Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1912-02-13
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
Hon. Neal Brown Talks About Abfa-
ham Lincoln Sunday Evening at
the Presbyterian Church.

Brown had delivered the same adj
dress at the Lincoln banquet of the
Loyal Legion in Legion hall, Mil.
waukee, on Wednesday evening Of last
week.
Mr.. Brown prefaced his address in
the church Sunday evening by state
ment to the effect that the Loyal
Legion was a society Of men who had
brayed the 'lardships Of the civil
war and before whom entering into
political comparisons was to be ex-
pected, but had he prepared it solely
for the church he would have directed
his thoughts along different lines.
The address took up about cile hour
and quarter and was listened to
with deep interest.
The Milwaukee Sentinel published
the following excerpts of the address,:
This is an age of suspicion" said
Mr.. Brown. 1.-THE anarchy of the
time is busy-his weapons, class
hatred, suspicion and distrust. He
will fire the Ephesian dome to destroy
his enemies or to warm his greedy
hands. Class against class; workman
against employer; faction against fac
ton; friend against friend; the thrift
less against the thrifty; the hysteri-
cal against the sober; and the en-
vious against all. Those who sup
port him are sanctified; those who
oppose and expose him are damned.
He and his kind are our lords of mis-
rule; our revolutionary tribunal, hay-
ing some likeness to its French pro-
totype of 1893.
"A rich nan may not be able to
enter the kingdom of heaven, but his
wealth will be an open sesame to the
favor of our revolutionary tribunal
and he can be fully crowned in its
council chambers" continued the
speaker. "When his pursestrings
tighten, however, he is sure to be
cast into outer darkness. / remem-
Der the time when merchant princes
and great bankers and builders in in
dustrial development could support a
candidate for public office and be
made welcome in his councils with
out injury to his cause. But suspic-
ion had not then become a disease.
1t is different now"
Speaking of the primary law and
the proposed initiative, referendum
and recall, the speaker said:
"We have for some years had with
us the fad of primary elections. 1t
has not corrected single political
evil; it has brought new evils in its
train. 1t has left human selfishness,
ambition and love of power and place
where it always was and always will
be, although more displeasing and ex-
plotted under this law than any
other. True, the law is not to be
blamed because these things yet
exist, nor was the older system of
party nominations blameworthy.
The character of our Office holding
class has not, under the provisions of
the law, grown better, but rather the
reverse. 1t has destroyed response
bility; it has vastly increased expen-
ditures of money in elections; it has
lessened the interest of the citizen in
public affairs.
"a popular vote indicative of popu-
lar opinion is almost i'm possible un-
der this law. To check the excuses OF
political debauchery under it, the
corrupt practices act has been passed,
but this would have an equal effect
under the old system. The primary
has not furthered representative gov
eminent. 1t has rather Tended to de-
stroy it. Political juntas still meet
and make rp states and dictate con-
ditiono as of yore. 1t is tool well
fitted fer their service, but not Of the
slightest aid to good government.
"And now, following this quack
nostrum, we have urged upon us the
initiative, referendum and recall; al
destructive of representative govern
ment; not probably capable of pro.
ducing all the evils imputed to them
by many CT their critics; not always
likely to be used for harm, but pos
sessing no practical value. Probably
we will use them little while anC
then cast them on the junk heaI
along with kindred and worthless pa
tent methods of government"
Mr.. Brown said that If the recall
had been in operation in Liacoln''
day doubtless Lincoln wop'd have
been recalled. TIE referendum. hi
said, doubtless would have resulted
in the union disseminating the wa
at any cost. He touched slightly up
on the recent Harvey-f Ilson affair
in which Woodrow Viii n asked thu
editor of Harper's Weekly to qui
supporting him, on the ground tina
the support was hurting wilson
candidacy for the democratic nomina
tion for president.
she said Harper's Weekly Away
has been powerful, Influential
journa, that never employed corp
of muckraHers," journal on which
Lincoln leaned, but the atmospher
of suspicion of everything did no
then exist.
He also said he dislikes part
| which tickets and labels its member
ship and puts them on probation be
fore they may enter the sacred por
tails. Present depIorable conditions
as he sees them, will some day rol
away, he said, and there will come
brighter, happier time.