Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-02-12
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

OF tho birth Of Abraham Lincoln, who
has been called the greatest American
that over lived since the foundation of
this Republic. Americans are not ElNon
90 hero worship. The tendency under
popular forms OF government gcuer"hy
is dwelling. rather than eicvating. as
far as individuals are concerned The
old Atbenion spirit under the influence
OF which citizen cast DOES vote for the
ostraclsm OF Aristides for mo- other rea-
son than that be was tired of hearing
him referred 10 as "tho just is still
found in republics. But Lancoin's fame
has long ago rison above all petty con-
alterations. and today bis name H hon
cred and revored by American ciuzons
everywhere. And stll more, his great
ness grows. az years roll by and his
work Is viewed IN the light of history
and its magnitude becomes appaI-
ent
Abraham Lincoln is remembered as
the great patriot and statesman of his
age. He is remembered as the savior OF
the Union. and the martyr OF "a holy
cause But he is held in stll more low
ing remembrance because of his stor-
ling qualities as man. Tie was hon
est. kind. valiant. true. conscientious.
In fact. had ne not been all this ne
would never have been able 20 OH the
mission OF his life on earth. and for
that reason ne stands as am example TO
an generations. lie speaks. though he
Is dead
We need not repeat the incidents OF
his biography. with which all are famil-
lar His whole life was struggle
which eliminated In the war and the
final tragedy. What wonderful career
from the day he left school, la 1926 TN
he met death, In 1855. as the president
Of the United statosl This career be-
gins i'm the humble occupation Of
farm laborer. studying at night and
earning 81 cents a day. soon we near
OF him az an athlete, "a writer on tenn
perauco questions, and champion 81
the integrity Of the American Union.
In 1880 no was a rail splitter, having
contracted to split four hundred rails
for every yard Of brown jean that
would be needed for pair of trousers.
Presently ne became am orator, boat
man. a salesman. a dcbater in frontier
clubs. a captain in the militia and an
unsuccessful candidate for the logisla-
mrc. Having bought a store, he failed.
ruined by "a drunken partner. Then he
was appointed postmaster at New sa-
lem. Later he studied law and became
a lawyer, and i'm 1894 he was a sue
cessful candidate for the legislature OF
Illinois. About this time he appears
as the champion % a lady and is chal-
lenged 20 fight a duel. But rcconcilia-
ton was effected, and he married the
lady Mass Mary Todd In 1876 NE was
sent TO Congress. In 1854 he sought the
appointment OF general land commits
sioner but failed. Subsequently he en-
gaged in state politics and opposed
Judge Douglas in a debate that has be-
come famous. and that gave him the
nomination for tho presidency OF the
United states what a wonderful ca
reer! II there ever was a man OF
destiny Abraham Lincoln was THAI
man.
Not that destiny alone lifted him up
10 the pinnacle of fame and responsi-
blhty. He climbed slowly upward. de
labored hard for advancement While
others preferred 90 idle their time
awy. Lincoln toucd bic was always
doing something useful Many am
other boy and young man placed pre-
ciscly as Lincoln was, preferred 90 90
fishing or 10 go out and hunt wild tur-
kcys. rather than split rails or build
natboats OF grub Htumps. So by the
impulse OF industry within his blood
Aucolu chose Go work--aork porsis-
tcntly and systematically. He never
would have been president of tho Amer
ican republic lf he had not done so.
Destiny may place man in "a position
20 do great things but the man him-
self must work out tho problems iu-
volycd.
The best way undoubtedly. t0 este
mate the value OF the services of Abra-
ham Lincoln to This country is Co ,pn-
slider what the United states Goo am
probability would have been today but
FOR the lfc. and. we may say death 0f
that man. If There is amy truth m the
motto. united We stand. divided NO
we f8ll" the Republic oWos its worry
existence today TO the policy of which
De- vas the most able advocate.
ono of the great monuments 90 the
memory of Lincoln is the Union Pa-
cIac railway 10 Nus hIs faith Iu the
undertaking and his comprehension of
what its construction meant to the
country chat induced Congress to enc
act me Jaws that made b. possible to
raise tho funds m comparatively
short time. This is the Wow takcn hy
General Dodge Boo au article iu Apple
toni. magazine Ho says mat Lincoln
called hlm to Washington to cousuIt
with him ou the propor place for the
initial point of that railway Ho cone
tlnuos.
~ found him Wen posted iu au tho
controlling rcasunr covering such Ht-
lection and we went into One matter
az length aud discussed tne arguments
presented hy tho competing points AZ
ter going over all the facts thHt could Do
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