Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-05-31

acquiesce, they make a precedent
which in turn will divide and ruin
them. Plainly the central idea of cess
alton is the essence Of anarchy. The
majority, held in restraint by constitu-
tional checks and limitations. and al
ways changing easily with deliberate
changes of popular opinion and senti-
ments is the only true sovereign of
a free people. Whoever rejects it
does of necessity fly to anarchy or
despotism.
"He spoke, the statesman, proclaim
ing deliberate public opinion as to the
supreme power of civilization, easily
to be written into law when conviction
should command. 1t ought TO be tonic
to the waning confidence Of those of
today who grow impatient that empha-
sized minority views are not hurried
into the majority expressions Of the
republic. Deliberate public opinion
never fails. Later. closing his first
inaugural when anxiety gripped the
nation, he spoke, the generous. for
giving, sympathetic man, the un-
daunted faith:
~ am loath to close. We are not
Till Dut IIIttluS. we IntISt MOI De
enemies. Though passion may have
strained. it must not break our bonds
of affection. The mystic chords of
memory, stretching from every battle
field and patriot grave to every living
heart and hearthstone. ell over this
broad land. will vet swell the chorus
of the union, when again touched. as
they surely will be the sweeter angels
of our nature @
Exhorted In Vain
But he exhorted in vain. Passion
was aflame and war was made the
Americans fought Americans
equal courage and valor. There
an ambiguity in the constitution
only n baptism of blood could
One may only speculate on
what another might have done but
fate seems to have summoned the one
great hero best fitted to lead to the
salvation.
His faith was inspiring. his reso-
ution commanding. his sympathy re-
assuring, his simplicity .enlisting, his
unfailing. He was faith,
and courage. with his head
above the clouds, until moved by the
storms which ragged about his feet.
mo leader was ever more unspar-
ngly criticized or more bitterly as
He was dashed by angry
ongues and ridiculed in press and
,peech until he drank from as bitter
cup as was ever put to human lips,
tut his faith was mistaken and his
never exhausted. Some one
.ent me recently an illumined and
ramed quotation which fell from his
Ups when the storm of criticism was
t its height: !
eff ! were trying to read he said,
much less answer all the attacks made
me. this shop might as well be
for any other business. I do
he best I know how. the very best
can; and / mean to keep on doing
to the end. If the end brings me
ut all right, what is said against me
ill not amount to anything. If the
nd brings me out all wrong, ten
ngels swearing / was right would !
lake no difference !
Say Bright End Coming
"He knew. of course, before the
ssassin robbed him of fuller realiza-
on. that the end was bringing him I
1T all right. He knew when swords {
ere sheathed and guns laid down that 8
lie Union he saved was riveted anew i
nd made forever indissoluble. He '
new that in the great crucible of fire s
nd blood the cross had been burned
ON the mis-directed patriotism of $
states and the pure gold re- $
ored to shining stars in dear old r
DRY again. He knew he had freed a i
ice of bonded men and had given to +
Ie world the costly proof of the per- h
,tuity in the American union. But
cannot restrain the wish that he
light somehow know of the 'monu-
ents to his memory throughout The o
orld. and that we are defeating to- d
" on behalf of a greatful nation this 6
atchless memorial. whose 48 columns, a
AZ states in the concord b
union. testify that the end brought e