however, decide to consolidate traveling libraries in a given county into one public library, the effect would be entirely different from the standpoint of usefulness and value. Traveling libraries largely result in the establishment of permanent ones, and the appearance from time to time of a new collection at a given point, is unquestionably more stimulating to advancement along this line than any other system for the building of permanent libraries that could be devised. So much for this question which is clearly within the province of a state library commission.

In attempting to discuss the leading questions of library administration that are better administered when in the hands of a state commission, you will note that I have confined myself closely to studies that at present are engrossing the attention of library authorities throughout the land. North Carolina cannot afford to pass unnoticed such avenues of education as the presence of a commission in this State would insure to every man, woman and child within its confines. With the advent of your commission not only the questions that I have called to your attention would be considered, but others equally important; such as traveling pictures, inter-library loans, special topic collections, the preparation and publication of additional historical matter concerning the state, a thorough bibliography, and lastly, yet of great importance, a bureau of comparative legislation. Let it be known to your assembly that statements of comparative legislation, on any subject, embodying laws of all countries, will be furnished them upon application, and everything you want for the promotion of your general educational system will be more carefully considered than ever before. This feature of the work of a library commission is in operation in a half dozen or more states and has been, beyond a doubt, the most helpful adjunct to library progress within the past ten

years.

Lincoln: Master of Men*

BY E. WALTER Sikes,

Professor of History in Wake Forest College

A new book on Lincoln is always welcome, especially so at a time when there is a national movement on foot to purchase the old Lincoln home in Kentucky. Mr. Alonzo Rothschild contributes to the ever-increasing literature about Lincoln an illuminating study of one phase of his many-sided character, namely, his mastery of men. It thus differs from a biography of the man in laying consistent emphasis on this one point. It is, as the sub-title indicates, more than the study of any one man; we have a study in character-one of the best illustrations in all history of the way in which a great man, by patience, energy, good sense and tact, may win dominion over the hearts of men. The author shows an accurate knowledge of Lincoln and his times, and at the same time his style is admirable for its picturesqueness and real dramatic power.

Did ever man master more men and more various types than did Lincoln? Norman Hapgood calls him the "Man of the People," but he was more than that. It was in the trying times of war that Lincoln showed the real mastership. But this quality was always in him. The rough frontier life early developed it as it had developed it in many others. Frontier life has ever nurtured self-reliance and the homely virtues that win the respect of the world. Washington had it early, as the many stories in Weems's "Life of Washington" show. Mr. Rothschild has zealously gathered and massed many such stories. Lincoln was the veritable "Samson of the Backwoods," and prided himself on his physical strength. One of the first books that ever came into Lincoln's possession was Weems's "Washington," and its impossible hero. But there are no impossibilities in a boy's vision, and this old book fired the boy with the desire to excel his fellows.

*Lincoln: Master of Men. A study in character. By Alonzo Rothschild. Boston and New York: Houghton, Mifflin & Co., 1906, 531 pp.

One friend of these early days declares that he could "strike with a maul a heavier blow and could sink an axe deeper into wood" than any man he ever saw. His cousin Dennis said: "My, how he would chop! If you heard him fellin' trees in a clearin' you would say there were three men at work, by the way the trees fell.”

This very strength and agility gave Lincoln his first leadership among the boys in the Pigeon River region. Those long legs and arms gave him pre-eminence in the wrestling bouts and in the fisticuffs that were the common features of all frontier gatherings. Lincoln took great pride in these feats of his early days, and even after the ballots of a nation had crowned him leader he often spoke of these simple "chaplets of wild olive."

Lincoln always noticed the size of men. When he met a little "strong man" at a state fair, he remarked to him, "Why I could lick salt off the top of your hat." He was a great admirer of Alexander H. Stephens, but did not fail to observe his stature. When they met at the Hampton Roads Conference, Stephens had protected his frail body with a profusion of overcoats. When he had taken them all off, Lincoln remarked to Seward, "That is the largest shucking for so small a nubbin that I ever saw." Even when he was in the White House many callers testify that they had to measure heights with him. He said, "Sumner declined to stand up with me back to back—and made a fine speech about this being a time for uniting our fronts against the enemy, and not our backs." There was need for all this strength of Lincoln's, for the days of war taxed it to its full extent.

