The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-02-13
SENATOR M'MANUS
PRAISES LINCOLN
Excellent oratoricaI Tribute Paid to
the immortal Emaneipator at
the Grand Opera
House.
TRUE TO AMERIcANIsM
His Name and Fame Shall Live as
Long as the Spirit Of Patriot
ism Endures on Ameri-
can Soil.
TRUE TO AMER1cAN1sM

The eloquent and forceful address
4 by State Senator E. P. McManus, de-
iivered last evening at the Lincoln
exercises in the Grand opera house,
was most brilliant effort. The ad.
dress In full, was as follows:
I Ladies and Gentlemen: 1t is Amer
/ lean TO revere and honor the memory
\ OF those noble characters whose lives
were devoted to the work of building
up our country. | am proud of the
privilege of participating in this. the
centennial anniversary of the birth of
Abraham Lincoln, the man who, in my
opinion, more nearly typified true
Americanism than any other in the
Nations history.
Born of the poorest and humblest
parents; nursed in the sad but loving
4 breast of poverty; commencing at the
/ lowest and reaching the highest round
on the shining ladder of fame. he
planted an unalterable and unf1inching
affection in the hearts of his country
men that will live SO long as TIE spir.
( it of patriotism endures on American
/ soil, and that this spirit will endure
and thrive is attested to today by eel
ebrations in his name throughout the
length and breadth of the land he loved
/ so well. and if such gatherings will
but serve to awaken new interest
! in the rugged life of the greatest
American Of them all, they are well
worth the while.
| So it is we'll that we are here to-
night apotheosiZing man who came
! from the same timber from which we
are made, lived a life as we are living
and loved the country that We love.
I 1t is we'll to honor such men as Lin
coin for their lives are ineXhaustible
springs from which all may drink in
spiration.
Z In these days when we are looking
/ for the false shams in life; when the
glamour of money diverts our minds
from virtue so that we see things from
an unnatural point OF view, it is re-
ifreshing to engage our thoughts upon
! one of Gods nobleman, free from the
faint of guile and deceit-one who
lived for the betterment of his fellow
men | love to think of Lincoln, of
the typical American. for he was born
in the rough west where nature is at
home and he was reared amongst the
scenes fresh from the hand of the
/ Creator; from such scenes he inhaled
the pure air of simplicity and candor.
There were no modern Injuries, no
voulptuous attractions to pervert him:
/ his mind remained free and spotless
and he became great through his sim
plicity Lives that are occupied with
grave work and much accomplishment
ofttimes present few attributes seem
ingly worthy of emulation to the av-
erage youth. Men who are active and
fulfill great destinies appear super
human and we cannot conceive OF
their being like unto our very selves.
/ Yet Lincoln was SO human. SO simple
i and so common that he affords the
grandest ideal for those who aspire to
fame. He did not walk to his success
over the fallen bodies OF men, nor
1 did he violate a single rule of honor.
! What he accomplished he did by virtue
of love and charity. Neither guile nor
craftiness characterized him; sweet
simplicity was his best virtue
4 AS look about me today I wonder
Z if mans ideals are changing. for it
seems that there is premiums put on
deception and the world seems to ap-
plaud trickery Men seem to be be-
coming less scrupulous in their duties
toward their fellow men; modern so
cietv connives at circumstances that
the society of Lincoln's time would
condemn. am sometimes apprehen-
siye OF these signs of the time, they
seems to presage disaster to our instl-
tutions vet / have such faith In the
I freedom-loving instinct of the Ameri-
can people that do not believe they
will become contaminated with COM
rnercialism and voluptuousness.
The perpetuity OF the nation depends
upon the vigorous citizenship of her
I peopIe. IF men become corrupt and
! family ties are desecrated. ruin must
surely follow to our government
The nation is built upon the home
and once the home life OF Americans
become rotten then the whole fabric
i.of American institutions must crum-
ble into dust. 1t is from such type
as Lincoln that we must seek an ex-
empIar. 1t Is from such lives as bis
ye must draw our inspiration. II We
would keep alive that patriotism OF
which we boast. II is to the great
common people that we must turn our
aves in time of peril and distress. That
great middle class that Is removed
from the vice and luxury of opulence--
pure of mind and body. My only fear
is that this sturdy class may some
iday decay. never to be replaced. For
in the words Of Goldsmith
"In fares the land to Fastening Ills a
prey,
Where wealth accumulates and men
decay.
Princes and Lords may flourish or
may fade,
A breath can make them as breath
has made,
But a bold peasantry, their country's
pride,