(From the Rockport Review of October 31, 1912). 
Compares Wilson with Lincoln 
Says the Democrat Captain Falls Far Short of the Leader 
NORTH SHORE BREEZE 
of ’61 
AN ARTIST’S EXPRESSION OF THE POLITICAL CRISIS 
The character study of Abraham 
Lincoln and Woodrow Wilson, 
Democratic candidate for President 
executed by George Edward Hall, the 
artist of Bear Skin Neck, has aroused 
considerable comment among those in 
town who have seen it Incidentally 
Mr Hall, in an interview, gives to the 
readers of The Review an explana- 
tion of his study. 
When asked why his portrait did 
not picture Lincoln as we are accus- 
tomed to see him, with whiskers, Mr. 
Hall answered as follows: “At the 
time of his nomination he wore none. 
During the campaign a little girl wrote 
him she believed he was a good man, 
but she thought he would look better 
if he wore whiskers. He wrote the 
child a tender letter, saying he would 
_think of it. On his way to the in- 
auguration he passed through the 
town where the little girl lived, and 
at the station inquired if such a little 
girl was present. She came; he took 
her in his arms, and, kissing her, ca- 
ressingly, told her he would let his 
whiskers grow. Hence the world caine 
to know Lincoln with a beard. 
“Fiver since I became an artist I 
have wished for the ability to paint 
his firm and gentle face, as I knew 
and loved him. 
“Opening the Boston papers, on the 
Fourth of July, there was Wilson re- 
ceiving news of his nomination to that 
great office which gave Lincoln’s 
greatness to the world. This crystal- 
ized my purpose to paint Lincoln as 
he appeared at his first nomination. 
Here was Wilson, facing a great cri- 
sis, a funny man, lifted into power by 
Bryan. Lincoln had humer and 
mirth, but by instinct he knew where 
they belonged. This unerring cer- 
tainty of the fitness of things made 
Lincoln the man of the hour. 
“Well, I went to work. The spirit 
of that raoment possessed me as if I 
had a message from him to the people. 
“This print of Lincoln represents 
my unfinished work. This photograph 
of Wilson is put forth as he appeared 
at the moment of receiving the news. 
Two faces at the windows of destiny, 
confronting two of the greatest epochs 
in our history as a nation. I am try- 
ing to give you the impression of one, 
the camera presents the other. One 
shows reverent devotion, grand ideal- 
ism, the dignity of nature, an inherent 
rectitude, and an ‘ardor in the blood’ 
responding to the call of humanity. 
“And what must we say of poor, 
dear Wilson? He comes tagging on, 
after Bryan, and seems to say, ‘Oh, 
isn’t it jolly?’ ‘I’ve got it.’ Here is 
self-inflation instead of self-efface- 
ment, seemingly, a ‘feeble temper’ 
that looks upon the foam of the whirl-— 
pool nor thinks of the rocks beneath. 
He stands revealed, irresponsible as a 
child pleased with a new toy; his lack 
in judgment is shown in permitting 
this picture to go forth, also in meet- 
ing men, as when he met Underwood, 
the embodiment of the Ryan-Murphy 
gang; of whom he said, as reported ~ 
by the Associated Press: 
‘I found hi mentirely charming. 
He has such a singular frankness. 
and openness and charm about 
him. I don’t know of any man I 
have met in a long time that 1 
_have taken such a fancy to. We 
had a fine talk, he and I, just go- 
ing over the whole situation in a 
most satisfactory way. Really, 
just like two men who had al- 
ways known each other.’ 
“What is not in a man cannot be 
brought out of a man even by Bryan. 
Professor Wilson is a gentleman of 
culture. Has he the sand? This is 
not time for qualms or to split hairs. 
A grave issue is before the people. 
We do not want weak men or funny 
men; the people and the times de- 
mand a man. 
“While Mammon is invisible there 
is another invisible power, one that 
steadied Lincoln’s hand and makes for 
righteousness. Had Lincoln’s integ- 
rity been known by Wall Street, he 
never could have been elected Presi- 
dent, no more than Bryan has been 
elected. Nor could we have had 
Roosevelt. He made himself obnox- 
ious to the interests when he was Gov- 
ernor of New York, and they shelved 
him in the Vice-Presidency.”’ 
There is no sense in this third term 
bogy. No tradition should stand in 
the path of the people . Not one of 
these monopolists that are crying for 
the blood of the third termer, would 
discharge an employe because he held 
a place for a certain term of years. 
There are only two great men who 
have fought nationally the boss and 
the monopoly. One has been bereft 
of opportunity; the other has historic 
record, as Lincoln had in 1864. We 
all know how the politicians, the 
bosses, the generals, the Cabinet and 
Congress, and Wall Street combated 
his second term, but the people were 
d 
