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Show CHARLES McCULLEY WINS IN ORATORY ABRAHAM LINCOLN THE AMERICAN7 Whom could you call the greatest national leader ever produced in the United States? Think it over for a few minutes. Now, I might suggest a number of candidates for this honor. When I am through, I will leave you to decide de-cide for yourself, which one of these candidates is capable of claiming this high distinction. Could you call Washington the greatest because of his dazzling ability abil-ity and good generalship, as was shown by his crossing the Deleware in mid-winter to surprise the Hessians Hessi-ans at their own game? Could it be Jefferson, because of his educational education-al ability and foresight, as was shown by his drawing up of the "Declaration "Declara-tion of Independance," and his purchase pur-chase of Louisiana in 1803? Lincoln, because of his foresight and mental judgment, as' was shown when he foresaw that a nation half free and half slave could not hold tO'-gether? tO'-gether? Or would it be Rooseveli, wlio has a brilliant record, both as a soldier and a statesman, This record was shown during the Spanish-American war and after. But before we can select, we must have a standard to- select by. Therefore, There-fore, it is fitting that we enumerate the characteristics this leader should have. As these are purely of my own opinion, you are left to form different ones of your own. if you desire. This leader should possess clean vision and should be able to see both sides of a question. For instance when the English church was being formed, there were three different parties those who favored the Catholics; Cath-olics; those who favored the English church; and those who wanted to reform re-form the church still further. The leader of each party had studied the question thoroughly and decided that his side was right. They fought and preached for this side, sometimes laying down their life for what they thought was right. Sometimes these leaders wer right. Sometimes they were wrong. But they put into us that, spirit of ''never say die." This spirit of "never say die," should be one of the big characteristics character-istics of a leader. If a man is chang-able chang-able of mind and never' sticks to his points, he will never be a - leader. One who is always changing cannot bo depended upon to bear a certain amount of responsibility. Now as we all know wo do- not want a leader who cannot be relied upon. Foresight -hould be another characteristic. char-acteristic. Just before the Revolution ary war. a great dcUt took place in English, rnrliamori Tliey were debating de-bating on wheth.:- (ho American colonies col-onies should be taxed or not. A num-1-ei- of the metr.ru 5 were in favor of it. but Will.am Pitt voted against it. He knew that the colonists had come to America for freedom. He foresaw that they would not stand to be taxed, tax-ed, and that all would only end in j war, in which England would lose her most promising colony. Pitt was. one of the great leaders in England. Nearly everyone has a spark of human sympathy buried somewhere j beneath the surface of his body. In1 some, it is buried deep down in the! heart and r.cver comes to the sur-1 face. Tn others, it is just barely un-J der the skin. The first person is cold j and dignified. The second person is just waiting the chance to do good. The face of the former might just as well be chiseled from the rock of ages for all the expression it shows. It is the same, year in and year out. The face of the latter is like a fountain. foun-tain. Tt is wreathed in smiles and has mirth and gladness bubbling up everywhere. ev-erywhere. From his face you can tell that the latter is besides bplng humorous soodnatured and sympathetic. sympa-thetic. Which of these would you have to lead you? I am sure that the majority of you are in favor of the one who h always smiling. Then a leader should be sympathetic and good humored. Probably, by this time, you have j decided which one of the four men previously r.amed is most suitable tow this honor. But for me, I can think of no one who fits' this niche in the hall of fame so well as does Abraham Lincoln, the American. His early life afforded ample training train-ing in these elements of leadership as will be shown later. It was on February Feb-ruary 12, 1809, that Abraham Lincoln Lin-coln was born; and soon after his resitless fairer moved from Kentucky to Indiana.. Here, his mother died, when he wai nine years of age, throw ing him on his own resources and leaving him the initiative of caring for himself A year later Thomas Lincoln married again. Abraham's stepmother was not as some stepmothers step-mothers are pictured. She was very kind to Abraham and saw that he went to school, although he did not go any more than a year all together. When he did learn to read he devoured de-voured all the books he could find. Among these were, the Bible, Pilgrim's Pil-grim's Progress, Robinson Crusoe, etc. Lincoln's early life contained very little suhsninar rth rtr rtrdaddalooi fs.r, and what he did earn went . to his father. In his twenty-first year, his parents moved to Illinois. Here Abe was iniriated into the mysteries of rail splitting. He also helped in clearing land and planting crops. When he was given his freedom, he got a job on a flat boat, bound for New Orleans. While in New Orleans, he witnessed an auction of a number of slaves. This had a great effect upon up-on him and one day he said to his companions, "If I ever get a chance to hit that fhing, I'll hit it hard," showing that even at an early age Lincoln took an interest in national problems. After tht; trip Lincoln went into the business field; first managing a store; then a grist mill; and later on running a store of his own. In the first two, the jobs went back on him. In the last the sheriff bad all the say. Then the Blackhawk war came. Lincoln enlisted nd was made captain of a company. As there was no fighting fight-ing the soldiers becme tired and deserted. de-serted. Lincoln Showed his loyalty by reenlisting as a private. While wrestling with commercial problems, Lincoln prepared himself for future usefulness by studying law. When his business failed he went into politics. His fir9t legal office of-fice was that of postmaster of New Salem, Illinois, but the postofflce was discontinued and Lincoln was out of a job again. But Lincoln was not disheartened. His next attempt was to get into the legislature. His first attempt failed, but the second was successful, he be-; be-; ing re-elected three times. He was ad-i ad-i mitted to the bar in 1S37 and set up practice in Springfield, j Lincoln's ambition was a bright j one. He always sought for the biggest : game in sight. He was nominated against Douglas for Senator from Illinois in 1S53. When he was defeated de-feated for Senator he accepted the nomination for President. As we all know, Lincoln won out and was our next president. He knew that he had many enemies nd that he took many chances of being assassinated, assassi-nated, and yet he took them. Then came the chisis and for four long years the war god wrought havoc and desolation, It was a time when hatred ruled. What else could cause brother to fight brother. "All that was known of Lincoln," says Towell. "was that he was a good stump orator and was nominated because be-cause he had no history. At first he was so slow that he tired out those who see no evidence In progress, except ex-cept in blowing up the engine. But later he became so fast that he took the breath away from those who think there is no getting on safely while there is a spark under the holler." hol-ler." During all this time Lincoln was kept solving one rritical rerohlem at-i at-i ter another He had governmental affairs af-fairs to tend to, besides carrying on j the war. Sometimes Lincoln wor-(continued wor-(continued on page 5) |