Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1910-02-10
Hbrabam Lincoln,
the Nations Greatest Dero.

On February u, 100 years will
have passed since Abraham Lincoln,
considered by many the greatest fig
ure in American history, came into
the world. 1t is an old story, the
life of Abraham Lincoln, yet an ever
fascinating one. To the younger
generation Abraham Lincoln has al
ready become a half mythical figure,
which, in the haze of historic dis
lance, grows to more and more he
roic proportions, but also loses in dis
tlnctness of outline and feature This
is indeed the common lot of popular
heroes. AS the state Of society in
which Abraham Lincoln grew up
passes away, the world will read with
increasing wonder of the man, who,
not only of the humblest origin. but
remaining the simplest and most IN
pretending of citizens, was raised to
position of unprecedented power
in our history; who was the gentlest
and most peace loving of mortaIs.
unable to see any creature suffer
without pang in his own heart, and
suddenly found himself called to con.
duct the greatest and bloodiest of
our wars; and WHO, in his heart the
best friend of the defeated South,
was murdered because a crazy fan
attic took him for it's most cruel en-
envy.
1t is almost needless to rehearse
the events in the life of this illus
triOuS hero. He was born in what
is now La Rue County, KY. on Feb
ruary u, 1909, and all readers are
familiar with his early life in that
State and in Indiana and Illinois, his
career as rail- splitter, soldier in the
Black Hawk War, as student store
keeper, postmaster, surveyor, lawyer
and statesman.
As time passes the character OF
Lincoln becomes mellowed and al
most sanctifed by the growing gen.
GRAFTON, and it is interesting to record
the estimates placed upon him by as
sociates and those who had been
from time to time brought into per-
sonal contact with the great Ameri-
can. The tributes found below are
from men who had occasion to view
| the character of Lincoln from various
standpoints, and it is notable that in
all these separate views of it, there
is nothing that breaks the harmony
of the whole From every side at
which we are called to look upon his
character we see something noble
He is small nowhere
A Wonder of History.
Whether it was in the small
things or in the great things with
which he had to deal,' said the Hon.
Henry L. Dawes, former United
States Senator from Massachusetts.
che was equally matchless. And all
| this was born in him. Neither edu-
| cation nor experience nor example
| had anything to do with the produc-
ton of this great central, controlling
| force in the greatest of all the crises
that ever came upon the nation. He
grew wiser and broader and stronger
as difficulties thickened and perils
multiplied, till the end found him
! the wonder in our history"
From His Law Associate.
| From Mr. Herndon, for twenty-five
years Mr.. Lincoln's law partner:
"Mr Lincoln was conscientious, just,
truthful and honest, and hence
thought that every other person was
just, truthful and honest; but in this
belief he was often sorely disappoint-
ed He had an infinite faith-trust
in the people, and in their instinct
of, and mental insight into, the fun