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1800 The Lincoln
Loved the Common Peo
ple and Was One of Them
Using an Enemy Pub
lic Opinion Baths
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Q fy Q Q 6 0
greatness needs no trap
pings to make itself seem
great Thus the most noble
and kingly souls have been
most commou and mean in their outer
gutoe Homer begged his bread
Buddha threw away his crown and
became a mendicant Socrates went
barefooted Jesus consorted with poor
people and publicans Savonarola wore
a patched habit Franklin was a
printer wrote mottoes for common
folks and wore plain clothes at court
Robert Burns was a plowman Abra
ham Lincoln throughout his life re
mained one of the plain people
This was in no sense condescension
on the part of the great souls In
many cases it arose from bitter neces
sity In others It was their method
of proclaiming themselves one with
the most numerous class of men It
was their method of preaching the
gospel of equality It was their man
ner of showing contempt for outer dis
tinctions the trappings of show that
small natures prize so much
Democracy is a spiritual thing Men
are not equal in outer ways They dif
fer In talents education bodily form
heredity wealth and all otcr als
They are only equal in fundamental
manhood in being children of a com
mon Father God is no respecter of
persons Ilis rain falls on the just
and unjust Ilis law natural law
treats all the same Human law must
be modeled on this eternal law and
thus must show no favoritism must
treat all alike must be based on fun
damental equality Whenever it de
parts from that even by a hair it does
violence to the divine and eternal plan
Of those who attain the kingdom im
mortal the newest comer is equal to
the oldest archangel This is the
model for all democratic institutions
They have their origin in the spiritual
nature of things They approximate
the unerring and Impartial justice of
the sunshine and the attraction of
gravitation
Jesus was the first democrat
Centenary 1909
cracy of Lincoln
By James A Edgerion
Copyright 1009 by the
American Press Association
fr
53
lie did not feel himself better than
others but felt himself just as good
as any man on the planet This was
the quality in him which has scarcely
been analyzed but which so endeared
him to the mass of men In his life
ho changed democracy from a theory
to a practice He incarnated it so
that all the world might see Ilis up
holding of the plain people was not a
pose It was his method of building
a government of the plain people
through all the years that are to be It
was his method of recognizing mass
against class his profound plan of
making the lowest strata of society
bettor by thinking them better and so
inducing them to think themselves
better
Small minds affect to despise the
common Great souls behold in that
which is most common that which is
most universal and therefore most di
vine Herein is the deep philosophy of
Lincolns remark about Gods love for
the common people
What is more common than the
grass yet what is more beautiful
Hills mountains rivers forests
oceans these areseen of all men yet
they are the most enchanting things
of life What flower is so common
yet so beautiful as the rose
So It is in men That which Is great
est in any mind is that which it has
in common with all other minds Gen
ius is the power of stating fully and
adequately what everybody else thinks
He is greatest who is most universal
who includes most of what is in oth
ers If man is made in the image of
God then all men are made in the
image of God and he includes what is
in all men The more therefore that
we can include of what is In others
the more godlike we become This is
one part of the philosophy of democ
racy a phase so amply and happily
illustrated in the life of Lincoln
But this divinity of the common is
not all there is of democracy nor all
that Lincoln embodied of it It Is
best for people to govern themselves
PMiih
wgm wsmix
Lincoln Riding His Circuit
coin was the most natural and unas
suming democrat seen in modern
times It must be understood that this
term is used in its original and funda
mental not its derived and partisan
sense I have no desire to arouse par
tisan clamor in seeking to convey an
idea Some things in partisan Democ
racy aie as remote from real democ
racy as some things in institutional
Christianity are remote from the
teachings and life of the Nazarene
There is more than a pleasantry in
Lincolns remark that God must love
the common people he made so many
of them Like most of his humorous
quips that will bear serious study
Lincoln also said that nothing could be
inherently wrong which most of the
people practiced or something to that
effect I am not so sure about that
doctrine but it shows the great liber
ators attitude It grew out of his
overwhelming desire to make himself
one with his fellow men especially
the poorest of his fellow men He baft
not in his makeup one shred of the
holier than thou He was the fur
thest removed from the Pharisee He
