The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-02-12
View the Site.

ever
View the Site.
Many visitors stopped at HodgenyiIle
OH their way 20 the farm 20 see the site
AZ the Lincoln statue, for which Con-
gress appropriated $4,000 and LaIlue
county s. 500, and which viii DE unveiled
the latter part ot May
OF the memorial hall itself an they
beheld was the beginning oil tge ioun-
dstion. which IS of concrete.
Aside from the speakers, tae guests
OF honor were.
Mrs Ben Hardin Helm. of Louisville.
q half-sistcr OF Mrs Abraham Lincoln
ana Robert Collier, of New York who
purchased the EmCoIu farm and started
the movement for the national me-
mortal.
Not only was sectional feeling blOtted
out today but an effort ut least was
made to forget race and political preJu-
dice. A committee OF tventy-siX negro
citizens OF Kentucky, appointed by
Governor Wilson. represented on the re-
cepdOn committee the lace from which
Lincoln struck the bonds of slavery.
The Democratic and Republican state
committees made the trip TO Hodgeu-
vile together.
Governor Folk. as president of the
National Lincoln Farm Association,
opened the speechmaking. The laying
of the cornerstone and President
ROOSeVeltS address followed.
The Presidents Speech
The President spoke as follows
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 i'm the dire poverty
of the poorest of the frontier folk, whose
rise was by weary and painful labor
lived 70 lead his people through the
burning flames of struggle from which
the nation emerged. purified as 10y IRE,
born anew 10 . ioftler life.
After long years OF iron effort, ana Of
failure that came more often than vic
tory, he ut last rose to the leadership
OF the Republic, at the moment when
that leadership had become the stipend
uous World-task OF the time.
Never Knew Ease
He grew TO know greatness, but never
ease. Success came 10 him, but never
happiness, save ths which springs from
doing well a painful and a vital task.
Power was his. but not pleasure. The
furows deepened on his brow, but his
eyes were undimmed by either hate or
fear. His gaunt shoulders were bowed.
but his steel Uhews never faItered as NE
bore for a burden the destuics OF his
people
His great and tender heart shrank
from giving pain, and the task allotted
him was 10 pour out ike water the life
blood Of the young men, and TO feel ln
his every fiber the sorrow of the women.
Disaster saddened4 bat never dismayed
him.
Ever Doing His Duty.
AS the red years of war went by they
found him ever doing his duty I'm the
present. ever facing the future with
fearless front, high OF heart, and daunt-
less Of soul UnbrOken by hatred. UNI
shaken By sc1u, he worked and SUI
fered for the people. Triumph was his
II the .ast; and barely had lac tasted
1t before murder found him. and the
kindly, patient fearless eyes were
closed forever
As a people we are indeed beyond
measure fortunate lu the characters
OF the two greatest of our public men,
Washington and Lincoln. Widely
though they differed i'm eXternals the
Virginia landed gentleman and Jhe
kentucky baCkWUOdsmau. they were
alike IN essentials, they were alike In
the great qualities which rendered
each able 20 render service 90 his ma
ton and 10 AN mankind such as DO
other man OF his generation could Oh
did render.
Each had lofty ideals. but each in
striving 10 attain these lofty ideals
was guided hy the souudest common
sense.
Both Had Courage
Each possessed IudexibIe courage on
adversely, and a soul wholly ruspoiIel
gentler virtues commonly exhibited Dos
good men who lack rugged strength
Of character Each possessed also all
Jhe strong Qualities commonly exlib-
tied by those towering masters OF
mankind who have too often shown
themselves devoid of SO much as tlE
understanding or the words HE WIiC.
we signify tho qualities OF duty, Of
mercy. OF devotion 10 the right, OF
lofty dIsiUteTesreduess iU battling fJI
the good of others.
There b Te been other men as great
ana other men ar good but in all IGt
history of mankind there are uo other
two great men as good as these. uo
other two good mon as great
Widely though the problems Of Toe
day differ from tHc problems seq f1I
solution 90 Washington when ll
founded this nation TO Lincoln when
be saved 10 and freed the slave. yet
The qualities they showed DO mCaLiug
these problems are exactly the sam.
as those we should show iu doing uuI
work today.
Lincoln Saw Ahead.
Lincoln saw into The future with
the prophetic Imagination usually
vouchsafed only 90 the poet and tHs
seer lie had .u him aI llr llft toe
ward greatness OF tle visionary. with
out any of tine EisiOuarys tauaGcisu
Oh egOusIur without amy OF IHe vision