The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1909-02-13
GdrreChf Talks
To ldbOring Men


! Labor temple. South Third street las
| night to enjoy the Lincoln centennar,
program which had been arranged b,
the labor organizations of the CITY. TIL,
program opened with a patriotic selec.
| ton by the De La Sale band, followed
by number by the mandolin club. An.
o;her stirring selection by the bant
was followed by an able address deliv.
cred by f. A. Garrecht. the principa
speaker of the occasion, whose re.
marks were followed by a short talk by
Rev. w. A. Bull. Glenn Harris pre-
sided as chairman of the occasion.
Mr.. Garrecht, who spoke upon the
life and achievements of Abraham Lin
coin, made profound impression upon
his auditors, and his address, in part
as follows, was well received:
I'VE live in an age and in a country
whose progress marks an era unpar-
alleled in the records of history: we
have advanced beyond competition in
our harvests, our trade, our commerce.
in the product of our mines and in our
inventive faculty with it's miracles of
manufacture. Indeed our material pro-
gress has been so rapid and so extern
sive that one of the greatest dangers
of the day is that the universal love of
money will crowd out higher aspira-
tons and nobler aims in national and
individual life. 1t is reassuring then
that upon occasions such as this we
are able to lay aside the ordinary avo-
cations of life and turn from sordid
things to lift our thoughts to the con-
temptation of the high achievements
of exalted character and in this humble
way show our gratitude for patriotic
devotion and our appreciation of signal
services. AS we look back into the
dim vistaS of the past we behold many
great characters that stand along the
~orridors of history, like mighty
torches Illuminating the ages behind
us. We see Bonaparte with the w1erd
magnetism of fate about his classic
face. Yet he was selfish in every ambi-
ton, and failed in every great purpose.
We see Cromwell, England's iron
heeled ruler, but his achievements
have vanished like the baseless fabric
of dream. We see Caesar, whose mar
tial tread seemed to cause the solid
earth to tremble yet his cruel and
bloody power eXcites no admira ion.
Here, too, we see Washington making
the dark places of national conflict
brighter. Standing alone for nearly a
century in the cOnsumate harmony of
his abilities, fitted to the work given
him by Providence, soldier, statesman,
president, patriot, and now after many
years We gladly break the solitude Of
mis- greatness by placing beside him
that side by side they may
stand forth in magnificent, colossal
to be remembered forever.
LincoIn's Personality.
Tonight as we come into the pres
ence of this great American, we are
with the remarkable person
strong though homely. face
with its sad and loving eyes. The strik
ing figure, tall, six feet four lank,
wrinkled from his youth and passess-
ing the clearest brain, the biggest heart,
the most magnanimous soul among all
the leaders of his day.
"In the solitude of his greatness he
lowered above them like Mount Shasta
above the plains of the Pacific. Abra-
ham Lincoln was of the plain people;
in blood and ancestry a simple Amer1-
can. He entered upon his career with
no prestige from the past; no title nor
station in his lineage. Born in the state
of Kentucky one hundred years ago
this day. His youth was developed in
that school of rugged training out OF
which have come our greatest men,.
"His books were few but well learned
he read the Bible much and studied the
dictionary carefully, besides he early
framed the habit of writing down his
ideas and impressions all of which
combined to foster the grace of style
and precision of expression, which
his meagre education has
astounded literary critics Lincoln's
syle in speech and writing is the same
sort of marvel that gave us the consul
mate art of Shakespeare, the uncol-
legged actor; of Burns. the plowman;
and of Keats, the apothecary's appren-
tice, son of a livery stable man.
Notwithstanding that the country
has been ransacked for every record
of his public speech, and every scrap
of paper to which he put pen, there has
been found from him absolutely moth
ing discreditable and little that can
be criticized for the form Of express
sion.
1T was no doubt the consideration
of this notable accomplishment that
brought from the lips of Col. Ingersoll
in his eulogy on Lincoln the remark
able epigram-'that colleges are places
where pebbles are polished and dia-
monds are dimmed.' While we cannot
but question the full accuracy of the
statement We must still admit that
there is in it a large grain of truth, as
more fully appears as we contrast MIN
with the college educated men of his
time
LincoIn's Paramount Object.
Under the influence of Lincoln's aW
full assassination, partisan writers of
the north reacting upon the bitter feel
ing toward the slaveholding arlstocra-
cy of the old south taught the living
tons thai the emancipation pro
constitutes Lincoln's chlef
claim to enduring fame.
But this is neither fact nor history.
Zone needs but to turn to his mes
sages to congress. his speeches, and his
letters to see clearly thai to preserve
the union was the guiding principle
Of all Lincoln's heroic work through