Sigh. At least get it right. Lincoln told an anecdote about a hog rooting for subsistence when questioned about the effects of emancipation. For your edification [empahsis mine]:
Other matters were then talked over relating to the evils of immediate emancipation, if that policy should be pressed, especially the sufferings which would necessarily attend the old and the infirm, as well as the women and children, who were unable to support themselves. These were fully admitted by Mr. Lincoln, but in reference to them, in that event, he illustrated all he could say by telling the anecdote, which has been published in the papers, about the Illinois farmer and his hogs.*How pathethically compassionate of Lincoln.
* Mr. Lincoln had a wonderful talent for illustrations of this sort. His genius for Anecdotes was fully equal, if not superior to that of AEsop for Apologues or Fables. They were his chief resort in conveying his ideas upon almost every question. His resources for producing them, seemed to be inexhaustible, and they were usually exceedingly pointed, apt, and telling in their application. The one on this occasion was far from being entitled to a place on a list of his best and most felicitous hits of this character. The substance of it was this:
An Illinois farmer was congratulating himself with a neighbor upon a great discovery he had made, by which he would economize much time and labor in gatheringr and taking carle of the food crop for his hogs, as well as trouble in looking after and feeding them during the winter.
"What is it?" said the neilghbor.
"Why, it is," said the farmer, "to plant plenty of potatoes, and when they are mature, without either digging or housing them, turn the hogs in the field and let them get their own food as they want it."
"But," said the neighbor, "how will they do when the winter comes and the ground is hard frozen?"
"Well," said the farmer, "let'em root."Alexander Stephens, A Constitutional View of the Late War between the States: Its Causes, Character, Conduct And Results, Philadelphia: National Publishing Company, 1870, Vol. II, p. 615
Lincoln was pretty much turned out to root himself.
But so much for him supporting left-wing social programs.
Walt
What would you have suggested?