The record-union., 1891-01-11
"On the nlav-rrnnnd y

|
! house here.''
why did you not inform your people
of the accident?'
| Because thought 1 would come here
| and get my arm fixed. I know if I went
home they would send for you, and so L
came right here to save time"
l held the upper arm at the elbow while
| the painful operation of setting was per-
| formed. There was slight tremor of
pain as the surgeon drew the arm into
line in the operation of replacement, but
no outcry. When the operation was
surgeon told me that he was Fred
Crocker, the son of Charles Crocker In
this incident there are many indications
of character which identity the boy with
the mantle quiet, undemonstrative en-
durance, the self-reliance, the plain COM
nonsense view OF the whole situation,
! the consideration of the question what
was the right thing to be done and the
! immediate action when the conclusion of
| the proper action was reached. In school,
in business, in the domestic circle, in
| friendship, in short in all the relations of
| life, these traits have been manifest. Per-
| sonally, Charles +. Crocker is below the
medium hight, with fully rounded form,
which confers the appearance of robust
| health and yigor. His manner is delib-
crate and readily invites confidence. His
| method of conversation is unreStraned
easy and free of ostentation. His me-
| thodical habits of business are suggested
| by the obviously careful arrangement of
his statements. When hesitating in the
choice of words, he never accepts that
proffered by his auditor, but proceeds
with his own selection, and when it is put
| forth the auditor perceives that the hesi-
tation was not the result of search for a
missing word, but rather the deliberate
choice between many words nearly
synonymous in the mind. Mr.. Crocker is
well-lnformed upon great variety of
topics. His taste in reading runs in the
line OF history, essay and contempora-
neous literature. 1t is one of the charms
| of conversation with him that his opin-
ions are original and real. This is refer
able in part to the absence of those attri-
| butes OF character which constitute the
politician. Up to the present he has not
been assailed by political ambition. His
opinions are therefore the real convictions
of his mind. He is broadly familiar with
the political issues of his own country
and the leading powers of the world. He
would achieve high degree of political
success with great facility. Real influ-
ence resides in character. The faculty of
attracting and holding the confidence of
the masses of men has its root in the
stability of friendship and the continuity
of purpose. We feel to possess instinct
lively a knowledge of what some men may
do under stated circumstances, and there
is no deviation of confidence from real
integrity and high purpose.
In thus retracing briefly the career of a
Young man born to fortune / am not un-
conscious of its departure from the mo-
notonous features of American biography.
| Nearly all of our countrymen who have
achieved sufficient eminence to Justify
the presentation of biographical sketches
to the public have arisen from obscurity
The early disadvantages of our great men
itpf fI,ar, 1,aftt
contrast between the poverty and OBJ
scurity in which their young life was
passed and the ultimate eminence
achieved by them is constantly dwelt
upon. We share in the admiration for
men who by the force of manly character
have raised themselves from the obscur-
ing levels of our common humanity to
the SUBMITS of true greatness. We share
in proud admiration for the broad liber-
ality of American institutions which in
terpose no obstacles to the achievement of
the highest distinction on every field of
human activity. AT the same time it
should not be forgotten that it is less diff
cult to acquire a self-reliant and strongly
! indiVidualized character in the school
where necessity is master than to acquire
i the more solid elements of manliness
against the demoralizing tendencies OF
great riches. The way, from poverty to
| wealth is much easier than from wealth
to substantial character. The philosopher
who said that men acquire wisdom in
| solitude, but character in the stream of
life, has furnished key to the success
/ of men of eminence whose lives had
| their source in poverty and obscurity.
Necessity confers self-reliance, concen-
tration and earnestness of purpose. The
man whose boyhood was passed amid the
discomforts, the apprehensions and even
| the terrorS OF poverty may readily refer
the strength and tenacity of his character
to it's formative influence. Even the nat
ural affections of the poor boy are power
fully enlisted on the side of his determi-
nation to rise from the conditions which
offend every aspiration, from the COM
monest ambition to the dearest affections
| the human heart can know. When life
| begins in a complete competency, or in
great wealth, there is no spur of necessity
to prick the ambition of aimless exertion.
The history of thousand distinguished
men proves that poverty is the great con-
structor of character, while wealth is its
most insidious destroyer. The conscious
ness that the means of the qualification of
every desire are practically limitlesS has
the poison OF surfeit, and the possessor of
| a great fortune in youth is beset by the
danger of morbid tendencies. The am
bition to acquire competency is most
| worthy, and if the most honorable place
in life is the ranks of honest industry the
most honorable place in these ranks be-
longs to him who, standing shoulder to
| shoulder with his fellow-men in the great
industrial army, is there from choice, not
! of necessity.
OF the four railroad constructors and
operators, citizens of California, who
achieved such distinction upon the great
field of their chosen activity, Charles
Crocxer was the only one who had sons
to succeed him. As the prospective sue
cessor of his father, a high position in
railroad management was naturally con-
ceded to Charles L. Crocker. The public,
therefore, never troubled itself to inquire
whether his promotion was by merit or
as the result of inheritance. His advance
ment was looked upon rs the natural and
inevitable course of things. Under such
circumstances, but little if any thought
will be given to the question of intrinsic
merit underlying hereditary promotion.
This is most trying and, indeed, most
| unfortunate position in which to place
any aspiring and ambitious young man.
1t deprives him of the opportunity of
rising by force of energy rof rejoicing in
each upward step as the unmistakable
concession to fitness. There may be- as
in the case of Colonel Crocker, there GER
tainly is, the record of well-ortlered,
sober, methodical and industrious life,
wherein the attendant promotion to high
station is attributed to Inheritance, when
in other cases it would be accepted as an
evidence of real merit; and vet it is
within the realm of sober truth to say
that the subject of this sketch has received
no undeserVed advancement and that the
position he has attained has been honor
ably won and fairly maintained.
If Mr.. Crocker has not achieved official
distinction it is a high ecomium to say
that he has not sought it through the
vanity which desire public adulation. If
it is said that in making his way he has
occupied the vantage ground of great
wealth, it is a higher distinction to say
/ fl,slfa oil l..