Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-12-07
PLUCK AND PRIDE.
A Crucial Test Of wiehis.'s Greatness.

To the Editor of the Eagle.
Among the greatest heroes of the world
are those who have at one supreme mo-
ment of their careers, snatched from the
very jaws of defeat the palm of victory.
Napoleon. Frederick the Great. William
of Orange and score of others
whose names shine brightest in
the galaxy of modern military chieftains,
owe their fame largely to the indomitable
pluck developed under the most trying
and adverse circumstances. This tri-
umph over severest obstacles in crucial
moments has established the character
and fame no less of nations than of men
no less of cities than of nations. TODD the
right thing at the right time is the key to
success, whether done by the individual,
the city, state or nation.
An opportunity is now afforded to Wich-
tia to develop the stuff she is made of-not
by great sacrifice to. be.made by her people
as when with one grand and spontaneous
outburst they contributed a half million
dollars to fund to bring packing houses
and various industries to the city-but by
showing to the world through ten thou
sand contributions, each one almost in
fraternal love cements and binds the fOun-
dations of our commercial structure.
1t is needless to say that l refer to the
completion of that grandest monument to
the noblest quality of our people, the Y.
NJ. c.. A. building. Ten thousand contri-
buttons of So each will finish and thorough
ly equip the building. Each contributor
will have the consciousness of having
helped to build this monument and
as he points to is with pride can say to
the stranger, "We built Tive" not
''they" Money is close-times are hard.
But the man who gives five dollars now,
and feels it when he gives, is entitled to
more credit than the man who gives five
hundred when he don't feel 1t. This beau
tiful building should be made the key
stone to that magnificent arch of metro
politan greetings our people have been for
the past three years erecting. With sew
ers and paving, court house, federal and
city buildings, packing houses ana car
works, colleges and churches-brlghtest
and best of all, because it is the crystali-
zation of the loftiest sentiment Of our peo-
pie, is this Y. NJ. G. A. building. To COM
plete it now, to show to the country by a
multitude of small contributions that
we are neither dead financially nor
morally, would be a great advertisement
for US in business way. In this view
alone it would pay. But by giving, as we
should, warm side in the hearts of a
large number of contributors, we should
reap harvest of good in the future work
of the association that can not be valued
by dollars.
When Joseph Cook, few months ago,
stood upon the street corner admiring
this majestic structure, he remarked, as
his eye kndled with enthusiasm, Il know
of nothing comparable to it west of the
Mississippi" His words of fervent praise
and his predictions of the wonderful
power it should WELD in the future of our
city, aroused the interest and sympathy OF
bystanders to such pitch that more than
one of them felt that if he were able he
would contribute the entire amount neces-
sary to complete the building. Who that
has not contributed to this christian en-
terprise can afford Withhold donation. be
it great or small according to his ability,
to this browning proof of Wichita's great
ness? H. w. LEWIS.