The Washington herald., 1917-11-24
Lincoln Statues Needed
Those That Resemble Lincoln, Says Francis
Grierson, Should Be Sent to All r.
of Our Allies. - .-
Bz zMALpEMAR rounER-

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In q recent editorial, commenting on
the Barnard statue. the New York
Times says: 'The Barnard statue
may present the legs and feet and the
awkwardest Of the poses, but not
what shone through. It 10 what shone
through that should be perpetuated;
for this was q. part, the most impor-
tsnt part, of Lincoln, the man az he
seemed to those who saw him The
portrait that leaves ,it out leaves out
the chief thing and 10 an untrue por-
trait. The picture Of him as he rose
to answer Douglas at Alton was print
ed on Francis Grierson's memory-and
the 'ungainly mouth the long bony
limbs they were not Abraham Lin
coin. nor did they take the most prom
inent place in the memory Of him
that Grierson carried away from Al
ton"
On Tuesday evening. November q.
at the Lincoln Memorial dinner in
New York, the subject Of Lincoln'f
personality was again discussed, this
time by some Of the greatest speakers
In America, headed by United States
Attorney General Gregory, who, in q
mastery speech. held the close atten-
ton Of his hearers for more than an
hour.
After Mr.. Gregory had finished
Francis Grierson was called on for a
speech, he being the only one who
heard the epoch-making Lincoln
Douglas debate. Mr.. Grierson said, in
part:
Among the many good things the
war has brought US not the least is
the keen interest in the personality OF
Abraham Lincoln manifest by English
students Of American democracy. Sc
great Is this interest that Mr.. Lloyd
George has quite recently found time
TO read a work which describes Lin
coin as he appeared on the public
platform. Never has the personality
of the great President been discussed
with such an ardent desire to under
stand the man. his work and his
ideals.
This interest has been brought tc
an acute point by the presentation OF
statue OF Lincoln to be set Up II
London. Unfortunately, there Is q
superstition that has taken root II
the minds OF many well meaning
people that typical democrats must o.
necessity be ugly and uncouth. There
is q delusion that IL q man believes
in democracy he must feel like 9
dyspeptic and look like an imbecile-
Some Of our sculptors are obsessed
with the motion that great ideas mus'
produce collie, great sincerity liver
trouble. and great political perplexity
q Collapse in the region OF the solar
plexus. In one statue Lincoln is de.
picted st a hungry hobo with hi.
hands holding his stomach. Must 4
man lose all appearance OF nobility
because he Possesses an original
mind? Must a man look forlorn be.
cause he thinks clearly, reasons logi.
calIy and feels profoundly? Lincoln
perhaps more than other, possessed
the distinction that belongs to su,
preme personality: and personality /.
composed Of four things-absolUte sin,
cerity, absolute self-confidence, an in,
vincible moral courage and a com.
prehensive intelligence
Il object TO democracy being typi.
fed as devoid OF distinction. Lin
coin. as we saw him in the last de.
bate with Douglas at Alton. present
ed a wonderful picture Of the diner-
ence between assumed dignity and
the. dignity impaired by the grace
Of God. The Little Giant had "a
face a mountain of sincerity which
could not be shaken by political
sophistry. Lincoln. as we saw him