The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1893-09-02

accident prevented his becoming
railroad man. You didn't know Il
did vou9 He was pastor OF a chur
IN indianapolis. A new railroad W
projected, and superintendent was
be chosen. A bank president W
was one of the chief directors h
been greatly impressed with the 60
head manner and zeal OF the you
parson and concluding that he "
possessed of the qualities that wou
make him a first rate railroad oftic
proposed his name. The contest "
close. Beecher lost by one vote. NJ
suppose for moment that he had be-
successful. He would have gone
head in his calling, and the fire al
energy and vital industry which we
prominent among his qualities wou
rapidly, unquestionable, have force
him to the front.
And then growing as the west gre
nothing under heaven could have ke
him out ofpolitics, and the large pr
liabilities are that he would have 4
come foremost hgdre ID
councils, with seat in the So
and possibly ahome in the
House. 1t was a little thing
switched him off. One vote settE
matter. As it was with Bss
unquestionably it js-Sfth multi,us (
men less conspicuous.
Not msay years ago a humble
American worker was sticking ty
the composing room of a neiehb,
city. The newspaper was notf ::
successful then. Its editor
None of the reporters seemed !
up to the mark, and the propr
nervous, idgety man allowed IL
to drift. The reporters printed |,
they pleased. Several parapn
pertinent timely evincing thought,
written by compositor and handei
the proprietor, who publishedH
They attracted attention. He
him TO write more. In a little
Thomas Kinsella became the
of the Brooklyn Eagle, which
died was one OF the five chief mem
properties in the country,
editor of that paper had coniinta Z.
work, Kensella would have re !
in the composing room, lnai
which he left Ri. e. ,c;ase enta : :; :, :,
sanctum, formed po =
alliances went to cora.
comparatively wealt U&
generally esteemed
great town.
1t was the purest.
accident that secured
manding position ant 49,,
fluence in affairs. WI -
would be to say that
was driving horses on
any idea any program vi
which was the pres -. -
United States 1t was f.-s.@
ent which gave him OF
opportunity and it was ! I
honest utilization of the -
the opportunity which a :
step by step, even there
was favored tec.--ssasla c.:-ssasla s
The story is familiaf
Twenty thousand people
in the great assemblage hal.
Ten thousand of them che
selves hosrse over the name
while the other ten thousand
ed TO drown the noise
hurrahing and clapping and
for Blaine. Now if Grants
been the stronger in the coSsslliJi
there would have been no Gniad
or if Blaine's friends had sufhculI
strength to carry the day GarlAd
would have been nowhere. ThePs
py accident was there was disS
convention so far as those namest
concerned, and the compromlse
Garfield opportunity.
That's my point. 1t is mol
Garfield was not competent, rd'
he wasn't subsequently electedF
that he couldn't fill the bill, m
whatever might have been his
ambitions, hopes, it was notn
the bitter, relentless fight betsp =
4, friends of Blaine and Grant tnp :,
him the rrnrunity. We an T
when arguing matters, to utili7
STATIONS drawn from consplcu>
realms but this opportunity, this cnant
this accident, obtains just as absofutsl
in your life and mine as IN the exps
ience of candidates for the presloen
as in the ongoings OF generals up
the field. 1t is not what the 81
billy writer's call high life alone, .
an every day existence in the CO
slant struggle in which mankind Ill
themselves.