The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-05-14
GOODBYE, ELBERT HUBBARD.

Our Dear Fra:
We have had our ears to the wire
which connects America and England
for a week, hoping we might near
that you had been rescued
No word comes, and it seems we
must mourn you as lost
We regret to give you up We need
your companionship, we need your
philosophy, we need your cheerIuI-
ness. we need you to help lift us out
of the dead past, we need your in
spiration.
You had reached the age of 60, and
the salt waves did not cheat you out
of so many years of living, but when
we realize that YOU lived more and
did more, and thought more in one
day than many of us do in lifetime
then we appreciate the fact that the
world was denied much of your life
Your genius shone brighter than
the genius of any other American
writer. There was more inspiration
in your brief essay on "a Message to
Garcia" than there is in all the books
which Emerson left us.
Because you did more to stay the
hand at the throat of business than
any other writer, your enemies charg-
ed that you had been made tool
of big business. However, we know
that tools cannot be geniuses. The
man who stoops to sell his soul, dis
sipates all his original powers. He
ceases to be himself And, because
YOU remained genius because your
powers grew and because you remain
ed yourself with your own views and
with your own original terse manner
of expression. We need no better evil
dence that you were honest with
yourself and with your fellow coun-
trymen We have gone with YOU on
your Little Journeys into the homes
of musicians and authors and musi-
clans and business wizards, and had
you not taken us there We would
have never been able to see these
men as they are We would have
known much less of the world had
you not been touched with an in
spiration that led you to invade and
TO conquer.
The Roycrofters drop a tear as they
silently proceed with their work. and
in millions of homes there is a pain
about the heart that will not cease
You looked out upon the great float
ing palace, the Lusitania, and then
YOU looked at the warning not to
take passage. You believed the
grandeur of the vessel and its pre-
cious cargo of human lives would stay
the savage hand of war, you believed
mercy would palsy the hand that
would direct deadly torpedo You
had faith, too, in a convoy Of British
vessels that would have surrounded
il and gave it protection. You ac-
cepted the word of its owners that
its resistance would repel an attack,
and your simple faith led to your
taking passage on the Inflated vessel.
We have left of YOU memories Of
a personal visit We walked across
green fields and broad pastures by
your side, and listened to your phil
osophy and wit We sat under the
spell Of your lecture. We have those
memories, coupled with the books
you have left. and in the absence
of yourself greater affection at
taches TO those memories
Ebert Hubbard, YOU gave a good
accounting OF yourself while with us.
You ought to be satisfied with what
You did and you doubtless are The
wife at your side who gave you much
of your inspiration. went down with
You. and there is none to take your
place. The Philistine cannot be the
same any more. The world suffers
distinct loss.
There is sorrow in the last good
bye. May peace attend you.