New-York tribune., 1912-12-28
GAYNOR SWATS LINCOLN
AND WASHINGTON, TOO
Father of Country Didn't Have
Lovely Teeth and His
Face Was Pitted.
POINTS TO FEET OF CLAY
Mayor Says That Emancipation
Proclamation Had To Be
EZtorted from the
President.

EZtorted from the
President.
Ir reviewing "a bool, entitled washing
,on and Lincoln" which had been sent to
him by ts author. the Rev. Robert w.
AtcIaushln. pastor of the Park slope
Conererauonal Church. Brooklyn, with a
request for a criticism. Mayor Gaynor
has taken occasion to shatter or attempt
TO shatter. some Of the traditions of his
tory.
IIe said that while the impression that
washington was q great and good man
was I'm the main true. he was not the
equal In knowledge of the men who sur
rounded him and that he was prone 10
passion. or Lincoln the Mayor said mat
those around hin. and especially mem
bers OF his Cabinet, did not greatly re-
Fpect him and that his greatness lay IN
his philosophy.
He said that Justice Taney, IN the Dred
Scott decision, did not, as has been com
monty believed, declare that negroes mad
respect IL this connection he added;
Instead Of speaking of the negro race
as having no rights which the white man
was bound to respect. he spoke Of 1t IN
charity and commiseration, clearly re-
veallng that lie was Of no such opinion.
Crimp in C. Washington.
sreakng OF Washington, the Mayor
said:
We think Of him as a good man, who
told the exact truth always ana never
got angry, and suffered eyerythlns, pa pa
ueutlv. and was of great justice ana &c
CuraCv of judgment, but not or genus OF
extraordinary ability. This Is all IN thS
main. true of him, but. as matter OF
facI he was OF warm blood ana prone 10
f.,ei0u as his contemporaries agree. lie
f. even known 10 have sworn Ike troop,
pr 40 times. aud his face was pitted anu
Ie bad bad teeth and other ph!si'a! I'M
I1e was not the equal in lsnowledge OF
history economies and government or Tue
tlru who surrounded hlni Dut' dltcI lir
lad listened patiently 10 Their c9uhSeis.
f.s iIfgnent was safe and sound. | 30
NOT perceive that ne was a man OF ii'
stiUcf nor does he seem 10 nave Hdu
snele supersuuon-one Of the MfaNleIs,' VIZ. ~,
of srsat men. Nothing came IuII! 10 I''"
except by advice and reflection
The signing Of the Declaration OF Iude-
urnaence. tho Mayor said. had always
seemed 10 him TO have been not SO heroic
qu event as had generally been consld-
cred. Several victories had been won and
me Declaration only recognized existing
conditions.
The writing Of the Constitution had also
beou O subject Of eNaggerauon, the Mayor
sai1
"Ex-eptiug the separation Of the na-
tonal powers from the state powers ne
said. "dnd the conferring on the national
government of those things which pertain
to International sovereignty. l do not re-
call anything in it. or any principle in H.
which the trainers Of it did not have
risht &c their hands IN the state conStitu-
lions and the Bill OF Rights"
Abraham Lincoln? Oh, Well
Contrasting Lincoln with Washington,
tine Mayor said:
.-The character Of Lincoln was different.
lie also lived iu q great umr. alll"Sl
great events and surrounded bN great
men. who did great things, an OF WIict
Is tpItOmiZed or dpOthcoSlZed IN MN. Out
wren We look to see the actual Things
which he personally did, we perceive thal
his life was iu that respect contrast 10
that Of Washington. lie signed the
emancipation Proclamation. That was d
, momentous fact in history But it had
i0 be almost eXtorted from him And the
lsuesian Emperor had done the like not
long before There were those who saw
carly. even from the beginning, that thdt
measure would consolidate and enerSlle
-ros- devoted TO carrying on the war,
.,Lut ne was slow 10 see II.
And Yet he did finally see it, and do
it and, Il may be, al the best time,
namely I'm the fulness Of CESSATION and
time Unlike the case OF Washington,
those around him, and especially mem
bers Of his Cabinet, did not greatly re-
spect him Many Of them were certain
that they knew much more than ne did.
some of them called him an old fool.
Hc was blamed for every blunder or fail
ure OF the generals in the field. But he
mad more philosophy than all Of his ad-
visers and generals and critics put TO-
rcther. And herein was his greatness.
The Mayor disagreed with the state
meut of the author that the writings Of
Franklin can hardly be published to-day
except I'm an eXpurgated form.
i do not understand this" he said.
81 do not see a single thing in them 20
expurgate. 1 am aware that some have
eNpurgsted his biography. but the things
that they cut out seem 10 me the very
things most necessary for our bows 10
read. And they are expressed in words
chaste and wholly unoffensive'