The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1909-02-12
SOUSA

means to ends; but there was in him none
of that morbid growth of mind and soul
which blinds so many practical men to the
man ever lived than this homely back
woods idealist; but he had nothing in COM
mon with those practical men whose con
sciences are warped until they fail to
distinguish between good and evil, fail to
understand that strength, ability, shrewd-
ness. whether in the world of business or
of politics, only serve to make their pos
SCISSOR a more noxious, a more evil MEM
Der of the community, if they are not
guided and controlled by a fine and high
moral sense.
We of this day must try to solve many
social and Industrial problems; requiring
indomitable resolution with ,cool-headed
sanity. We can profit W the way in
which Lincoln used both these traits as
he strove for reform. We can learn much
Of value from the very attacks which fol-
lowing that course brought upon his head,
attacks alike by the extremists of revo-
He never wavered in devotion to his prin-
ciples, in his love for the Union, and in
his adherence of slavery. Timid and luke
warm people were always d~enouncing him
because he was too extreme; but as a
matter of fact he never went to extremes:
this hi w the ext SteP Ps S bsetPdi a and 9 denoaece ID
him with a fervor which now seems to
us fantastic in its dedication of the unreal
one side was holding him up as the apostle
of social revolution because he was against
slavery, the leading abolitionist denounced
him as the slave hound of Illinois" When
he was the second time candidate for
President the majority of his opponents
attacked him because of what they termed
his extreme radicalism, while a minority
threatened to bolt his nomination because
he was not radical enough. He had con-
tinually to check those who wished to go
forward too fast. at the very time that he
OVERRIDE the opposition of those who
wished not to go forward at all. The
goal was never dim before his vision; but
no n1nknd bic NrnU nnttinfTG1yr t1n
either halt or hurry, as he STROBE toward
it. through such a morass of difficulty h a
f.n,n man q less esq., courage would have at,
overwhelmed any man of judgment less
serene.
LincoIn's Rare Courage.
Yet perhaps the most wonderful thing
of all. and, from the standpoint of the
America of today and of the future, the
most vitality important; was the eXtraor,
valiantly against what he deemed wrong
and yet preserve nndiminished his love
and respect for the brother from whom
he differed. In the hour of a triumph that
would have turned any weaker mans head.
in the heat of "A struggle which spurred
many a good man to dreadful vindictive-
ness. he said truthfully that SO long as he
had been in his office he had never willing
1y planted a thorn in any mans bosom,
incidents of the trial through which they
were passing as philosophy from which to
learn wisdom and not as wrongs to be
avenged, ending with the solemn eXhor-
tation that, as the strife was over, all
should reunite in a common effort to save
their common country.
He, lived in days that We're great and
terrible, when brother fought. against
brother for what each sincerely deemed tc
be the right In a contest so grim tbs
strong men who alone can carry 1t through
are rarely able to do justice to the deer
convictions OF those with whom they
grapple in mortal strife. At such times
men see through a glass darkly' to only
the rartst and Hottest spirits Is vouch.
lsafed that clear vision which gradually
comes to all, even to the lesser, as thu
struggle fades into distance, and wound.
are forgotten. and peace creeps back t.
was given this supreme vision. He dtt
not hate the man from whom he differed
Weakness was as foreign as wickednesi
to his strong. gentle nature; but hi
courage was of a quality so high that |
needed no holstering of lark passion. H,
saw clearly that the same high qualities
the same courage and willingness for self
sacrifice, and devotion TO the right as /
was given them to see the right. BELONGED
both TO the men of the North and to thu
men of the South. AS the years roll b,
70 feel an equal pride in the valor am
self-deVotion alike Of the men who wori
the blue md the men who wore the gray
so this whole nation will grow to feel
peculiar sense of pride in the man who's
blood was shed for the Union. of his PEG
pie and for the. freedom of a race; I'll
lover of his country and of all mankind
the mishtiest of the mighty men who mas
tered the mighty days-Abraham Lincoln.