Omaha daily bee., 1914-02-13


WAHOo Neb., Feb. 9.--To the Editor of
The Bee The above is the title of
short article from the Emporia Gazette
aud copied into the Nebraska State
Journal The first sentence reads,
Political fame is the cheapest and most
epheremal thing on earth. Only a few
years have passed since Blaine, Conkling,
Logan and others of that bunch"-take
notice of the bunch" looked like inn
mortals Their fame filled the country
and trickled all over the world. A new
generation has grown up and now they
are mere shadows-names and nothing
more but the fame of such men as Long
fellow, Emerson and Lowell gains new
luster with the passing years
We are glad that public sentiment is
such that the three greatest OF American
writer's OF both prose and poetry may
gain new luster with the advancing years.
Nothing Is too good for these apostles OF
the civic, moral and social virtues. No
need of praise that can be consistently
bestowed upon them will more than COM
pensate for the good they have achieved
for the age in which they lived, and in
deed for the ages to come, for, though
being dead their works still follow them.
And they were all large men, nothing
small about their estimate of men and
their possibilities. For instance, Emer-
son never subscribed to the doctrine that
one man could live, die and go to heaven
while his neighbor would live. die and
necessarily fail TO go TO heaven. Nor did
he believe in the eternal contrast between
men. Nor did he teach that the judg-
ment of the preacher or the president as
I affecting issues in which the public Is
| vitality interested is more valuable after
| they have assumed the role of public
teachers or leaders than II had previously
been. In copy of his essays l read
something like this: Never underesti-
mate your own ability. A truth uttered
by one man Is just as good and sreat as
when uttered by another"
The author Of "E,vangeline" Is prob.
ably the most popular OF our poetica
writers, while Lowell is the ablest ths
sentiment OF one Of his personal admirers
being that in six days God creates the
heaven and the earth and James Russe
Lowell. II Is possible that God could
have created and constituted a trio OF
characters who would have accomplished
more along the same lines than Emerson
Longfellow and Lowell have accomp
Ilshed, but It Is certain He never did. j
is universally conceded that their popu
larity is based on the character OF theil
works. so there Is no chance for discus
sion along this line, nor do We care tS
discuss IT, but we want to call the at
tention OF the reader TO. the disposition
on the part Of the Kansas paper to be
little the life work Of such men as Blaine
conkling and Logan.
When the writer or historian takes I
contract of detracting from the motives
OF men who for more than quarter o
a century have walked the perilouI
heights OF public life in safety" he, in
deed, enters upon an hereeulean task tina
Will only result In bringing disaster u
himself. The private aud public life o.
Mr., Blaine Is spotiess and his Invent!
Years of Congress is authority and un
impeachable as 10 it's diction, It's veraclty
its premises. it's deductions and its con
clusions. while his hundreds OF addresses
on innumerable topics. delivered before
all kinds OF audiences. were appiaudes
and appreciated at home and abroad. ant
his Memorial Address on Garfield. de
livered before the assembled houses o
congress and at their invitation. is prob
ably unparalleled in the history Of thi
or any other country.
MIR. ConklinB also won immortal honor
as the champion Of laws and policies tina
redounded to the honor and welfare o
the people and the country, because the!
fixed firmer the foundations Of the NJ
puolic, He won immortal honors IN tn
forum OF the greatest senate on eartl
and his forensic effort in support Of Gran
for president Is unsurpassed In point o
ability and oratory in the history OF mod
ern times.
OF John A. Logan MIR Blaine said
The country has probably produces
greater military genluses. and IL ma!
have produced more brilliant and fas
: einating orators. but II 10 doubtful Il &
has combined the two qualities in a NOR,
eminent degree IN one man than IN tn,
case OF Logan. General Logan Is IN,
. only man. who in the civil war rose from
! the ranks 20 the position OF major gen
; eral and he did this without the aid o.
5 military training At West Point. and >,
far as We know from any other military