The San Francisco call., 1910-06-15

citizens. practically charged Lincoln
with having been uniaithful to the
great trust reposed in him; with hav-
ing failed 10 execute the laws of the
land. and with having paid a '-nista ken
Difference TO rebel slavery" II was a
cruel and unjust criticism, but it was
written in the telling style of one Of
the greatest journalists OF his age,
and IL had behind il the tremendous
power and prestige of great name
and a great personality. 1t was a pro-
test that might well cause even the
greatest to hesitate, nay, even to fall
ter; but Greeley, aole as he was, had
not taken the true measure of the man
with whom he was dealing. Lincoln.
without hesitation, composed his an
swer, and issued il in the form Of that
memorable Reply TO Horace Greeley,
which IN Its grave dignity, It's uncon-
scious pathOs, and its noble severity,
stands apart in the history of episto-
larry literature. And the nation saw
not refuse the widows prayer TO spare
her soldier son who was condemned to
be shot for desertiOn could turn a
deaf ear to the prayer Of Twenty MIL
lions when that prayer clashed with
what Lincoln felt to be his duty.
EVERY ONE MAY AID
While but few have the opportunity
Of rendering TO the nation the lnNaiu-
able and patriotic service which was
rendered by Lincoln or Washington,
Yet every enlightened and patriotic
citizen may aid the community in
which he lives to reach a sane and
all. it is the units of individual citi-
zenship which collectively make up
the nation and control its destinies. /
need not again emphasize the tremen-
dOus importance to the community and
70 the nation Of a sound and Informed
public opinion. 1 have tried to make
clear TO you the difference between
public opinion and public clamor,
f-f inc ION rrr11f 1fnf &c nf hn
portsnce, but one which, unfortunately,
is rarely made. Public opinion, in the
sense in which / have used the term,
is not the first laSty impression that
springs from i'll considered or INSULT
cient data. but is rather the sober sec
Ond thought Of a community, formed
after deliberate and thorough consid-
Grafton Of the questions at issue. 1t
follows from this that times of great
public excitement, when passion and
prejudice control, are not the times
conducive TO the formation Of sound
public opinion. 1t is at just such
times. however, that the educated men
and women Of this country can render
their most important public services.
They should not lend their Influence or
support to the alarmists or the sem
sarionists Of the hour; nor. on the
other hand, should they stand passively
aside and leave the multitude TO its
own guidance The first course is con-
temptible, the second worse than un-
pa atriOtic.
DEM AGOGUE Is WITH Us
1t has been said that the educated
citizen should be the antidote to the
oema gogue. The dema gogue we have
always with us. but he is powerless TO
deceive or mislead the educated man.
He has never, it may be said truth
1ully, been successful for any length
of time in misleading even the mass
OF the people 1t is the demOnstra-
tion Of every crisis that the great ma
jOrity is sound at heart, that II is will
every instance where il has for the
moment failed, the fault may be traced
faith in unworthy leadership.
The duty of the educated man 10
here plainly indicated. 1t Is nothing
less than TO meet situations as they
arise, with the informa tion and the
courage with which knowledge and
training have equipped him. 1t is al
ways the duty Of Intelligence to guide
the steps or Ignorance, and only the
shirk or the coward among educated
men VIII stand back when times and
conditions call for sound counsels
mere are know, those who maintain
that IN country where majorities
rule. the voice OF enlightened iudg-
ment is lost in the clamor of ignor-
ance and prejudice. To such 1 should
say that their observation Of social
movements is at fault, and they have
read history TO little purpose.
The record of American life does not
JUSTIFY low estimate Of the popular
capacity 10 respond to the higher ap-
peal The trimmer and the time serv-
ing politician always adopt such low
estimate. and so long as they can de-
eeiNe the public they may achieve
limited and temporary success. but the
end is always the same. Failure over
"a kes them in their short career, and
oblivion marks them for her own. Our
great leaders. from the day of Samuel
Adams until this day, have always been
men who have had the courage of their
convictions, and who. for those cOnVfc-
uOns, have had TO face public opposi-
tiOn. oftentimes viliflcation and abuse
Often they stood alone. and the recoq-
milton their hearts yearned for was
denied them. But they strove for some
thing higher than popularity, and to-
day they stand on the heights, while
the time server and the trimmer are
forgotten or remembered only with
contempt
POWER OF NEWSPAPERS {.
I have just been referring to our
great political leaders, but what 1 ha te
said concerning them applies with
equal force TO the great leaders of
Journalism In Journalism. as in poll
tics we have the inspiration of noble
traditions and the stimulus of great
names and high ideals. If Journalism
today does not universally occupy the
high place il might. it has only itself
10 blame Newspapers, in many in
stances, have misused their great
power; they have employed the arts of
the demagogue to gain subscribers, Just
as a certain type of politician employs
such arts TO win votes. do not mean
10 imply that this is true of news
papers generally, any more than il is
true Of politicians generally. Our coun-
try affords many notable Instances to
ihe contrary. Here in this state. there
is published a newspaper which has
long sustained with signal ability and
prestige the higher traditions of Jour-
nallsm, a newspaper whose name has
become a synonym for moral and in
tellectual force, one whose opinions
and judgments are accorded serious
consideration by thinking people at
home and abroad. Such a journal is
truly q precious possession a thing to
be valued as among the powers maxi
ing for right and justice among men
1t has been said of the profession of
teaching that ii may be either ssthe
sorriest Of trades or the noblest of pro-