The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-03-28
AS TO BODY GUARDS.

The recent death of person of vast
Importance of whom in his lifetime but
few people on this side of the Atlantic
had ever heard, the body guard of the
Car Of Russia, serves to call to the
mind the fact that, even in these civil
lized times, the profession of personal
protector is not wholly abandoned. The
members of the principal royal families
of Europe are always pretty well looked
after by armed guardians. Lincoln rode
to his inauguration in the care of detec-
tives, and, accessible as was the great
and good man to every one throughout
the mighty struggle, there We're those
about him who held themselves answer
able for his safety.
In such cases there is every reason for
taking all precautions possible, as the
crimes of Booth and Guiteau suggest.
But there is a certain type of men not
of conspicuous rank who always feel
safer in the company of defender. Jay
Gould, for instance, for years after the
assault which the poor crazed Selover
made upon him, was scarcely ever seen
unaccompanied by his body guard. Mr..
Gould is short man, Of slight frame,
and pronounced financial ability. 1t
would not be safe to argue that this
class of physique is more subject to tim
idity than others, but it is curious CO.
incidence, to say the least, that very
conspicuous case which has recently
come to the attention of Rhode Island
ers, should be connected with
another such short, small boned
man as Mr.. Gonld. The New York
millionaire had some reason for his
timidity. The Rhode Island trembler is
much more of an anthropological curl
osity in this respect; or, to put it more
exactly, though otherwise less eminent
than the Wizard of Wall street, far sur
passes him as psychological study.
For it is one thing to get tremendous
scare through tremendous thrashing,
and quite another to call in the services
of bodyguard when passing through on
orderly country with no property of con-
sequence except non-negotiable check.
One would suppose that the presence
of a bodyguard would spoil all the fun of
life-that Mr.. Gould should ever be re-
minded by the presence of his defender
of the necessity of defense and that
Rhode Islands extraordinary freak of
fright would forever be reminded by the
presence of his guardian of the need
which he conceived to exist for guardian
ship. Indeed, this must, in the latter
instance, have been the case, since the
Society for the Study of Timorous
Travellers have unearthed the interesting
pathological fact that the most absorb
ing Of their subjects was thrown into
such panic state by the possession of
a non-negotiable check that it was full
week after the completion of his journey
before he recovered sufficiently to VEN
ture forth to the depository.
The NEWS most earnestly deprecates
the tendency of the unthinking to make
fun of this infirmity of physical timor-
BUSINESS. The field mouse, "wee, sleekit,
cow'rin', tim'rous beastie," has as much
right to life as the fierce tiger. Although
one naturally would not prefer TO en-
trust timorous man with high official
position requiring nerve and courage in
its proper execution, yet he may be
blessed with many of the virtues which
would adorn private life in peaceful
community. Certainly his infrmity
should entitle him to consideration and
should, among the generous, protect him
from disrespectful treatment.