Semi-weekly herald. [volume] (Durango, Colo.) 1907-1917, 1909-02-15

place in all American literature. They
are Lincoln's memorial address on the
field OF Gettysburg and his second
inaugural address and Webster's re. {
ply to Haine. Where got these men
their fine artistic touch. Both have
confessed their obligation to their dill
gent reading of the Word of God Glad
stone also. and John Ruskin, Eng
lands two greatest literary giants,
have accredited full debt TO this
remarkable book. 1t was by laying a
firm foundation upon the best, and
slowly building upon it with faithful
perseverance through the years that
Lincoln finally emerged the finest.
most symmetrical figure that has ever
stood upon the stage of Amo ican his.
| tory.
Thus it must be that cur people as
n nation shall attain their destined
place in the van of other nationS-
| by building on right foundations. by
| faithful and progressive diligence, by
continuous emphasis of the siBslGn
anu tue SOOu.
| Let us turn next from the study OF
his method of preparation to note the
full orbed characteristics which sus-
tanned him amid the burdens of his
presidential office, when str ,e, and
calumny, and vituperation, aud dis
tress, and carnage, and death sur
rounds him on every side. They were
in number FIVE: first, his sense of hu.
NOR; second. his feeling of responui.
| hility; third, his judicial fairness;
fourth, his faith in God and In prayer;
and fifth, his utter self-deyotion to
he best welfare of his country.
If you forget all else that I have
said today beg of you not to forgot
shat last and greatest characteristic,
necessary to all who would truly
serve their country.
1t was Lincoln himself who said
"All the armies of Europe. with the
Golfers of England, Germany and
France at their back and with a NJ
poleon for their commander, could
never take a drink from the Missi5-
sippi river against our wish in cam
paign of a thousand years. If Ama :,
lea ever falls it will not be from uu
enemy without but from disinterg,a.
ton within" And we all believe that
he was right
Furthermore we have recently had
occas ion to see some of the dangers
to which he alluded, when we have
seen the zearchlight of Investigation
turned on and revealing the fact That
many to whom we had grained The
highest offices in the gift Of he pee
pie, many whom we had honored w'fh
our deepest confidence had PLACED
their own personal interest ahead OF
the interest of the people whom they
had been elected to serve.
The mention of these exposure does
not bespeak a ressimis dc thol sht. In
fact there is nothing that ought to
bring to this nation a higher hope;
nothing that should arouse a truer OPP
limism than the thought thf we have
, at last after years of caft aud cor.
ruption found men in public Office
: brave enough to expose the disloyalty
and selfshness of cur national be
J trayers even at the risk of yir own
political life. And now that our eyes
; have been opened to the facts it be
hooves us to bravely stand for the
statesman of whatever political Taith
7 against the political boss and to do
mand that in every instance selfin
terest shall give way to public good
| God give us men! A time like this
demands
Strong mind, brave hearts, true faitl
and ready hands.
Men whom the lust of office cannot
kill;
Men whom the brides of office canno-
buy;
Men who possess opinion ami will
Men who have honor; men VINO viii
not lie!
Tall men, sun-crowned, who i've above
the fog
In private thinking and in public duty
---- :