New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-02-12
TAFT'S VIEW Of LINCOLN
An Estimate of the Great Eman-
Cipator'S Character.
RANKED WITH WASHINGTON
Manifested Patience, President
Says, Surpassed Only by
That of Jesus.

Springfield. H., Feb. 11.-President Tart
was the principal speaker at the Lincoln
Day dinner here tonight. Among the
other speakers was Martin w. Lttleton, OK
New York. The dinner was the largest
ever held in this city Mr.. Taft spoke, in
part, as follows:
Lincoln came up from the soil; He was was
one OF the plain people. He nvea anu
In early life seemed to have many OF I tne
defects and failings that they had. ms
superficial exterior was rough ana appai
emily unrefined. He had ambitions as othes
men. He used and cultivated the ART OF
politics as they did, and 1t was oiincu l,e
for those who knew him and VINO canie
close TO him to realize the greatness OF ms
character and intellect and the other , en
ceptional qualities that Differentiated AA'"
from his fellows.
Those traits in him which now place him
with Washington, and washington aione,
did not make themselves clearly MANI ~
four years Of our Civil War. In that su-
preme test he threw Off such dross as ms
early life may have shown, ana the goiu -
his character and intellect shone through
In its purity.
Lincoln had taken part In the greatest
debate OF the last or any other century on
the slavery question; had been deLeatea ~
the Senate. which was the lmineuiate ~ ,xo
ecutive or administrative experience, Wa'
thrust into an office requiring IN the Suo
cessful discharge OF Its duties the hlshest
ability in selecting subordinates, tne NEIL
est political sense and shrewdness In 0roer
to secure unity or support IN tne i 80 a.
states. familiarity with military ssIa'e 81
and with the organization or Hlltaay IL, re-
sources. and a patience OF long-suHerlhs
Kindness that has no superior that l kho"
OF save In the life Of Jesus OF Nazareth
His Highest Attributes.
L.ncoln's intellectual honesty and ms
great sympathetic human heart were tio
two great and highest attributes oe ftstn'
from them flowed all his otneI qudlitle''
From boyhood he had trained ms IeaSiomd
ing faculty; from boyhood ne nau plactiSo,u
Simplicity OF style and direct statement.
His words were short and Anglo saxon III
derivation, and the simplicity OF ms sen
fences harmoniZed with the luclulty, ar ua
clearness OF his thought. NO one couiu ne
seyerer with another than he was Win
himself In reasoning to conclusion: re
made no argument and stated no propose
ton until he had worked J. oul pro or :,
con in his own mind, and what ne "i9tc
or smoke had most convincing quanty re
was interpretive and was severe IN MS
self Judgment His readers or hearers saw
I'm his treatment OF his subjects no dlsposi,,
ton to keep out OF sight any lorIhiudptie
obstruction in the flow OF reasoning 10 ms
conclusion. lie hunted for opposing arsu-
ments, and stated them with even more
force than did his opponents before ne ue
mo!shed them. He captlyated ms auu i,uarSs
led them along the path he mad led hlThset
I'm finding the truth ,-,, -
cannot pass this distinguishing and
most remarkable trait in MS characteI
without saying that In my opinion Lincoln
would have made as great Chlet justice
as he made a President But In the Crisis
in the nations history through whlch ne
lived the quality was more necessary even
IN the executive than III lHe Juui'i'u
branch Of the government
He cherished no resentments lie was
meek and lowly in Weighing ms quaniica-
tons to meet the problems set before MIN
Ivy the war and he was patient beyond
belief with the men whom he thought 10
be the necessary instruments In accom-
plishing the nations good. He had sim
needs nee of OFT the ONCE; but he sank personal
vanity and repressed his natural indigna-
ton at studied insults Of his subordinates
when It seemed wise TO do so In MS cqunt
try's interest. The trials he had with
Seward and Chase and Stanton and FIRE.
mont and Mcclellan and with the extreme
aboltionists no one can reallze until ne
reads the contemporaneous Correspondence
of Lincoln and notes how everything that
Lincoln said and did and refrained from
saving was actuated by the purest pa
triotic motives and a desire TO bring
united country to peace.
Lived Through Great Trials.
Lincoln had to 30 down through the val
ley OF the shadow of popular denunciatlon
and popular distrust. He had 10 bear the
bitterest ridicule. the most contemptuous
criticism, accusations OF the meanest mo-
lives He had to see small demagogues
exalted in the popular mind at the expense
Of his own standing and OF his own reputa-
ton For months and years he had 10
strengthen himself with the thought that
he alone understood the problems that he
was working out; that he alone had the
necessary clearness of vision TO see far be-
yond the present and secure the nation s
salvation at the expense OF popular mlsun-
Outstanding and partisan attack.
But fortunately. he lived through these
trials and his martyrs death did not come
until after the people knew of his patience,
his sacrifice, his great qualities of heart
and mind. his patriotism and farsighted
craftsmanship. And the generations that
have followed, and will follow him, even
those whose ancestors were In conflict with
him, will give him a higher and still higher
place in the history OF the world.
| count Il great good fortune which brings
me here to this home Of Lincoln TO meet
men now venerable who knew him as
neighbor and friend during twenty Ave
years OF his life. ] doubt not, as the time
has passed. they, too, have experienced
change in their estimate OF the man. He
was too great a man 10 be properly meas
ured I'm the nearness Of social intercourse
and the comradeship OF neighbors