saw clearly the fundamental difference
between democrat and aristocrat He
not only perceived this but lived It
because they thus develop their pow
ers and bring out their inherent possi
bilities One of the worst things about
a monarchy is that the people learn to
depend on the king to do for them
what it would be better for them to do
for themselves By depending on an
other their own faculties became
atrophied through lack of use Thus
the best one man government is worse
than the worst popular government
If the masses lean on one or on a few
all their own higher powers which are
called forth in government remain
dormant Men are as good and as
great for the most part as they think
themselves They can do what they
are compelled to do The reason that
government is best which governs
least is that it makes the individual
do for himself Use makes for growth
The man who has to use his will his
judgment and his inventiveness devel
ops his will his judgment and his in
ventiveness Centuries of popular
ernment popular education universal
self respect equality and freedom
breed a race worthy of all these high
attributes of the full grown man
Lincoln knew these things and
what is better he practiced them every
day of his life He wanted to get away
frou the littleness of class into the
blscsj of the mass He knew the
worst enemy of man is that very habit
of separating ourselves from others
because we think we are better than
they Because of conduct or conven
tion or blood or collars or some other
purely external or accidental thing we
exclude somebody By so doing we ex
clude God who is universal and has all
In his image By so doing we exclude
our own complete and higher natures
for In us is a correspondence to all
other beings Caste Is a prison to those
In it and an insult to all others It
dwarfs the individual and divides the
state It is artificial and denies the
universality of Gods love It is doom
ed to die with the other lies of an out
worn age Such souls as Lincoln have
given the race a new and broader out
look We now see he is greatest not
who is most exclusive but who Is most
Inclusive He is highest who has most
completely and adequately what Is in
all other men Common sense thus
becomes the most precious kind of
sense It Is the wisdom derived from
all experience That which is most
common is most universal and that
which is most universal is most divine
If Ave get deep enough into this philos
ophy we shall have explained the
homely anecdotes the unassuming
clothes and manners and the demo
cratic attitude of Abraham Lincoln
likewise his love for the plain people
We have not had democracy as yet
He was the prophet of the democracy
that is to be
A kindred trait in Lincoln is like
wise illuminative ne saw the clear
distinction between private and pub
lic He was most charitable to private
faults the while he fought public ones
With the first he had little or no con
cern They were none of his business
With the last he had every concern
for he being a part of the state the
public faults to that extent were his
faults He was responsible for them
along with all other citizens This at
titude lie carried through life Rigidly
opposing everi publL wrong he was
most lenient and merciful to the indi
vidual wrongdoer He pardoned such
whenever he could do so without in
jury to society
The same tendency was shown in an
other way and brought on Lincoln
criticism from his old Illinois fripuds
and relatives He refused for the most
part to appoint them to office holding
that the private attachments of Lin
coln the individual should in nowise
influence the acts of Lincoln the presi
dent He believed his old friends and
neighbors to be incompetent for the
offices they asked for However much
he wanted to accommodate them how
ever much their ill feeling would hurt
him he could not allow personal feel
ings of this nature to govern his acts
as a public official That would be
iikin to treason to the state Nepotism
was impossible to this pure minded
man and graft private gain at public
expense would have seemed the great
est of crimes because a crime against
society
Just as he would not appoint his
friends to office if he thought them
Incompetent so he would not refrain
from appointing his enemies if he
thought the state needed their serv
ices A conspicuous example is found
in the naming of Edwin M Stanton
for secretary of war at the time the
most important place in the govern
ment second to that of the president
himself Stanton had been criticising
Lincoln in the most persistent and of
fensive fashion He had called him
apa and other names quite as uncom
plimentary Once in a lawsuit in Cin
cinnati he had snubbed Lincoln and
hurt him cruelly But Stanton was a
Union man and one of great energy
and acknowledged ability Mr Lin
coln belloved him the man to place at
the head of the war department Not
withstanding Stantons irascible tem
per and other faults the step has been
approved by history What other pres
ident with the possible exception of
Washington was great enough to
place a personal enemy in his official
