The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-02-12
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
INFORM ALTON
BUREAU
FREDERIC J. HAEKIN. Director.
washinEton. D. c.
DISCOVERED: A NEW LINCOLN
VIRTUES!
Washington. D. c.

Vently TO attack Its typeWr1terS ana
launch it's annual flood of stories
:.bout Abraham Lincoln. On other
days of the year. honest Abe" is al
lowed to rest more or less in peace;
but just before his birthday. history is
ransacked for tales old and new OF his
prowess and character.
1t was thought, even by the perpe-
traitors of the annual timely articles,
that the list of simpler virtues had
been exhausted in the eulogies of Lin
coin, but one of his attributes has to
date been overlooked. The young an
enterprising Savings Division of the
treasury department was the first to
discover this oversight. and has chosen
February IL of this year to proclaim
Abraham Lincoln shining example
OF thrift.
Chronicles of Abe Lincoln's his
tory have extolled in glowing lam
guage his honesty, rugged manhood.
kindness, and simplicity. They have
seen in his carelessness toward per-
sonal adornment a sign of strength.
But they have never accused him OF
being thrifty.
The Savings Division sees in this
great opportunity. Lincoln, they aver,
was thrifty in the true sense of thrift.
Did he not, they ask, walk miles to
pay a debt of six and one-half cents?
Did he not PROFOUND such excellent
maxims as Get ready and the chanc
will come" and keep pegging away"
-maXims which he himself followed
with admirable success?
Finally, did he not save money out
of the contents of the presidential pay
envelope feat Accomplished by few
other presidents, if by any other?
This last is an overwhelming argu-
ment. BY universal agreement, life
in the White House has never been
conducive to saving, and most execu-
tives have drawn heavily on their pri-
vate bank accounts in order to keep
up such appearances as befitted the
head of a nation.
Lincoln's careful attitude toward his
personal belongings was illustrated
when he stepped upon the platform
at the capitol to deliver his first in
auguraI address. He was attired in
carried a gold-headed cane and his
high silk hat had an unmistakable
gloss of youth. The usual statesman
about to deliver an address of such
Importance might forget about his hat.
Not so Abraham Lincoln. He looked
about in vain for a suitable resting
place for his sumptuous headgear, and
finally entrusted it to a. senator who
smilingly maintained his position as the
executive hatrack thruout the inaug-
ural address,
1t would have been difficult for
which makes the modern business man
yearn for an eighty dollar suit and an
expensive automobile while living in
a thiry-five dollar apartment. He GER
tainly squandered no money on ap-
pearances.
One historians vivid summary of
Ltncoln's lack of interest in appear
ance indicates that the gaunt hero
would have had no tolerance whatever
for any ront-and-no-back" phil
osophy of living. always Indifferent
to matters of dress" says this writer,
Lincoln cut but small figure in social
circles. His trousers were too short,
his hat too small, and as a rule the
buttons on the back of his coat were
nearer the shoulders than the waist"
A friend says even. more briefly,
He simply wore clothes because it
was needful and customary" Even
Mrs. Lincoln, who was often concern
ed over her distinguished husbands
independence, had little influence on
his methods of attiring himself.
These illustrations of Lincolns at
titude toward dress are not given in
support of disregard for personal ap-
pearance. Lincoln's appearance at
first sight repealed more than it at
tracted. Such incidents as these do
show, however, thai Lincoln had not
that prevalent tendency of America to
spend its earnings extravagantly on
expensive clothes and other Injuries.
Linco1n'S simplicity, which was
never pose, is illustrated by an anec-
! dOte similar to the well-remembered
story of Bey iamin Franklin marching
| into Boston with three enormous rolls
bullying from pockets and mouth. Lin
| coin, it seems, went FranE'in one bet
ter by conspicuously carrying home
a neighbor when told that Lincoln
/ was a candidate for the presidency,
| ABE Lincoln nominated for president
of the United States? Can it be pos
sible? man that buys a ten-cent
beefsteak for his breakfast and carries
it home himself"
Human events have so shaped them
/ selves that now the possessor of a
| beefsteak for breakfast might proudly
wear it home as a badge of affluence,
as well as an indication of patriotism
| Garry your own and save paper
have been written large into the
household ritual of the present-day
| housekeeper
Abe Lincoln's philosophy of money
is interesting because of its soundness
and simplicity. IF 1 can have a house
such as the one I now own in Spring
! field and put away $4,000, shall be
/ satisfied" he more than once said
Many an American today has nc
ambition to put more than $4,000
away for the future. The usual diff
! ference between the modern use oil
surplus cash and Abraham Lincoln's
/ is that the average person now spends
! what he does not invest or use fol
necessities with recklessness that
suggests the old proverb, Easy come
easy CO.
The savings division is sure that II
| Lincoln were living today he would
be an ardent exponent of the thrift
stamp, and that he would say in con.
nection with the thrift stamp cam.
paign, BE a patriot. Don't mar the
immortal emblem of humanity, the
Declaration of Independence"
Standards of thrift have changed
considerably since Lincoln's day. NJ
one ever labeled Lincoln thrifty during
his lifetime. Then the thrifty maj