The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1909-02-19
WASHINGTON LETTER.

| BY Joint resolution late on the nth
inst, Congress made provision for the
observance of Friday the I2th, the CEN
tennial of the birth of Lincoln, as a
special holiday and the Presidents
proclamation confirmed the action Of
Congress, making IT effective in the Dis
trict of Columbia, Alaska, Arizona, New
Mexico and Hawaii In anticipation of
the passage of the resolution. after he had
departed for Lincoln's birthplace in
Kentucky, the President had prepared
and signed proclamation which was
issued as soon as the joint resolution had
been signed by Vice President Fairbanks
and Speaker Cannon.
! Near the close of the session Of the
House of Representatives, Mr.. ,Boutelle
of Illinois, delivered eulogy on Lincoln
of such force and simplicity that 1 will
venture to quote it here believing it can
not have too wide circulation
No ruler ever faced so hard task, or
one beset with so many pitfalls as that
which confronted Lincoln, when he en-
tered the Presidency. During all his
term of service be had to deal, not only
with open enemies, but with secret foes,
faithless friends and INSCRIPTIONS rivals
"He endured the whips and scorns of
time with unfailiug patience and serenity,
sometimes diverting the force of the
heaviest blows with the shield of humor;
and day after day he bore without a
nurmur load of care that would have
crushed spirit that had not been uobly
consecrated.
But in the night watches, when deep
sleep falleth upon men he trod alone the
loftiest heights of human thought, COM
muned in solitude with God, drank deep
from the cool cisterns of Christian charity
and came back to the burdens and the
heat of another day with his soul purged
of all envy, hatred and malice and all
uncharitableness and with the light of
inspiration in his deep-set eyes. We
shall search in vain the messages, speech
es and letters of Lincoln for one i'm
patient, harsh or contemptuous word,
directed against those who differed with
him or sought to thwart his designs
~
The President has returned from Ken
lucky where he went to officiate at the
laying Of the corner stone at the old Lin
coin Homestead in Larue county, and 10
deliver an address there. The other
speakers were ex- Governor Folk of Mis-
souri,, and the Secretary of War, Mr..
Wright.
President elect Taft is expected in
Washington on Tuesday, where he will
hold conference with the President and
some friends. aud it is probable that at
this time an authoritative statement will
be made of the results of his inspection of
the inter oceanic canal.
~
There was an interesting episode in the
Senate Friday, when LaFollette of Wis
consin, standing alone held up the United
States Senate and prevented the consid-
alton of the Naval Appropriation Bill,
forcing an adjournment until Monday,
involving loss Of two days time not
withstanding the fact that but fifteen
legislative days of the short session re-
main. He and Senator Hale of Maine
had tilt in which LaFolette proved him.
self more than equal debater aud mas
ter of sarcasm. 1t is we'll understood
that Mr.. LaFollette and a. number of
Senators younger in service if not in
years, are determined to resist the autoc
racy of Aldrich. Hale and Gallinger,
which has long ruled the Senate. In the
debate Mr.. LaFollette said "I have had
the hardihood not only to doubt the
divine perfection of the present arrange
ment, but to almost believe the business
of the Senate could be distributed among
its ninety-two members, instead of being
taken care Of by less than one.third of
this body"
~
Without debate and with very few
words of explanation, the bill to remove
the obstacles standing in the way of SEN
ator Knox becoming Secretary IF State
was passed by the Senate on the evening
of the nth inst But the bill will prob
ably not have as smooth sailing in the
House of Representatives. The chair.
man of the Judiciary Committee of the
House holds that there is no constitu-
tioual remedy in Mr.. Knox case and il is
hiuted that he will withdraw his accept
auce of Mr.. Taft's invitation that he
enter the Cabinet and will continue TO
represent the state of Pennsylvania in the
Senate.