Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-30
WILES OF AMBITIOUS MEN
Shaft Aimed at Ex-President Roose-
Welt by New York Congressman.
MORAL DRAWN FROM HISTORY
Memorandum Signed by ct. R."
Cited to illustrate the Meaning
of Lincoln's Prediction.


he believes may be in store for the
American people. Representative Fitz-
gerald of New York coupled the names
of A braham Lincoln and Theodore Roose-
welt in the House Of Representatives vos-
terday afternoon. Today the Congress
sional Record prints a full-page repro
duction of notation on a memorandum
from the White House ten years ago.
The memorandum concerned the con-
struction of temporary Offices at the
White House.
On the margin of the typewriter page
in the handwriting Of the former Presi-
dent. these words are plainly written:
ITO be permanent during my lifetime
1T r.
Mr.. Fitzgerald introduced this memo
randum yesterday at the time he read
from a speech delivered by Abraham Lin
coin before the Young Mems Lyceum of
Springfield. ILL.,, January 81 1887.
Said Mr.. Fitzgerald:
ut seems to have been a prophetic ut
terance, and 1t deserves to be repro
duced at this time for the guidance of
the American people. So much has been
quoted from Abraham Lincoln to justify
all sorts Of vagaries in governmental at
fairs that this may appeal to the sober
senses of the people and make them,
before 1t is too late, awaken to some Of
the dangers which confront our repub-
lie.
Quotes From Lincoln.
Mr.. Lincoln said
"'All the armies of Europe. Asia and
Africa combined could not by
force take a drink from the Ohio or
make track upon the Blue Ridge in a
trial of a thousand years. At what point
then is the approach OF danger to be eX-
pected? I answer. II 1t ever reaches us
it must spring up amongst us: 1t cannot
come from abroad. If destruction be our
lot We ourselves must be its author and
finsher. AS nation of freemen We
must live through all time or die by
suicide.
II hope l am overwary. but II I am
not there is even now something OF III
omen amongst us. l mean the increas-
ing disregard for law which pervades
the Countrywide growing disposition TIC
substitute the wild and furious passions
in lieu of sober judgment of courts and
the worse than savage mobs for the
executive ministers of justice.
Mr.. Fitzgerald quoted further from NJ.
Lincoln, as follows:
cit is to deny what the history of the
world tells us is true to suppose that
men of ambition and talents VIII not
spring up amongst u.s. and when they do
they will naturally seek the qualification
of their ruling passion as others nave
done before them. The question then is.
can that qualification be found in sup
porting and maintaining edifce that
has been erected by others? Most GER
tainly 1t cannot. Many great and good
men sufficiently qualified for any task
-Ar1r> he
whose ambition would aspire to nothing
beyond a seat in Congress. a guberna-
torial or presidential chair; but such be-
long not to the family of the lion or the
tribe of the eagle. What! Think You
these places would satisfy an Alexander
a Caesar or a Napoleon? Never.
Seeks Unexplored Regions.
Towering genius despises a beaten
path. 1t seeks regions hitherto unex-
plored 1t sees no distinction in adding
story to story upon the monuments OF
fame erected to the memory of others
1t denies that 1t is glory enough to serve
under any chief. 1t scorns to tread in the
footsteps of any predecessor. however
illustrious. 1t thirsts and burns for dis
lis it unreasonable. then. to expect
genius, coupled with ambition sufficient
to push it to its utmost stretch, VIII at
some time spring up among us? And
when such a one does. 1t Will require the
people to be united with each other, at
tached to the government and laws and
generally intelligent, to Illustrate his de-
signs Distinction will be his paramount
| object. and although he would as will
ingly, perhaps more so, acquire 1t by do
ing good as harm, yet that opportunity
being passed and nothing left to be done
in the way of building up. he would set
boldly to the task Of pulling down.
Prophecy illustrated
How prophetic those words were." ex-
planned Mr.. Fitzgerald, "can be easily IL
Illustrated by something which happened a
few years ago. Plans were initiated for
the remodel of the White House,
known officially as the Executive Man
sion. Conferences were had between the
then executive, former President Roose-
welt, and the Congress as to the extent to
which the remodeling should go. AS
result of certain conferences a memoran-
dunn was prepared by the architect select
ed for the purpose OF making the changes
in the White House. and the memoran-
reconstruction, but a provision for the So
called executive offices which at that
time were built.
Under the head Temporary Executive
Offices the memorandum transmitted
from the White House to the Capitol for
the information of the members Of Con-
gress is to be reproduced for the infor-
nation of members.
Makes Marginal Note.
THE word temporary was underscOred
by President Roosevelt, and on the mar
gin of the memorandum in his own hand
writing is this statement:
ITO be permanent during my life
time. T. R.
1T will be noticed that the word my
is underscored.
Mr. Fitzgerald concluded:
..If anyhody njsundprstands the pur-