The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1911-02-15

| as rev men nave ever had II. lie
saw clearly, and he longed intensely
| for the realization of the ideal: yet
he maintained poise, he went to nc
damaging extreme. The
very moderation with which Lincoln
reached his conclusions made him
terrible in his unyielding adherence
to these when once they were reach
ed"
DR., Boardman declared that Lin
coins magnanimity sets him apart as
a man absolutely unique in our pub
lie life as nation, and added that
he still could maintain seemingly I'M
diminished his love and respect fol
the brother with whom he differed
He said that Lincoln was a profound.
ly religious man, and his personality
could not be rightly understood apart
from this fact.
Lincoln's philosophy of human So
ciety. the speaker said, was but the
projection Of his personality. No mar
could be what he was personally and
not be vitality and rightfully related
to his fellow men. He believed In
the essential equality Of all men. He
all men in the sense that the writers
of the preamble to the constitution
used the words. for to him the black
man was still man.
Quoting Lincoln, who said. 1.-THE
strongest bond Of all human SYM
pathy outside of the family relation,
should be one uniting all working
people. of all nations and tongues
and kindred; nor should this lead
to a warfare upon property or the
owners of property" r. Boardman
declared that the great martyr was
big brother to the human race. He
loved his fellows with the love akin
to the love of God, and he would
scorn our petty race bubbles and
quarrels were he with us today
Labor and Capital
The speaker applied to latter day
problems Lincoln's belief that Labor
is prior to and Independent of capital
Capital is only the fruit of labor and
never could have existed first. Labor
is the superior of capital and de-
serves much the higher consideration
No men living are more worthy to be
trusted than those who toll up from
poverty. Let them beware Of sur
rendering a political power which
they already possess and which if sur
rendered, will surely be used to close
the door of advancement against such
as they. and to fix new disabilities
and burdens upon them, till all Of
liberty shall be lost. To
secure to each laborer the whole pro-
duct of his labor, or as nearly as
possible. is a worthy object of any
good government"
The speakers applications were 70
these four subjects: Political gnor-
ance and indifference and subser-
viences to bosses, of the masses of
laboring men often; relentless war f
great concerns upon their smaller
competitors; underpaid operatives in
mills. factories and stores-wages Of
girls in retail stores: sweat shops and
child labo".
Philosophy of Government
Lincoln's philosophy of government
is contained IN these words. the speak
er said: "Our government rests IN
public opinion. Whoever can change
public opinion can oh nge the gov
eminent practically just so much"
'This is good doctrine for us to-
day." said DIR. Boardman. I'VE need
to be reminded that popular govern
ment rests in public opinion. AS good
citizens we need to think clearly, in
diligently, fairly. on the questions OF
our public life and policy. We need
to do more. We need to get other
people to think as we do. We need
to become moulders of public opinion
1t is not enough to know that we
know what duty and right are. 1t
is imperative that the masses OF our
people know also"
another principle of government
enunciated by Lincoln with great
clearness and power was the princ1-
pie of the rule of the majority in a
democracy" said DR.. Boardman. His
conflict with the theory of secession
gave him his opportunity to make
this doctrine clear, for in the course
of his first inaugural he sa1d-'Unan-
unity is impossible; the rule OF the
minority as a permanent arrange
ment, is wholly inadmissable; so that
rejecting the majority principle, an
archy or despotism in some form Is
all that is left
Principles of Majority Rule
II need not remind you that this
doctrine needs emphasis today. Are
we committed to the principles of the
majority rule? Not certainly. The
so called interests are far from will
ing that the majority of the people
should have their way. The liquor
power is far from reconciled to the
rule of the majority The local OPP
ton principle is nothing other than
the assertion Of the right of the peo-
pie to say whether they shall nave
the saloon in their midst or not; that
is all. County option only demands
that the people of the county, all OF
whom are taxed to support the county
government, shall have the right to
saw their way whether the chief rae
tor in the piIing up of the expenses
of criminal prosecutions, the liquor
saloon, shall exist anywhere in the
county. The farmers believe. so long
as they are exposed to all the bad IN
fluences Of the saloon in the county
seat, they shall have a voice as to
its continuance. Who says this is not
democratic and Just? Simply an ap-
plication of the principle of majority
rule, that's ALL"
Lincoln gave us another principle
of free government, when ne SAID,
The one great living principle or all
democratic government is that the
representative is bound to carry out
the known will of his constituents
Here we touch the chief sore spot IN
the present day struggle for demo-