The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1914-02-13
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
(By D. C. COATES.)

Wy ~ y. IVA j IAOs
Yesterday was the anniversary of 4
the birth of Abraham Lincoln. Labor .
can always draw lesson from the
sayings and actions of this great man.
From all the presidents, Washington
to Wilson, he was the one who had
grasp of the fundamental relations be-
tween humanity and government He
not only stood for the abolition of HUI
man slavery, but declared for the
rightful consideration of labor above
the dollar. He went away beyond the |
theory that labor was worthy of his
hire" but hit the fundamental key
note of liberty when he declared that
labor was prior to and Independent of
capital and deserved the higher con
sideratiOn was worthy any govern
ment." Had Abraham Lincoln lived,
it is likely that the whole trend of |
government in relation to labor would .
have been changed and today there
would not have been witnessed in any
pau VI Nilt OlllJtu oLdIto uGIlOI0II d.
lions of military or court injunction
power used against workingmen on
strike for betterment of condition. On
the other hand, the right to labor and .
to enjoy the fruits of labor without in
reference on the part of capital, would .
have been enhanced.
1t is not remarkable that Lincoln !
was this kind of character-a real true
friend of liberty and labor. For so
years before his birth and for so years
after, the whole civilized world was in |
the throes of the greatest political and
industrial revolution up to that time. |
The world was emerging from slavery
and serfdom and the fundamental prin
ciples of human liberty were being
preached and written about as never
before. The great patriots and lovers
of human liberty who have lived in
history were active at this period of
time. Lincoln knew what it was to be |
poor and to struggle for an education
with the struggle of the whole human
race to throw off the inhuman condi- |
lions of serfdom and slavery. He read /
the pamphlets and books of the patri |
OTIS of England, France and Germany, |
which countries were passing through
the agitation and physical struggles
for betterment. There were the riot
GUS days of the repeal of the corn
laws and the recognition of the right
of labor to be free and organize in
England: the German federation days
construction, and the preliminaries OF
the great French revolution were on
at the birth of Lincoln, eliminating
in that bloody struggle of 1910 Gao
years after his BIRTH from which
arose the French republic Americas
struggle from the despotism of King
George had not been over long at the
time Lincoln was born, and he was a
great student of that event for the
establishment of the principle that
all men are created free and equal,
and have the right to life, liberty and
the pursuit of happiness" So one can
readily see how these conditions af
fected one of Lincoln's nature. One
is the creature of his environment
his reading, thinking and action as
we'll as immediate material condition
and it was most logical for the great
patriot to enter the struggle for great
err human liberty as he did.
Times changed with the death of
Lincoln. The new commercialism and
the development of organized industry,
transferring the workshop from the in
dividual home to the factory and the
beginning of capitalism as we know it
today, was at hand. In the mad rush
to make dollars and develope the cOun-
1,