The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1918-02-08


memory of Abraham Lincoln-the
one figure which, in the gallery of
famous Americans, stands peculiarly
alone. And as we celebrate the ami
versary of his birth we wisely note
some of the elements in his makeup
which we would do we'll to initiate.
Think first of all of his sterling
integrity. This was bedrock in Lin
coin as it should be in any man. Do
you teach that the world is round or
f1ats inquired a parent Of professor.
well, that depends on the wishes of
the parents" was the guarded reply.
That was not the principle on which
Lincoln acted. 81 am not bound to
win, but | am bound to be true" was
his guiding star. His early popular
ity as budding lawyer was due to
his known honesty and fairness. To
a would be client he said: Eyes, we
could gain your case and get you
500, but you are in the wrong, take
my advice and make 5000 in some
honest way"
When later in life he was engaged
in those great debates with Douglas
it was his straightforwardness as op-
posed to the ingenious facing-both-
ways of Douglas that helped the rail
splitter to win out. And even when
he became president, he did not
please the extremists of either party.
His duty as he saw it, was not pri-
marily to free the negro, but to pre-
serve the union, and to that he bent
all OF his energies. "a duty devolves
upon me-" he said, (which is perhaps
greater than that which has devolved
upon any other man since the DAYS of
Washington" But he set his face like
flint and acted on the principle of
ms own great words. II am not
bound to succeed but l am bound to
live up to what light l have" Such
solid rock makes good foundation for
the upbuild of all the virtues. With
out it all is dust and rottenness.
A prince can make belted knight,
A marquis, duke an a that!
But an honest mans aboon his might:
1uid faith, he mamma ia that;
ihe rank is but the guinea's stamp.
The mans the gow'd for a. that"
Think next of his saving sense of
humor. There is no question that
there was an inherited streak of
melancholy in Lincoln's constitution
Nor can there be any question that
his wife had an cratic temper and
was often far from being we'll bal
anced. Yet, despite these drawbacks
our great Emancipation not onlv Gulf
waited, but attained unto a high de-
gree OF humor. President Taft once
SAID: Il have my own troubles but 7
try to keep the laugh on top. 1t HELMS
me over rocky roads, and | don't lose
any friends by cultivating it." If anv
man needed such help, Lincoln did
and II any man found real help and
made friends by the cultivation of !,
Lincoln did. 1t is said that he ken,
the latest book of humor in his draw.
er and when he was especially liable
to have fit of the blues. he would ac,
on the advice of that minor noe,
who said:
The mischiefs played by coddled
blues,
So laugh little bit"
1t was said of Charles Sumner: He
can't take joke of any kind; he is
as literal as Scotch guide board.
Perhaps that accounted for his ex-
IRENE sensitiveness and made it 50
hard to get on with him. But it was
not so with Lincoln. He was a good
mixer and a good story teller. He
was fond of jokes for their own sake;
he read them, he used them, he evad-
ed many knotty question by telling
them and best of all, he kept his own
spirit sweet and sane thereby. And
why not, God Almighty made Kittens