The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-02-12
LincOln's Anniversary

CHICAGO NEW YORK BOSTON
LincOln's Anniversary
In this year Of 1882, when SO much
attention is being given to the bi-cen-
tennial of George Washington, we
nevertheless take due note of the an
niversary Of the birth Of Abraham
Lincoln, second only to Washington
in the affections of his countrymen.
No two lives in American history
hold more OF thrill or Of real educa-
ton than the lives of these two men.
To study the biography OF either
Washington or Lincoln is q training
for the soul Of the reader, an exercise
in character development which all
OF us should give ourselves at fire.
quent intervals.
With the perspective which history
gives us, we can estimate now some of
the attributes which made Lincoln
great. We can understand why it was
that he was able to carry the burdens
OF . nation upon those gaunt, stopped
shoulders.
AS good guess as any, perhaps, Is
that Lincoln never forgot the fact
that he was just human man; that
he had courage; sense of humor and
of understanding; he never expected
more of anyone else than he would
give himself and, topping bis other
virtues as public man, he had
sense Of personal responsibility and
the character which enabled him to
obey the dictates of his conscience
no matter what the pressure to ig-
more them.
He was by no means saint and
in many ways he was not model.
AS q young storekeeper in Salem, Ill,
he liked to tell stories and to mingle
with his neighbors better than to
keep his nose on the grindstone and
make his business prosper. He was
not essentially an idler but he lacked
that kind of industry which is con-
spicuous as a virtue. AS captain of
a company In the Black Hawk war
he was disciplined because nearly
every member OF his company went
on q spree and got drunk.
Any honest biography discloses the
fact that Abraham Lincoln was by
no means a Little Lord Fauntleroy
grown up. It is limited that, on occa-
sion, he could enjoy joke which was
a little loft color"
In short, Abraham Lincoln had
most Of the shortcomings and per-
haps many Of the habits. good and
bad, which beset the modern man.
The fact that he combined them with
certain other qualities contributed to
his greatness, for the sheer human
ity Of the man gave him an under
standing Of others which was one Of
the nations great assets during the
Civil war.
Perhaps, II he had not mingled and
'loafed" with his ntighbors around
Salem when youth, he would not
have been able to establish the lead
ership which enabled him to hold the
union together.
Any competent survey of Lincoln's
life cannot exclude the fact that. in
some respects, he was a man born Of
Providence. That he became presi-
dent was little short Of a political
miracle. It was good deal as
though one Of the ex-congressmen
from North Dakota should suddenly
be elevated to the highest office in
the land. That he was able to meet
the obligations Of the presidency, un-
tutored as he was, proves the endow-
ment OF heart and brain which God
gave him.
II there Is one lesson which Lin
coins life teaches and which we need
to study anew in these times it is
that OF courage, Of steadfastness un-
der fire and Of willingness to sacri-
flee self rather than sacrifice prin-
ciple.
These arc virtues which stand out
iust now, Just as they stood out from
1851 70 1895.
We should be grateful to Lincoln
lor the heritage which he has left
- ~ but even more grateful for the
sximpls which he has set for every
man who finds. the way hard and
be1et. with thorns.