The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1909-02-13
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l8O9-The Lincoln centenary-l9O9
Little Farm That Raised a Man.
By James A. Edgerton
Copyright. 1908. by the
American Press Association

At the time Mr.. Collier bought ''the
little farm that raised man" the
historic rock spring from which it
took its name had degenerated into
hog wallow, while the cabin in which
Lincoln was born had been taken
north for show purposes and was
housed in Long Island basement.
This was rescued from the blight of
commercialism, like the farm, and
sent back from it's wanderings to rest
in honor in its own place. The jour-
ney to Kentucky was one of triumph.
The little one room log cabin was es-
corted to it's destination in greater
state than most kings and conquerors.
The railroads carried it free: the
Wanamaker store in New York dec
Grated the car; the governor Of Ken
lucky detailed an officer and four
militiamen to escort the old logs
through with safety; Mayor Weaver
Of Philadelphia received it with hon.
or; Baltimore, through which Lincoln
had to pass in secret. to keep from
being assassinated. greeted the cabin
that gave him birth with speeches of
welcome; at Altoona the school chill
dren decked the car with flowers; at
Pittsburg the Grand Army took it in
charge; at Columbus the mayor and
superintendent of schools made stir
ring addresses; at indianapolis appro-
pirate exercises were held, and at
Louisville former Vice President
Stevenson spoke for the state of Illi-
nois and Henry Watterson for the
state Of kentucky. One of the strik-
ing utteranees of Colonel Watterson,
who was introduced as the greatest
living student of the life of Lincoln"
is worthy of reproduction. OF Lin
coin the orator said:
He was inspired Of God for nowhere
else could he have acquired that wisdom
and virtue. Where did Shakespeare get
his genius, Mozart his music? Who wrote
the lyric of the Scotch peasant? AS God
raised up and inspired them. SO did he
Lincoln. When thousand years hence,
the truth of history shall have left no
room to doubt. no drama will be followed
with deeper feeling than that which tells
the story of his life and death. God laid
his hands upon these rough hewn logs,
and they brought forth a nations hero.
Thus the plain Kentucky cabin, the
humblest birthplace of great soul
since the manager Of Nazareth, return
ed to its home to grace the centennial
of that advent which had come to
earth through it's door. Both the farm
and the house were turned over by
Mr.. Collier to an association headed
by Joseph w. Folk Of Missouri and
having on its board Of trustees such
Henry Watterson, Cardinal Gibbons.
William II. Taft, Ida NJ. Tarbell, Jen-
kin Lloyd Jones, Charles A. Towne,
Mark Twain and Albert Shaw. The
fund for the work was made COM
mon peoples offering, and tens Of
thousands of these became members
and gave each his mite to honor the
man who in his origin. words and con-
slant attitude had so signally honored
them.
On the farm the little cabin has been
placed at the exact spot where it be-
fore stood and has been surrounded by
a strong and simple edifice. in which
1t forms the sole exhibit. This build
ing, with it's Greek columns, stands
upon a hill and is approached by a
broad sweep Of steps leading from ,
plaza, from which also. descends the
path to the old spring. The remainder
of the farm has been left as before,
even to gnarled apple tree said to be
the last Of Tom Lincoln's orchard.
How fortunate 1t would be IL with
this revival Of interest in, the spot that
rave Abraham Lincoln birth we could
have a like revival Of interest in his
spirit, his ideals and his aims! He was
mot alone a man for one crisis. but for
all. His fidelity to the public good,
his refusal to permit private consider
atoms to stand in the way Of duty and
principle, his tender solicitude fer the
poor and humble and his placing Of
man above wealth, of humanity above
things and Of popular rights above in
situations, his faith in the masses, his
devotion to the doctrine Of equality
and of the rule of the majority-all of
these things are needed now and ever
in the republic. What a splendid OPP
portunity. this centenary presents to
study Lincoln's spirit, the innermost
Of the man that gives him his hold
on the people of his age and all ages.
While associations are making beau
tiful memorials Of the material spots
that knew him and are arranging pro-
grams to act as the machinery Of
praise, the form and shell that carry
the substance and life. why should not
the millions of men and women who
love Lincoln devote their leisure to a
study of his life and utterances and
an attempt to define the genius that
animated them? Then why not crown
all by resolve to give to the affairs
of the nation the same unselfish devo-
ton, the same high regard for truth,
the same love of the rights of man,
the same spirit Of righteousness, the
same hatred of tyranny. fraud and
Al e.: T. IL 4