The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1909-02-25
Heroes and Hero Worship.

Monday Was Washington s birthday
and the nation paid tribute. to "The
Father of His Country" A week ago
millions Of people joined in paying
homage to Abraham Lincoln as The
Preserver Of the Nation" and both of
the great Americans were justly en-
titled to the homage that was heaped
upon them ON those occasions. Hero
worship is popular in the United States
and it is one of the characteristics of
the people as nation that it pays tri-
butte to it's honored statesmen and
soldier dead. The lasting example of
the lives Of these men is always felt
at the time Of the celebration Of the
anniversary of their birth, but there is
some doubt as to whether that senti-
ment extends throughout the year.
Lincolns and Washingtons are being
produced today, but the principle which
actuated the people in eleyating these
men to high Offices of public trust,
seems to have in great measure died
out and today it is the man with the
band, the press agent and in the bar
rel that is able to best sway the peo-
pie of the nation and in this manner,
control it's public policies. The man
that makes the biggest show is always
the man who gets the largest vote.
Neither Washington nor Lincoln if liv-
ing today, could raise campaign fund
large enough to secure an election as
United States senator in Wisconsin.
The simplicity Of Washington in rid
ing the horse which he had used in
many bitter campaigns to the White
House at the time of his Inauguration
is in strange contract with the
triumphant trip of President-elect Taft
to Washington this week. The proto-
type Of Washington and Lincoln in
politics today finds himself under a
heavy handicap and one that is all
but insurmountable. One of the great
est demands Of American politics today
is to get back to the simple life. To
the life where it will be posi- ble for
the man of individual merit to be ex-
allied to high place. The fault is
the fault Of commonwealth. So long
as Offices can be purchased there will
be men to buy them. The laws Of the
nation today place no limit on the
amount man may spend in seeking
Office and for this reason many high
minded, patriotic men are forced to
eschew politics and leave the operation
of the nation to men whose recommen-
dalton for office is found solely in the
fact that they can afford to finance the
campaigns. 1t is no disparagement to
these men for they have a chance to
realize their ambitions and they go
down in history with purchased halo
of greatness. They may be all up
right men and their work for their ma
tion may be actuated by honest mo-
tives, but they are handicapped by the
fact that they have been chosen more
on account of their financial fitness
than their mental fitness for the of
fees which they are honored by hold
ing. Washington and Lincoln were
prominently leaders Of men, but
neither of them were men of vast
wealth. Conditions made it possible
for them to gain their high honors by
sheer strength Of character and this is
the great reason that these men are
today honored by the nation which
they founded and prepared Their
names will continue to be remembered
long after new system of American
politics shall have made the money
bought statemen forgotten.