Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-01-22


or misinformation VIC arc In concerning
Washington, in whose case we have to
depend on the Sparilses and Weemses
for some historical fairy tales.
Lincoln has not entirely escaped
from these romancers even as it is,
but they started their fiction factories
so soon that it has been possible to
put. For example, there were a lot
of the oldest inhabitants in several
southern states who felt 1t their
bounden duty to reflect on his pater-
nifty. All of these stories have been
traced to their origin. proved to be
erroneous and branded. Then some
body came to the surface who said
he had heard somebody say that had
heard somebody else say that Mr.. Lin
coin was not born on the birthplace
farm, but in an entirely different part
Of Kentucky. He made some sort of
affidavit on the ground of this hear
say testimony. Now, 1t is fortunate
all this happened while there were
reliable. truth loving people on earth
born. Thus the thing could be dem
onstrated beyond cavil, nailed down
and established for the ages. This
saves posterity lot of unnecessary
speculation, investigation and trouble.
Suppose these stories had been sprung
after everybody that knew Lincoln
was dead. All this inaccuracy might
ho- fY.ia fa1 Ire
the centuries. A very large portion
of ancient history belongs in the fic-
ton department of our libraries.
We are fortunate In another, respect.
Many of those who have written lives
Of Mr.. Lincoln associated with him
daily. He was great enough to seem
great to his secretaries and partners.
The telegraph operators at the war
department, the attendants about the
White House. the common soldiers
who saw their commander In chief,
all had some sort of inner prompting
that this was not just an ordinary
president. but that here was the sort
Of man that would interest the TWEEN
ty-second century. So they made
L
world has grown in 1000 years so
that now a prophet has honor in his
own country and among those of his
own household. They may not see
all of his greatness, but if they even
measure some angles of 1t these fur
nish basis for future computations
If Lincoln had lived back in the days
af oil 81
imagined the sort of rich story Plu-
tarch would have made of him. At a
little earlier period. back in that en-
chanting but uncertain dawn of his
tory before the shadows had quite lift
ed, men would have created of him an
Odin or one of those delightful old
pagan demigods that strangled drag
ons with their naked hands. But we
| have not so much to crow over. for
they almost did that with Washington
| in our own day.
Let us beware Of putting Lincoln on
| a pedestal. 1t is the sweet and every
| day humanity of the man that is his
| chief charm. 1t is easy to marvel at a
| higher order of beings. but hard to
| love them. Lincoln is close enough to
us to love, and we must keep him
| so. There are enough little tin del
ties, but we need this man for our
common humanity. He Is too big, too
warm and too precious to set him out
Of reach. They have robbed US of
most of our heroes by making them
unhuman and impossible, but they
shall not do it with Lincoln. He be-
| longs TO our man and woman world
and we are going to keep him for our
own. The far shining greatness of his
soul makes his gnarled hands and
wrinkled face all the more precious to
us. Let us have all the centeEaries