family on the sole ground that the na
liou needed him Where was there
ever a more perfect example of divid
ing private from public concerns
On the circuit Lincoln n de at first
an old horse and afterward drove a
dilapidated looking buggy He car
ried a faded umbrella and wore for the
most part a hat that had scmi better
days He was one of those eek and
uncomplaining men that landlords and
other like important personages im
posed on In the presidency lie was
open to access by everybody His de
sire to meet people amounted to a
passion with him all his life He
would stay out on the circuit Sun 1
days or wander around the streets of
evenings to meet people and tell
ries He called his receptions in Wash
ington his public opinion baths He
genuinely loved all kinds and condi
tions of men What wonder that they
love him
Mr Lincolns typical democracy is
happily illustrated by a story
A German lieutenant who had ben
compelled to leave his fatherland
gained admission to Lincoln and made
such a favorable impression that ha
was given a commission in a cavalry
regiment Thinking to impress the
president still more he recounted that
he belonged to one of the oldest and
noblest houses in Germany Oh
never mind that said the common
peoples president You will not find
that an obstacle to your advancement
The martyred presidents name and
fame are now familiar in all lauds
The hearts of human beings are touched
by the same emotions and respond to
the same human call on whatever
curve of the earth they be it Liberty
and democracy are growing in all
nations and that being tru the fame
of their apostles must likewise grow
Of these Abraham Lincoln vas by no
means the least
wms
N
IS- 5 fs k iv
sssTSSlSS
Valentine Valentine speed thee away
Straight unto -her who my heart holds I pray
Swiftly return then to me Valentine
Bringing her heart back a hostage for mine
SQ8Q8SS2 2SeS88SE
Indian
s
St Valenti
By JAMES A EDGERTON
ee
Copyright 1909 by American 1iess As
ciation
O one would suspect the noble
red man of stooping to send
frivolous Valentines thr ugi
the mails Yet there is a cao
recorded in Washington of some
wealthy Osage Indians doing this very
thing It was Chief Jim Bigheart and
three of his braves who bought the
delicate creations and sent them to
leading government officials Perhaps
the chiefs name had something to d
with his liberality Indian names are
bestowed because of qualities uid not
at haphazard as with us So Big
heart may have meant that Chief Jim
was that kind of an Indian
This happened a few years ago when
some of the Osages were in Washing
ton to see the great father One
day the chief with his braves dressed
in all of their finery with red blan
kets blue trousers trimmed with
SSS all
9f f tu n ai
HEAP VALENTINES
cupine quills and hats with silver or
naments stalked into a Washington
department stoie Valentines neap
Valentines said Chief Jim When
conducted to the counter and some of
the cheaper ones were shown him he
repeated Heap Valentines with
much einphasis So with a wink the
clerk trotted out one worth Me
take said Chief Jim right off the bt
or whatever is the Indian equivalent
of that expression Then he was
shown forty more of the same expen
sive pattern Me take was the la
conic expression of Chief Jim in each
case Finally the store was ransacked
from cellar to garret and every high
priced Valentine in the house was pro
dueed the Indians grunting approving
Ughs and adding Me take tinti
the bill reached 320 The chief never
batted an eye as he was informed of
the amount but paid it from an im
mense roll of bills Ihon he asked
that the Valentines be sent out for
him The manager kindly offered to
mail them from the store Asking the
names of the ladies to whom they
were to be directed he was interrupt
ed by Bigheart
Injun ladies no get Veutines In
jun ladies work SquavI Ugh
Then Chief Jim rattled off the names
of senators representatives and lead
ing men in all parts of the country
even sending one to the president cf
the Joited States
I Pagan Origin of
Valentines Day
It would seem that Cupid should
choose for his particular festival a
day commemorative of some joyful
event St Valentines day is the an
niversary of the putting to deatli of
an early bishop of the Itoman church
named Valentine who suffered martyr
dom for his faith on Feb 14 270 A D
However as most young men are will
ing to swear that they will die if need
be for the love of their maids and as
St Valentine died for the love of his
bride the Christian faith there is no
great incongruity in using Feb 14 as
the day for the more or less anony
mous expression of tender regard
It is not altogethex perhaps not at
all the fact of St Valentines martyr
dom that has caused the choosing of
ins death anniversary as the day for
exchanging tinted scented missives
between young men and maidens
There was an ancient belief that birds
began mating on Feb 14 This belief
antedated Christianity St Valentines
day therefore so far as it is observed
by modern youth is of pagan origin
In A Midsummer Nights Dream
