The Washington times., 1920-02-12
= A Few Words From Lincoln
They Are as Applicable Today as When He Spo

for the first time the great soul Of Abraham Lincoln
What he and what he came to be need no recital
What he did in preserving nation needs no praise IT h its
monument
On his natal day it is worth while because 1t is profit
able to recall of the things he said Lincoln was not
q volumnous writer, nor wordy and dfuse speaker
All that has been preserved of what he said and wrote
could be contained in volume Of few hundred pages,
which could be read in few hours.
We print below some of the things which he said and
wrote which most applicable to presenday conditions
the hours problems the questions about which Ame
talk at their work benches with their fellow labore
at their homes with their wives and children.
Not all of Lincoln wisdom expressed in political
debates messages Congress Much of IN letters
to friends frequently to women for with his great wisdom
he knew that the minds Of women are frequently more
receptive than mems to ideas of justice and honor.
His idea of the duty of toward and paricu
y of husbands toward wives he expressed in letter to
Miss Mary Owens in 1887. Miss Owens was the young
lady who made the mistake of refusing Lncons proposal Of
marriage because she said he deficient in those
little links which to make up the chain OF woman s
happiness"
Writing to her before her refusal, he said
"Whaever woman may cast her lot with mine,
should any do so, it is my intention to do all in
my power to make her happy and contented and there
is nothing can imagine that would make me more
unhappy than to fail in the effort"
That is sensible kind of love letter. fine sentiment
for young who contemplates marriage excellent
forecast of happy union Miss Owens made sad mis-
take when she did not become Mrs Lincoln.
he had other matters which seemed to him important
He had already decided to seek political Office His
first political speech while It of the shortest public
addresses he made gives pretty clear idea of the
kind of politician he had made his mind to be. He
talking to the people of Sangamon county, Illinois, in 1892
and this is what he said:
every is said to have his peculiar ambition.
Whether it is true not say, for one that have
other great that of being truly esteemed by my
fellow by rendering myself worthy Of their esteem.
How far l shall succeed in gratifying this ambition is
yet to be developed. am young and unknown to many
of you born and have remained in the most
humble walks of life l have wealthy popular
relations friends to recommend My is
thrown exclusively upon the Independent voters Of the
county; and if elected, they will have conferred
favor upon me for which shall be unremttng in my
abors to compensate. But if the good people in their
wisdom shall fit to keep me in the background,
have been too familiar with disappointments to be very
The style in political speechmaing has changed
sideraby since then you will observe during the
few months
Lincom's reputation public man and public speaker
largely local until he gained national prominence by
his mastery debates with Douglas To pick out Of those
masterpieces Of logic and eoquence expression which
stands out above the rest is difficult task But perhaps
he said uer thing in all that great array Of truths than
the which most excited and disturbed his supporters
"A house divided against itself cannot stand believe this
Government cannot endure permanently half slave and half
free"
OF this Judgment Lincoln said that if he "had to erase
all of his life except one poor record he would choose to
save that speech.
The almost direct result of the Lincoln Douglas de-
bates the choice of Lincoln candidate for the
Presidency and with his election there began with his first
inaugural address such contribution economic wisdom
and clear political thought constitutes national heritage
In these days of disturbed conditions of charges of
traorous words and unpatrotc sentiments useful and
instructive to consider whether not Lincoln would now be
considered voicing truth e be good citizen or
scoundrel, when he said in his first inaugural
''This country, with its institutions belongs to the
people who inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow
weary of the existing Government, they exercise