The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-02-21
LINCOLN AND EBERT.
Essential Differences Between the
Rail Splitter and the saddler.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN--Sr: An
unpleasant parallel between Lincoln and
Ebert was suggested in certain editorial
articles in the newspapers on Lincoln
birthday. They attached a misleading
Importance to the coincidence that Ebert
"the saddler" was inaugurated Presl-
dent of the Republic of Germany on the
same day of the same month on which
Lincoln, "the rail splitter" was born.
Surely the parallel must stop short with
this fact.
The American public is eager to-day
to know who Ebert is, and what Is the
Republic of Germany. All Nat we know
Of Ebert is that he was a saddler, then
a Socialist agltator; was elected to the
Reichstag in 1912, and elected by rae
ton of the Socialists President OF the
eo-called Republic of Germany
It is fair TO assume, therefore. that
Ebert does not believe In republic as
Americans understand 1t, In which every
individual, rich or poor, is equal before
the law that he does not believe In the
rights of property OF individuals: and
that he does believe in a government OF
a class. by a class, and for class, and
that class the Socialists.
Now what resemblance can an Ameri-
can see between the rail splitter or the
United States of 1920 and the saddler
of Germany OF 1919? The rail- splitter
| in the United States was part and par
eel Of the economic. social and political
forces of the country. He was very
| poor. but that did not exclude him from
the best social or political life of his
community. Mr.. Blaine in his eulogy OF
President Garfield, speaking Of the pow
erty OF the young American, said:
The poverty of the frontier. where all
| are engaged in a common struggle, and
| where common sympathy and hearty CO.
| operation tighten the burdens Of each. IL
/ very different poverty. different In kind'
| lifterent in influence and effect from the
| conscious and humiliating indulgence which
is every day forced to contrast Itself with
! nsighboring wealth. on which It feels a
sense of grinding dependence.
| Tho poverty OF the frontier is indeed
no poverty. 1t is but the beginning OF
| wealth. and has the boundless possibili-
| ties OF tho future always opening before
it. No nan ever grew up in the asricul'
| rural regions OF the West, whore a house
| raising or even a corn husking Is matter
| OF common interest and helpfulness. with
any other feeling than that OF broad
I minded. generous independence. This hon
| orable independence marked the youth Of
| GARFIELD. as It marks the youth OF million'
| Of the best blood and brain now training
| for tn, future citizenship and future gov
ernnaeaa OF the republic.
! 1t is hard to get the full meaning
OF this American characteristic of work
| through the head Of foreigner. but Is
1t not the plain truth? Many kinds oil
work which would be called even nenia
in Europe have always been considered
as dignifed in the United States. be-
cause here the only requisite Of work
is that It shall earn an honest living
for an honest man.
The rail splitter was the product Of
"a government Of the people. for the
people, by the people"
On the other hand. in Germany tht
saddlcr belongs to a trade which moi
only society Classics as ignoble. but
which he himself accepts as such. II
that country all work. except that oil
the Government, including the PROBES
sions of law. medicine and learning. have
always been looked down upon by thu
upper classes with patronizing contempt
Socially. the saddler knew only othe
| saddlers or like tradesmen. Politically
he had a right to vote for a msmoer o
the Reichstag. whose powers were purel,
nominal. He had freedom neither o
speech nor of assemblage.
The saddIer in Germany is the prod
uct of centuries OF social tyranny ant
political slavery, and naturally would
be q revolutionist and Socialist.
eau a statesman spring to-day ou
OF this old Germany Of yesterday? o
course. It Is only fair that We shoulc
hope for the best. but at present /
sounds like dissertation to mention TIL
names of Lincoln and Ebert In the SAM
breath. Lincoln loved his fellow man
and Ebert loves his fellow Socialists
NEW YORK, February 20 T. H