The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1910-04-02

- A .AAS ~SSSS
not of great sacrifices or duties, but
of little things in which smiles, kind
ness and small obligations given
habitually are what preserve the
heart and secure comfort
"The political life of President Nc
Kinley is one that. .challcnges the ad-
miration of every citizen in the land.
His fortitude, hist wisdom, his zeal
and his patience give special luster TO
his political actions. But after all
that element of his character which
will live longest and sink deepest in
to the hearts, its, fidelity. its SYM
pathy and tenderness, and the sere-
nifty Of its close. when forgotten were
the duties of state and his whole
life's work found expression in his
last words, Nearer. Ny God, to Thee
President Lincoln faced a mightier
public calamity ann was confronted
by greater and more complex politi-
cal problems than have ever been
faced by any other American official.
He met them all with wisdom and
skill. and with courage and faith
unsurpassed and unequalled in the
worlds long history. But that which
will make the life of Abraham Lin
coin immortal. not only in the history
OF his own country, but throughout
all countries, are his homely virtues,
his great heart, his sympathy and
tenderness. his mercy and forgive
ness. x.
The firmament of the worlds his
tory is already studded with stars of
the first magnitudei each with a bril-
liancy rejecting it's own special vir-
tues; each with its3 ray touching into
activity some noblA emotion or am
bition; each portraying our ideal of
the soldier, the. statesman, the phil
anthropist, the poet, the scientist, the
inventor or the great and good of all
ages. Their numbers are sufficient
to- fi}l the sws;ld VI. inspiration and
engender laudable ambition in every
heart suceptible to their influence
But the influence of mighty name OF
some past age is slight wnen COM
pared with that of the living pres
ence. the comradeship of the great
and wise and good of our own day
Each distant star may be sun that
warns hundred worlds, but it is
the fire of our own hearts whose
slow must ever warm into being
those nobler impulses that shall give
strength and character to each sue
ceeding generation.
ITO have made the life of one fam
fly a joy and comfort, to have raised
a family of boys and girls upon whose
character he has left the impress of
his own integrity. courage and hon
or and lofty purposes-qualities that
die not with the man but are trans
mitted through generation after gen
eration-surely this is the apex of all
true greatness.
Measured by that standard. the
private life of Senator Johnson
eclipses even the fair record Of his
public services. His home life was
ideal. He was husband. father, in
structor and companion. Those who
knew him well tell me that no mat
ter how dark the clouds might gath
er around him he brought nothing
but sunshine ITO his own home sur
roundings. His heart was ever kind
and generous. Neither rudeness nor
ungraciousness ever found a place in
his nature.
conscious Of the uprightness of
his motives, his mind was ever sere-
nifty itself. In political defeat OF
private misfortune he was ever in a
happy frame of mind. Bright and
quick in repartee. his wit was that
which loved to play, not wound He
mad few enemies because he would
be no mans enemy. He forgave
without asking. His heart was big
enough to house the world in it's good
will. but in it was no room to har-
Dor the memory of a wrong.
"As an advocate of a principle his
addresses were always clear and
logical. He talked to the people and
with them. In all his debates no one
ever heard word of bitterness
against an opponent.
Senator Johnson was a member of
the Methodist Episcopal church, not
an idle. but an active. living member
OF that body. AS co-worker, his
foremost thought was ever concerning
the young. the coming generation.
Many church assembly has heard
him plead for childhood's rights.
Start the children right; surround
their younger days with helpful and
healthful environments: engender in
their nature fidelity to principle and
courage to battle for It; teach them
patriotism and temperance in all
things. These were the principles
he advocated: and that which he ad-
vised others he also carried out by
precept and example.
To most Of the senator's he was a
comparative stranger. Their acquain-
tance with him was confined to the
single speciak session which closed
April s: and yet. though a new man
in their midst. though self-repressed
by a natural sense Of modesty and
that unwritten rule which expects