The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1922-02-10
HIS FAME CROWS
Interest in Lincoln Increases
With the Passing Years.
Whole World Has Come to Honor the
Man Most WorthiIy Termed 1.-THE
First American"

With every passing year the inter-
est in Abraham Lincoln-and 1t is
coming to be a worldwide interest
increases From the days of Lowell
and Whitman down to the present mo-
ment he has been the theme of poet,
essayist, novelist, dramatist and biog-
rapher. Within the last few years we
have had Mr.. Bachelors novel, Mr..
Drinkwater's play and Lord Charm
woods noble biography. Englishmen.
hardly less than Americans, have done
honor and paid reverent tribute to the
memory of the American President,
and thus this great man, though dead,
has proved to be bond of union be-
tween the two peoples, says writer
In the Indianapolis News. The more
LincoIn's life and character are stud
led the larger does his greatness loom.
Other men, who made great stir in
the world, have shrunk with the pass
ing years.
Lincoln's has been a growing fame.
Nor Is 1t fame that was sought
rather 1t was Stunned. There is moth
ing manufactured in it, as indeed there
never is In a fame that is lasting and
noble. Here Is man who is honored
and this is a fine tribute to democ-
racy-for the sole reason that he de-
serves to be honored.
Really Great Man.
Much has been made of the sim
plicity of Lincoln's character, and yet
In sense it was not simple at all. The
mystery connected with it has not
been conjured up by men desiring to
show their ingenuity. He was. as Ten
nyson says of the duke of Wellington,
erich in saving common sense" and,
'as the greatest only are, in his SIM
| plicity sublime AS the greatest
only are"-the qualifying phrase is i'm
| portant There We're depths in Lin
coins nature that never have been
and never will be plumbed. To him
''who only sees one way at once" Lin
| coin may seem to be merely good
natured, tolerant man. Yet, though he
oyerfiowed with the spirit of mercy,
he could be as hard as adamant when
occasion required. Humble though he
\ was, he could take position, and
hold it with Self-assertiyeness that
was sublime Utterly without pride,
he yet trusted his cwn Judgment, and
even his intuitions implicitly. "Rich
in saving common sense" he was yet
beyond question a mystic. In what
| Swinburne said was the creates!
threnody in the English language
Whitman spoke of Lincoln as "the
sweetest, wisest soul of an my days
and lands" More than any other
American, Lincoln had that remarka,
| Bile quality which Arnold praised SC
highly, sweet reasonableness." This
| character, therefore, is not simple, but
in the highest degree complex. The
simplicity is found in the moral nature
To follow conscience and do the right
was the rule of this mans life. There
is an appearance of simplicity, due t.
the fact that the character, composite
as it was, was so well rounded, sc
marked by totality as to blind men tC
the struggles by which the unity was
achieved. 1t may be said of Lincoln
as of Brutus, but with much more
truth:
4 His life was gentle. and the elements
4 So mixed in him that nature might stant
up
And say to all the world: aThis was .
i manr'
So, though lie was Sin his simplicity
sublime" 1t was "as the greatest only