With this physical superiority it was easier for him to gain the intellectual leadership in the western country. He had his share of love, war and politics in this frontier life. He led his neighborhood companions to the Black Hawk war. While there was no fighting against the Indians, he gained some notoriety and learned how to manage a company of men. He knew no tactics; the men were not accustomed to obey, but before the end of the campaign he had them under good control. They respected the man but not the officer. In this same campaign, at the latter part of it, he was the best scout and led the scouting parties.

In early games of politics Lincoln showed his power as a stump speaker. In his county, the Jacksonian Democrats were in the majority, but he cast his lot with the Henry Clay Whigs. In one of these early canvasses he was pitted against an accomplished lawyer who had recently deserted the Whig party. This practised debater made terrible onslaughts on the Whig party and sought to overwhelm the young man with ridicule. It happened as Lincoln rode into town he observed the pretentious new house of the speaker with its lightning rods-the only ones in the county. In his reply Lincoln said, "I desire to live, and I desire place and distinction, but I would rather die now than, like the gentleman, live to see the day that I would change my politics for an office worth three thousand dollars a year, and then feel compelled to erect a lightning rod to protect a guilty conscience from an offended God." The rods had drawn the lightning and his opponent went down to rise no more.

Lincoln's first great struggle, the struggle that brought him before the nation, was the joint discussion with Stephen A. Douglas in 1858. These men had come into Illinois and started life together-one threw his career with the Whigs, the other with the Democrats. In the early thirties they had been in the legislature together. For twenty-five years they had been rivals, but the career of Douglas far outshone Lincoln's. All that Lincoln could show was four terms in the legislature and one in congress. On the other hand Douglas had held many important state offices and had passed on to congress and then to the United States senate, where he was the Democratic leader. These young men were rivals in Illinois during the famous "hard-cider campaign." In these days Lincoln never lost an opportunity to appear on the platform with Douglas. Their next rivalry came in love— not in politics. In this contest Lincoln won.

Lincoln regarded Douglas's rise to eminence with keen disappointment. He pretended to care little for politics, but he could not keep his eye off Douglas. The Whig cause was hopeless and Lincoln was jealous of Douglas, but higher and higher rose the star of the latter. In these days the road to the White House wound through the South. Douglas

was playing for this prize. Compromise after compromise followed on the slavery question. Whenever Douglas would return to Illinois to defend his position, Lincoln was put up to answer him. In one of these contests Douglas said privately to Lincoln: "You understand this question of prohibiting slavery in the territories better than all the opposition in the United States senate. I cannot make anything by debating it with you; you, Lincoln, have, here and at Springfield, given me more trouble than all the opposition in the senate combined."

In 1858 Douglas was renominated for the senate. The new Republican party declared itself for Lincoln. Then followed the greatest debate in the history of the country. Douglas knew Lincoln and did not wish a joint debate. It was true as he said, "Lincoln is unknown and can gain much. Should I win, I shall gain but little. I do not want to go into a debate with Abe."

Douglas, at this time, knew and appreciated Lincoln more fully than did any other man in America. However, the great debate came off. Enthusiasm was on the side of Douglas. The railroads gave him special cars. George B. McClellan gave his private car to Douglas while Lincoln often went on the freight. This debate cost Douglas the nomination for the presidency. Lincoln so cornered him on the slavery question that the Southern Democrats repudiated him as their leader. When the Democratic convention met at Charleston it refused to nominate Douglas. The party split. The northern wing nominated him, but the southern wing chose Breckenridge while the new Republican party chose Douglas's rival. Lincoln did not campaign in 1860. Douglas did, but it was all in vain. Lincoln's star, though slow in rising, had eclipsed that of Douglas.

When Lincoln stepped upon the platform to read his first inaugural he was dressed in fine clothes and carried a new silk hat. Embarrassed as to where to place the precious hat, Douglas stepped forward to the rescue and held the hat while his rival took the oath of office and delivered his inaugural. It may be said, in passing, that Mr. Rothschild is unfair to Douglas and makes him too much of a charlatan.