Arizona republican., 1918-02-12
Abraham Lincoln

it is hundred and nine years ago today that
there opened to the light the eyes of babe destined
to become the leader of his nation and the model for
statesmen Of his country and all countries a
whose would be introduced into every great
problem which should confront nations for the next
century. with the question What would Lincoln have
donc?' We can only know what he did; that without
the advantages of birth and opportunity he mark
above all Americans who had preceded him and all
who have after him,
Lincolns greatness was demonstrated in every field
he entered Without educational training his Gettys-
burg speech stands alone as an American classic,
and there hangs the walls of Brasenose College,
oxford a model of pure English, simple letter
of 12j words he wrote to woman who had sacrificed
five sons in the defense Of the Union.
The state papers Of Lincoln unequalled for
strength and diction. Reading them, one does not
take into account at first the words and phrases of
which they composed Undying phrases have
since been selected from them. But the papers are
messages. voices carrying truth and conviction and
impression of the strength and honesty of the
mighty author They were rather revelations prophe-
ces, all parts Of new creed of the nation.
Though the messages and declarations of Lincoln
only then questions, they have since
been as frequently interpreted as the scriptures and
have been applied by of all parties and of all
nations to the solution of latter-day problems Of
which Lincoln could not have dreamed.
No other great in all the history of the
world had been confronted by such task, had
been so besct with difficulties. The task that
of preventing the failure of a gigantic experiment
in democracy. The difficulties consisted of a divided
country and a subdivision of the part of the country
nominay loyal and further subdivision of the party
by which Lincoln had been elected He stood almost
alone only great strength height and breadth could
have saved him and his country,
His strength lay partly his freedom from vanity
and pique. lie held grudge against those who
opposed him and he did not hesitate to go to his
personal enemies for aid and counsel 1t is season
able to relate that when things were going badly
with the Union military promptly displaced
a secretary of whom he had chosen and who
had demonstrated only his incompetence. Lincoln
put in his place a strong man of another party and
his bitter enemy
\ smaller would have subjected the Union
to further risk before he would have taken
that to him would be bitter humiliation. But
Lincoln was too big, too broad to be Inundated He
was free to select such instruments as appeared in
his great wisdom to be the best Neither party nor
personal friendship weighed in the balance against
the safety Of the nation.
Patriotism is something than mere love
of the land in which lives; than a mere
affection for the which ones ancestors occupied
There must be a strong element of pride in patriot
ism, pride in the institutions of the country and
pride in the great whose achievements founded
and maintained those institutions. If there have
not been such men and such achievements there
be pride, and patriotism without pride is
nothing than that instinct which keeps animals
within their habitats.
Lncolns name and achievements constitute the
strongest incentive to American patriotism now, when
patriotism is so essential.