The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1909-02-17
IN MEMORY OF LINCOLN,

IN MEMORY Of LINCOLN.
President Roosevelt Pays Eloquent
Tribute To His Predecessor.
HoDGENv1LLE, KY, Feb. 12.-1n1an
address delivered today at Lincoln
farm. the spot where Abraham Lin
coin was born exactly..ssss1O0 years
ago, President Roosevelt, speaking at
the exercises held in Connection with
the centenary Of the war presidents
birth, paid high tribute to the fame
and name of Lincoln.
In q circus tent pitched on ''the
little farm that raised a man," Presi-
dent Roosevelt, as the representative
OF the whole American people, formal.
ly accepted the little one.room cabin
which was the birthplace of Abraham
Lincoln, and which with the ITO acres
OF rough land surrounding it, will be
transformed into a national shrine in
honor of the great president. The
cornerstone of the noble memorial
hall and Lincoln museum, q great
granite edificelto cost a quarter million
dollars, was laid by President Roose-
velt as feature of the days ex.
ercises. Mr.. Roosevelt spoke in part
as follows:
We have met here to celebr ate the
one hundreth anniversary of the birth
OF one OF the two greatest Americans
OF one of the greatest men of the nine
teenth century; of one of the greatest
men in the worlds history. This rail
splitter, this boy who passed his un-
calmly youth in the dire poverty 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 struggle from
which the nation emerged, purified as
oy fire, born anew to loftier life.
After long years of iron effort, and
OF failure that came more often than
victory, he at last rose 10 the leader
ship OF the Republic at moment when
that leadership had become the stu
pendous world-task of the time. He
grew to know greatness, but never
ease. Success came to him, but never
happiness, save that which springs
from doing well a painful and vital
task. Power was his, but not pleas.
ure. The furrows deepuned on his
brow, but his eyes were undimmed by
either hate or fear. His gaunt shoul-
ders were bowed, but his steel thews
never faitered as he bore for a burden
the destinies OF his people. His great
aud tender heart shrauk from giving
pain: and the task allotted to him was
to pour out like water the life blood
OF young men. and to feel in his every
ii Der the sorrow of the women.
Disaster saddened but never dis,
mayed him. AS the red years of war
went by they found him ever doing his
duty 10 the present, ever facing the
future with fearless front, high of
sha AIKEN by scorn, he worxed and suf-
fered for the people. Triumph was
his at the last; and barely had he
tasted it before murder found him,
and the kindly, patient, fearless eyes
were closed forever.
AS q people we are indeed beyond
measure fortunate in the characters
OF the two greatest of our public men,
Washington and Lincoln. Widely
though they differed in externals, the
Virginia landed gentleman and the
Kentucky backwoodsman, they were
alike in essentials, they were alike in
the great qualities which rendered
each able to render service to his
nation and to all mankind such as no
other man of his generation could or
did render.