Omaha daily bee., 1910-02-13
CANNON TALKS OF LINCOLN
lContInoed trom FIrst Page.l


ham Lincoln and found in him the first
lawyer on the circuit, a kindly man ready
to make a helpful suggestion to any n OF
the young lawyers, Of which the speaker
was one.
Again when the speaker was a delegate
to the republican state convention OF 1850
In Illinois. at which Lincoln was made the
presidential candidate OF the state, the
men met. Mr.. Cannon drove across the
prairie from where he lived to the con-
vention in a wagon-railroads were few
and then only building.
The convention was held IN a wig
wan" said the speaker, erected between
two buildings. but II was out OF doors,
covered with green boughs cut from a
nearby forest and the ends Of the wigwam
were open to permit the crowd outside to
hear.
Before the convention was fully organ
tied Dick Oglesby, afterward senator n
governor. and John Hanks brought upon
the platform two walnut rails said TO
have been split by Lincoln and Hank
There were great cheers for the famous
rail splitter. The crowd was 80 dense that
when there was q call for Lincoln It could
not be broken to let him through. and he
was lifted over the heads Of the audience
20 the platform. Someone cried out:
Abe, did you split those railsT'
A queer look passed over Lincoln's face
and he replied;
'John Hanks said we split these rails.
I do not know whether we did or not, but
l have split many better ones"
II met Lincoln only once after his cleo
ton to the presidency. He was on his
way to Charlottestown, ILL.,, to bid his
stepmother goodbye before going to Wash
ington. He was travelling on a day train,
riding in a day coach ana surrounded by
other passengers, some congratulating him,
others advising, but most OF them simply
crowding around to shake his hand. They
all seemed to know him or felt that they
knew him. He made his last visit 60 his
stepmother. She was just a common
homespun woman, and to her he remained
until the end just MY boy Abe"
L~incOln's Great Task.
Through one term as president and the
beginning Of another the speaker sketched
in a graphic way Lincoln's life-war, the
inevitable, the strife among his advisers,
the criticism and abuse heaped upon his
head after the first battle Of Bull Run
and the almost superhuman task the presl-
dent carried to win his fight for the right
as he saw 1t.
when ministers Of the gospel came with
advice which they Believed to be divine
inspiration" continued the speaker, Lin
coin replied that IL God intended to Civ
divine advice to anyone he believed II
would come to him upon whom laid the
responsibility, for he was as anxious as
anyone to know the divine will and act
in accord with II.
T me there is no more inspiring Incl
dent in our whole history. nor one more
pathetic, than that CT the tall gaunt form
Of Lincoln with that sad bIt serene face,
standing out against a darkening sky to
assure the men in the field and their
supporters at home that there was still
manhood and real leadership in the place
Of highest responsibility.
THE territories which Lincoln sought to
save from slavery have surpassed the
widest speculation and prophecy In 1850,
and the homestead act passed in Lncoln's
administration on HIS recommendation has
converted the staked plains and the great
American desert into AT agricultural en-
pire that has not a parallel anywhere.
The newer west has double the total
wealth Of the United States at the time
Lincoln was elected.