D the race.
- With this eY.
ceptiOn and
THE WORLDS TRIBUTE. few others less
notable Lincoln in his own day had lit.
tie friendship in Europe. He was not
Of a type to appeal to bureaucracy and
formal institutionalism. At the begin.
ming of the war he was little known
or, If known ut all, was regarded asa
country lawyer Of slight education, IT.
tie experience and inferior talents.
His method of handling the Mason
and Slidell episode and the general
conduct of our diplomatic affairs raised
the worlds opinion of him as his I'D.
ministration progressed. but still the
feeling was not cordial The temper Of
Europe was such In that contest that
slight misstep might have plunged
us into war. One of Lincotn's greatest
triumphS was that he kept us clear Of
these foreign difficulties. 1t was not
so much hostility to Lincoln as 1t was
hostility to the Union that had to be
feared. By caution. patience and
Craftsmanship all this hostility was
made powerless to work us harm. and
gradually the chancellories of Europe
awakened to the fact that master
mind was In charge at Washington
They also began to understand that
the master mind was Lincoln. THE
country lawyer" and not Seward, bis
secretary of state. If Seward had been
given his way war with one or more
European nations could scarcely have
been averted.
The triumph Of the north had pow
erful influence in melting foreign hos
filthy. Success succeeds even better
with diplomats than with ordinary
mortals. The republic divided and
threatened with humiliation was one
thing. The same republic reunited
and more firmly established than ever
was quite another. The change OF
attitude naturally included the head OF
the nation as well as the nation ITSELF
It must not be imagined, however,
that all European sentiment was
men and women in all lands weru
naturally our friends both because Of
opposition to slavery and friendship
to republication. The hearts Of the
masses for the most part were with %
as they ever have been. This sentf
ment was augmented as the srruggs
neared a close.
Lincoln's assassination brought out
all the latent and active friendship for
him abroad as we'll as at home. II
silenced the tongues Of his enemies
Following so close upon the termina.
ton of the war, 1t focused the atteD.
ton and touched the heart Of the
world. The universal and profound
grief shown for the murdered presi
dent In his own land revealed to those
of other lands that ne was d man
out of the ordinary. a fact that they
had already begun to suspect. The
changed attitude toward him was
shown in the fine poem written by the
editor Of the London Punch.
When the worlds universal republic
Is established, of which our own re-
public Is but the forerunner; when
there Is liberation in all lands that are
famed by the free air rs 1t sweeps
about the earth: when self government
and the individual strength it fosters
have become as common as the spp.
shine and the rain: when there IS OBI
versal religion based on the divinity N
man and the common love Of God a40
humanity: when purity Of life. loyaiV
to truth and the sacrifice of self on tne
altar of the common good are every.
where recognized and practiced. tneh
Abraham Lincoln, who stood for all OF
these things. will have taken his place
among the worlds few supremply
great souls. That day for all mankind
Is much nearer because he lived anu
died. II this nation had been rent
asunder in the civil war. if free gov.
| eminent had then proved failure.
| slavery had triumphed over freedom
that new era for mankind might nave
been delayed for centuries or forever
Therefore Lincoln's work in that crlsS
was not for his own land alone. Du'
Cor all lands. 1t was not only to give
the black race liberty, but to give IN
races liberty. 1t was not merely to az
cure the Union of these states. pus
meant eventually that there should "
Il union for peace and for universe
| freedom as wide as the earth ana a.
long as the ages. 30,
All these things Lincoln's life an'
Heath helped to make possible. Tne'.
fore when the "parliament of men
| shall indeed come his name Should %
one of the foremost honored anons
those who prepared the way.