Shakespeare alludes to this belief in
the mating of birds thus
St Valentine is past
Begin these A ood birds but to couple now
In his Hesperides the tender Her
rick sang
Oft have I heaid both youth and virgins
say
Birds choose their mates and couple too
this day
But by their flight I never can divine
When I bhall couple with my valentine
Loves Supremacy
Love refreshes all the soul quickens
the cockles of the heart and purifies
the murky currents of the blood
Love forgives ere it is asked seeks
but good in all is forever blind to evil
condemns not nor in aught would
judge
It knows not saint nor sinner for
to it all hearts that hold the hidden
jewel for which it jeeks are sacred
caskets hallowed by the breath of
God
CARDIAL NEWAIWS VALENTINE
Little msicon dot thzv pine
For a faithful Vcl ic
Art thcu scrnrir limiu
Every face tnei meets thine eye
Art thou her may be
Fairer fese OZ ihot cost see
Little rrciden cz olzr mine
Wouldct tl ou ltrvo a Vaisniine
Go and ask - lidc child
Ask the und icd
Ack fcr she v ill or-
t ec near
And vil whiepcr in thine car
Valentine T c i ccsd
For it co er cf iir T l ih
And a fnN
And it tells cf LIecT
Noble
- r
sl
Fcr its ovnfr poured
Every drop th r a3 o spill
In the cuiarrci cf h Lord
Valentine I knew the name
Many martyrs bcrr the same
And they stand in glittering ring
Round their varrier God and King
Who before and for them bled
With their robes of ruby red
And their swords of cherub flame
Yes there is a plenty there
Knights without reproach of fear
Such St Denys such St George
Martin Maurice Theodore
And a hundred thousand more
Guerdon gained and warfare oer
j By that sea without a surge
- And beneath the eternal sky
And the beatific sun
In Jerusalem above
Valentine is every one
Choose from out that company
1 Whom to serve and wbomto love
nanism Ilnuon Win Kibbum
A l tli mi U uiw itt I i nvfr lai t
week Iim i iv Lrr iit hrd
of Alnrcii iijin i hi I Tidd h lino
shuw ii di it i ihii1 i luirk imui rtlv
1iirif wWniitv 1 1 1 1 Jit f Vf r rfy
thrn nin fnuith mxi onu fjjfti
piiz I hie mi- t i ijifhist riuiuhT
of prizew won l mo niiu hMHin
Nnhrm lm m mh if jt tluit Uw
Millt r 1iti uf Ihhii ih ItftH if
the state r
OKDRH OF HFA1MNO AND NOTHK ON I K
TITION YOU ShTTIKMfM OF ACl GLVT
Jnthe Count Court of Iiil Willow coimly
Nebrnskii
State of NcLrnt Itu Pctl Willou county
ToMiifli KidtliiiK GrncnV Short t iHfum
H Short MiimieN Short uml harlot W Short
solo Iivlrt of unci nil person- iimrestcd in the
ostnle of J fiint j H Short decen
On rettuiiiK lo ijflition ot Luna L ihuriuK
pruyiiiK n iiiuil j uttliMticnt niU alowiiico of Unt
account tiled in Ihis Court on the 2tth daj of
Junuiiry 1Mb and for n iunuiiiiit of lioimv
blend mid dower to hcrnswiduu of tiodcLtHi e5
and for the dtribution of nid c tute it i
hereby ordered that on and nil j iiiit
csted in f nid matter nut and do tpiwar at he
County Court to I e held in and for inid County
on the 13th day of rebruar D MAK at On
oclock I 51 to show caiiMS if any t hero be
why the prajer of the pe itioner bliould not I
Kranted and that notice of tlo pendency of -aid
petition and the henrini thereof lx kiwu to nK
persons interectid in s aid mutter by publishing
a copy of I liis order in the Tribune a weekly
newspaper printed in mid count for three
succestnewetks prior to mid da of h urine
Thkai J C Mi oick
1 County Indue
U JvGl iCKOKbL lTH
Nellie Smith Ami Smith John I Smitli
Liz7io Smith rio n I elle Bim ce Arthur S
DodKu Frank Teal John II Heal Julia K
Keal and HelenMnrKueriteRenl will take notice
that on tliOid de of January 1 Olinrlei
K Smith tiled liis petitition in the District
Court of Ifed Willow count Nebraska nuainst
said defendants the object and prajer of which
iro that the defei dant and each and all of
them be required to set fortli the interest they
and each of them claim in the uorthenst quar
ter and the north half of tle iunrtef
of s oction 21 town 3 N raiie JO of the HU
PM in Ifed Willow count Nebraska that
tho plaintiil be decreed to be the owner in fee
simplo of nn undivided two-third- interest in
said land thnt the defendants John I Smith
and Itoba Pello Dodsre each bo decred to be
tho owner of an undivided one ninth internet
therein and that each of the defendants I rani
Heal John II Ken Julia F Feal and Holer
Marguerite Ifeal be decried ti le the owner iu
feo bimplc of nnundivided in
terest in haid premise- thnt a judjn ent Le
had confirming the of the parlies at
hereinbefore bet forth and for tl n partition id
said premises according to tho rights of the
respective parties therein and if -aid real estate
cannot be eiiuitatily divided thai the slini t
sold and the proceeds of such -ale be distrib
uted among the partiec aceonlin to their
respective riKhtsand forMich other and further
relief as may Lc ju t and equitable
You are required to answer mid petition o
or before the fcth day of March 1 Ift
Dated this 27th day or January 110
Cn ttiLS K Svn ni Plaintiff
Cordcnl it McCarl for PlnintiiTfJK
Mike Walsh
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13
