The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1923-02-09

son that before it can be got into print
1t Is practically out of date.
The newspapers and periodicals are
always on the alert to print anything
that is discovered, said and done about
Lincoln. The death at Beloit, Wis, of
Matt Trask, eighty-one years old, last
survivor in this region of those who at
tended the Lincoln-Douglas debate nj
Freeport," gets two sticks. Dixon, H.,
proudly tells the world in a quarter OF
column that the Lincoln Highway,
as 1t passes through that city, touches
the very site of the blockhouse where
Abraham Lincoln was Quartered while
serving in the Black Hawk war Of
1882" The placing of a wreath on
Lincoln's tomb by Georges Clemenceau
gets column or two. And so Lin
colniana grows.
Clemenceau's visit to Springfield was
really a noteworthy occasion. The
war-worn, cynical old "Tiger" is one
Of the most striking figures Of the
times and Is still as temperamental
as prima donna, in spite Of his
eighty-one years. He was taken to
the Lincoln home at his request, was
seated liz Lincoln's armchair and was
presented with a pen made from the
flooring Of Lincoln's room with which
he signed the visitors register.
AT the tomb he blazed with wrath
at the hard-boiled movie operators who
violated all ethics of the sacred spot
and cursed them f1uently In all the
many languages at his command. And
as he placed his wreath on the sar-
cophagus within the crypt it was seen
that he was moved almost to tears.
He said as much a little later when
ne spoke to a notable gathering of the
greatest American" as he phrased it.
He declared that he had always been
a close student of Lincoln's life and
services and that the Lincoln tomb had
been fixed spot in his American
itinerary, determined before his de-
parture from Paris.
Historians will presumably see few
points of resemblance between Lincoln
and Clemenceau. Nevertheless, 1t is a
safe guess that the Tiger" placed that
wreath because he wanted to, and that
every word he said came straight from
his heart
The American book output, enor-
nous as it is, Is steadily increasing.
Some Of 1t Is Of course Of trivial i'm
portance and even the best of 1t seems
70 add little to history. One feature
OF 1t, however, Is Of real value. The
specialist on various phases of Lin
coins career has made his appear
ance and his exhaustive researches al
most invariably add a mite to our
knowledge. A good example of this
kind Of work Is "Lincoln's Last Day.
by John w. Starr, Jr. The author
accounts for almost every minute of
Lincoln's last twelve hours. He sub
Stimulates his text with more than fifty
notes and cites more than sixty au-
thorities. Incidentally he makes many
corrections Of errors contained in sew
eral widely read works on Lincoln.
Possibly 1t Is Of comparatively little
Importance how Lincoln spent those
last hours. Nevertheless, Mr.. Starr
has produced something which will be
of Importance when the master biog-
rapher does his work.
Former Senator Albert ]. Beveridge
of Indiana has the ambition to be that
master biographer. Defeated at the
last election in his effort to return TO
the senate, he now has leisure for the
work and announces that he has begun
a Life Of Abraham Lincoln" In at
least four volumes. He says he
planned 90 write 1t while he was