The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1916-09-06
LINCOLN FARM A
NATIONAL SHRINE
Memorial Is Accepted BY
President AS
SPOKESMAN FOR The NATION
Makes Eloquent Address In.
Makes Eloquent Address In.
spired By Spot Which Is
Sacred In History.
GREAT CROWD ATTENDS SCENE

Hodgenville, Ky, Sept. A lit
tie Kentucky farm became nations
shrine to-day when President VII
son accepted, on behalf OF the Unit
ed States, the birthplace OF Abraham
Lincoln, transformed into memo
rial that will be held forever in rev.
erence by the American people.
Standing on platform under the
folds of the flag which flies from the
staff in front of the beautiful Ne
mortal building, erected to shelter
the rude pioneer cabin in which
Abraham Lincoln was given to the
world, President Wilson delivered
his address to an audience OF thous-
ands assembled from all parts of the
United States to take part in the
ceremonies marking the transfer of
the Lincoln farm to the Government.
A huge crowd of 10000 people
massed under hot sun on the hill
sides about the cabin cheered the
President as he spoke of Lincoln as
the embodiment of democracy. Be
fore delivering his address the Pres
ident entered the granite memorial
building housing the Lincoln cabin,
for several minutes stood reverently
examining the crude log structure
AS he walked up the granite steps
leading to the cabin a band played
Patriotic airs, and the crowd cheered
again and again.
President Wilson drew a wonder
full picture of the great emancipation
in his short, carefully-prepared
speech. He concluded:
Il have come here to-day, not to
utter a eulOgy on Lincoln-he stands
in need of none-but to endeavor to
interpret the meaning of this gift to
the nation of the place of his birth
and origin. Is not this an altar
upon which We may forever keep
alive the vestal fire of democracy as
upon a shrine at which some of the
deepest and most sacred hopes of
mankind may from age to age be re-
kindled? For these hopes must
be rekindled, and only
The only stuff that can retain tn,
heat is the stuff of living
hearts. And the hopes of mankind !
cannot be kept alive by words, by
constitutions and doctrines or right
and codes of liberty.
I'VE are not worthy to stand here
unless We ourselves DE indeed and
In truth real democrats and servants |
of mankind, ready to give our very |
lives for the freedom and justice and /
spiritual exaltatiOn of the great ma
ton which shelters and nurtures ,
u.s." /
The ceremonies were the climax
Of ten years of activity toward this
end.
Early in 1906 Robert J. Collier
learned that the farm upon which
Abraham Lincoln was horn was |
about to be sold at auction to satisfy
claims against tine estate of A. w.
bennett, New York restaurant
,wner. in whose possession it had
,een for several years. Accordina
o the information reaching him sew
raj persons, among them man
With big distilling interests, were
'nXiOus to obtain possession of the
'lace, intending to use it in exploit
ng their wares.
He at once sent Richard Lloyd
ones to Kentucky to acquire title
o the property if possible. Mr..
ones on his arrival found the es-
ate still involved in court page
ure and left, first arranging with
ocal attorneys to notify him when
he case was finally adludicated.
In August of the same year came
Tord that the farm had been order
d sold at the court house door of ,
.arue county. and Mr.. Jones again ]
anne to Kentucky, arriving in Hodg- ,
nville somewhat in advance of ,
hose most keenly interested in Sc /,
uring 1t for commercial exploita-
ion. It was sold to him for $500. 1
After his return to New York. 1
lr. Jones. again acting as Mr.. Col
sr's agent. set out to obtain pos
ession of the Lincoln cabin, whlcs