Wilson in Position Similar to Lincoln, Minister Declares
Title
Wilson in Position Similar to Lincoln, Minister Declares
Creator
Unknown
Identifier
WWP16191
Date
1920 February 18
Description
An article from the St. Louis Globe-Democrat compares Woodrow Wilson to Abraham Lincoln.
Source
Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, Staunton, Virginia
Language
English
Text
President Wilson’s present position is not unlike that in which Lincoln once found himself, according to Rev. Dr. George Chalmers Richmond, pastor of Centennial Church, who addressed the Community Club of University City last night on the subject, “If Lincoln Were Here.” The occasion was the monthly dinner of the club.
Dr. Richmond strongly defended the President and said that Wilson knew what Lansing and his “small fry” had been doing during his illness. He said:
“Lincoln had three traits of character which the modern world should emphasize and treasure. He was a hard worker and never let up. He felt his responsibility to God at all times, especially as his great work in unifying the nation proceeded, and hence loyalty to God and humanity made him unfaltering and unswerving in carrying out what he conceived to be his duty. He had the great simplicity of a far-reaching vision of what America stood for and ought to be in the making over of this world for God and his people.
Frivolous Americans.
“Men were quick to criticise him and condemn just as today one hears foolish and frivolous Americans, filled with the zeal of mere partyism, denounce and damn President Wilson for his treatment of Mr. Lansing. Why not give Woodrow Wilson the benefit of the doubt? Why not learn something from the suffereing of Lincoln? Mr. Wilson is the world’s greatest statesman today. Men of prophetic vision all over the world know the causes of Mr. Wilson’s illness, physical weakness and collapse last fall. Thanks be to God, he is almost recovered. He is the world’s greatest idealist in the realms of true statesmanship.“
Pope Benedict was right when, in Rome not long since, he said to Cardinal Gibbons’ representative, ‘Your great President, I consider the world’s greatest and most beneficent statesman and the hope of the world’s common people.’
“We can recognize—can’t we?—man’s great qualities without agreeing with all his view. Mr. Lansing for months has deserted the President. His views, while in Europe , were not in harmony with those splendid ideals of the President. All Lansing’s friends were opposed to the progressive idealism of Woodrow Wilson. Our nation can spare Lansing, but we need our great President a while longer. Mr. Wilson has that tenacious intensity for the truth, and for real moral progress in the affairs of the world and nation which characterized Mr. Lincoln.
Will Call Him Narrow.
“Of course, a certain type of Missourians will call him ‘narrow,’ ‘small,’ ‘peevish.’ Well, what if he is? He’s looking out for the interests of great international ideas and ideals far wider and far greater than the boundaries of Kentucky, Illinois and Missouri. Why can’t the average politician see beyond his own nose? Why can’t America have statesmen wih Lincoln’s vision of the nation’s destiny? Why can’t a little of our so-called and much boasted Christian spirit prevail in our own souls when we consider the practical problems of this day?
“Let’s stop knocking the President of the United States, even if we don’t agree with him on all the fourteen points. Let’s uphold his great leadership, remembering that he knows more than we what Lansing and his ‘small fry’ have been doing during the illness of the President.
“If we should hear tonight that some scoundrel had murdered Mr. Wilhon, how quickly our whole attitude toward him would change. We’d see his good points at once. Let’s do it now and not wait for the burial.”
Dr. Richmond strongly defended the President and said that Wilson knew what Lansing and his “small fry” had been doing during his illness. He said:
“Lincoln had three traits of character which the modern world should emphasize and treasure. He was a hard worker and never let up. He felt his responsibility to God at all times, especially as his great work in unifying the nation proceeded, and hence loyalty to God and humanity made him unfaltering and unswerving in carrying out what he conceived to be his duty. He had the great simplicity of a far-reaching vision of what America stood for and ought to be in the making over of this world for God and his people.
Frivolous Americans.
“Men were quick to criticise him and condemn just as today one hears foolish and frivolous Americans, filled with the zeal of mere partyism, denounce and damn President Wilson for his treatment of Mr. Lansing. Why not give Woodrow Wilson the benefit of the doubt? Why not learn something from the suffereing of Lincoln? Mr. Wilson is the world’s greatest statesman today. Men of prophetic vision all over the world know the causes of Mr. Wilson’s illness, physical weakness and collapse last fall. Thanks be to God, he is almost recovered. He is the world’s greatest idealist in the realms of true statesmanship.“
Pope Benedict was right when, in Rome not long since, he said to Cardinal Gibbons’ representative, ‘Your great President, I consider the world’s greatest and most beneficent statesman and the hope of the world’s common people.’
“We can recognize—can’t we?—man’s great qualities without agreeing with all his view. Mr. Lansing for months has deserted the President. His views, while in Europe , were not in harmony with those splendid ideals of the President. All Lansing’s friends were opposed to the progressive idealism of Woodrow Wilson. Our nation can spare Lansing, but we need our great President a while longer. Mr. Wilson has that tenacious intensity for the truth, and for real moral progress in the affairs of the world and nation which characterized Mr. Lincoln.
Will Call Him Narrow.
“Of course, a certain type of Missourians will call him ‘narrow,’ ‘small,’ ‘peevish.’ Well, what if he is? He’s looking out for the interests of great international ideas and ideals far wider and far greater than the boundaries of Kentucky, Illinois and Missouri. Why can’t the average politician see beyond his own nose? Why can’t America have statesmen wih Lincoln’s vision of the nation’s destiny? Why can’t a little of our so-called and much boasted Christian spirit prevail in our own souls when we consider the practical problems of this day?
“Let’s stop knocking the President of the United States, even if we don’t agree with him on all the fourteen points. Let’s uphold his great leadership, remembering that he knows more than we what Lansing and his ‘small fry’ have been doing during the illness of the President.
“If we should hear tonight that some scoundrel had murdered Mr. Wilhon, how quickly our whole attitude toward him would change. We’d see his good points at once. Let’s do it now and not wait for the burial.”
Original Format
Letter
Article
Files
Collection
Citation
Unknown, “Wilson in Position Similar to Lincoln, Minister Declares,” 1920 February 18, WWP16191, Cary T. Grayson Papers, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.