WhenDanielWebsterdiedmorethanacenturyago,amanwhodifferedstrongly

withhimonmanypublicissuesroseinCongresstosaythisineulogy,

“Ourgreatmenarethecommonpropertyofthecountry.”

EverettDirksen,ofIllinois,wasandisthe“commonproperty”ofallthefiftystates.

SenatorDirksenbelongedtoallofusbecausehealwaysputhiscountryfirst.Hewasanoutspokenpartisan,

hewasanindividualistofthefirstrank,

butheputhisnationbeforehimselfandbeforehisparty….

Throughfourpresidencies,throughtheadultlifeofmostAmericanslivingtoday,

EverettDirksenhashadahandinshapingalmosteveryimportantlawthataffectsourlives.

EverettDirksenwasapoliticianinthefinestsenseofthatmuchabusedword.Ifhewerehere,

Ithinkhemightputitthisway:Apoliticianknowsthatmoreimportantthan

thebillthatisproposedisthelawthatispassed.

Apoliticianknowsthathisfriendsarenotalwayshisallies,

andthathisadversariesarenothisenemies.

Apoliticianknowshowtomaketheprocessofdemocracywork,andloves

theintricateworkingsofthedemocraticsystem.

Apoliticianknowsnotonlyhowtocountvotes,buthowtomakehisvotecount.

Apoliticianknowsthathiswordsarehisweapons,

butthathiswordishisbond.Apoliticianknowsthatonlyifheleavesroomfordiscussion

androomforconcessioncanhegainroomformaneuver.

Apoliticianknowsthatthebestwaytobeawinneris

tomaketheothersidefeelitdoesnothavetobealoser.

Andapolitician―intheDirksentradition―knowsboththenameofthegame

andtherulesofthegame,andheseekshisendsthroughthetimehonoreddemocraticmeans.

Bybeingthatkindofpolitician,this

“ManoftheMinority”earnedtherespectandaffectionofthemajority.

Andbythespecialwayhegaveleadershiptolegislation,

headdedgraceandeleganceandcourtlinesstotheword“politician.”

Thatishowhebecametheleaderofaminority,andoneoftheleadersofournation.

Andthatiswhy,whentheSenateworkeditsway,EverettDirksensooftenworkedhisway….

Somewillrememberhisvoice―thatunforgettablevoice―thatrolledasdeepandmajestically

astheriverthatdefinesthewesternborderofthestateofIllinoishelovedsowell.

Otherswillremembertheunfailing―oftenself-deprecating―senseofhumor,

whichprovedthatamanofseriouspurposeneednevertakehimselftooseriously.

Otherswillrememberthemasteryoflanguage,thegiftoforatorythatplacedhiminaclasswithBryanandChurchill,

showing,asonlyhewouldputit,that“theoilcanismightierthanthesword.”

Butaswedohonortohismemory,letusneverforgetthesinglequalitythatmadehimunique,

thequalitythatmadehimpowerful,madehimbeloved:thequalityofcharacter.

EverettDirksencultivatedanappearancethatmadehimseemold-fashioned,

anincarnationofabygoneyear.

ButthatqualityofcharacterisasmodernasaSaturn5.

Ashecouldpersuadehecouldbepersuaded.

Hisrespectforotherpointsofviewlentweighttohisownpointofview.

Hewasnotafraidtochangehispositionifhewerepersuadedthathehadbeenwrong.

Thattoleranceandsympathywereelementsofhischaracter,andthatcharactergainedhim

theaffectionandesteemofmillionsofhisfellowAmericans.

WeshallalwaysrememberEverettDirkseninthetermsheusedtodescribe

hisbelovedmarigolds:hardy,vivid,exuberant,colorful―anduniquelyAmerican.

Tohisfamily,hisstaff,andhislegionoffriendswhoknew

andlovedEverettDirksen,Iwouldliketoaddapersonalword.

Therearememorablemomentswewillneverknowagain―those

eloquentspeeches,theincomparableanecdotes,thosewonderfullyhappybirthdayparties.

Buthe,leastofall,wouldwantthistobeasadoccasion.

Withhisdramaticsenseofhistory,Icanhearhimnowspeakingofthegloryofthismoment.

Asamanofpolitics,heknewbothvictoryanddefeat.

Asastudentofphilosophy,heknewthetriumphofandthetragedyandthemiseryoflife.

Andasastudentofhistory,heknewthatsomemenachievegreatness,

othersarenotrecognizedfortheirgreatnessuntilaftertheirdeath.

Onlyaprivilegedfewlivetohearthefavorableverdictofhistoryontheircareers.

TwothousandyearsagothepoetSophocleswrote,

“Onemustwaituntiltheeveningtoseehowsplendidthedayhasbeen.”

WewhowereprivilegedtobehisfriendscantakecomfortinthefactthatEverettDirksen

―inthericheveningofhislife,hisleadershipunchallenged,hismindclear,

hisgreatvoicestillpowerfulacrosstheland―couldlookbackuponhislifeandsay.

“Thedayhasindeedbeensplendid!”