The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-06-19

ously and Ike a machine Tor The accom-
nlshmcnt ~ che results Tor the puhic
ana fhe stockholders for which the COM
oinaiinu was made ana the system
organized.
lhc commodore was q man FOR the
Times tn which he lived when She rail-
way system Of the country was chaotic
William II. was better man for his time
than the commodore would have been. for
then the railway system Of the country
had been So settled that 10 needed method
aud experience for il management
Then comes the third generation. and 10
would be folly for them 20 undertake di-
reCtly 10 reach and administer the details
OF the system which men can be employed
10 do. The Nanderbilts have naturally
grown into and acquired an interest in
other and broader matters many of them
public In their character and requiring
untrammeled liberty Of time and action.
But at the same time it is proper for
them, In view of their vast investment in
their properties and of their heredity of
obligation and trust, 10 see if something
cannot be done which will bring the diff
ferent departments Of the companies in
harmony and sympathy with each other
and lift the masses up nearer TO the top,
which will create feint of unity and
common sympathy and give opportunities
for education, moral, mental and physical
Cornelius Vanderbilt felt when he
gave his cordial support to this movement
OF railroad clubs in its infancy and later,
after its value was demonstrated, he built
the building on Madison avenue, New
York city, and recently donated another
large gift that the establishment of these
railroad mems associations throughout
the country would accomplish all these
things and give a tone, character and
strength 70 the railway service of the
United States, which would not only be
OF incalculable benefit to every condition
of its employment, but of equal i'm
portance to the public.
Now the Railroad Club shows progress.
II is an indication of the necessity of q
higher plane upon which the railroad man
of the present and future must stand If
he expects to amount to much The old
railway man was largely an accident,
Where trains run but once day each way
IL don't take much talent or skill TO oper-
ate a railway, but where trains run, as
they do now, upon times so short that
there must be constant alertness and
knowledge of their business with the
brakeman, the engineer and conductor,
and where switches are so frequent and
complicated as they are to-day, none but
men of the first class in equipment, en-
ergy and intelligence can fill any place on
great railroad. The conditions between
the old-timers and the new are the differ
ences between the accomplished mathe-
matician and the fellow who is in thefirst
rudiments of arithmetic.
We wonder why 1t is that there are no
more Websters, Clays and Calhouns in
public life, and no more great lawyers like
those who filed our eyes and imagination
in the days gone by. 1t Is because every
nd no 70
higher. The higher the average the more
difficult it is for a man to rise above IL
into conspicuous distinction. He has TO
have not only the best opportunities and
preparation but more:than ordinary ability
TO do it.
The effect of thus elevating the stand
ard of requirement is also TO make il more
difficult for those below, for, il they can
not climb ON the platform and stay there
they are in danger of dropping down into
the ranks Of ordinary labor. So the edu-
cational agencies Of an institution like the
Railroad Club furnish the means by
which those which have not had the OPP
portunity In their youth, can reach the
position worthy of their ambition and
their efforts ! don't like man who
stands still was brought up In a com
munity where things stood still; it was
undignified TO move, and it was not good
form The horse which first drove when
l used to go around the country when
commenced to practice law before the
Justices courts was named Beeswax, be-
cause he chung 10 the ground. .fas ..
| remember while l was a student at
Yale when | was at home during vaca-
ton, would go up to the drug store
which was the center of the intelligent
circulation of the town, and listen 10 the
oracle of the village, as he sat in the chair
beside the stove He thought he was a
constitutional lawyer. He was constantly
debating with the people who came in
whether the powers of the constitution
permitted the federal government to ex-
ereise certain authority over the state.
said to him once-we all called each other
by our first names at Peekslzill then--said
l: "John, such a provision of the consti-
tuition gives that power to the govern
ment. ("
He said: "When 1 get home tonight /
will read that provision. I"
Ten years after | was in that drug store
and the oracle sat In the chair alongside
that stove AS l went in he was discuss
ing the power of the general government
over the states
Said T. "John, think have remarked
to you in a recent conversation that there
is asdirect provision of the constitution
giving that power TO the general govern
ment. F"
sfWell, ,, he said, ''I haven't had time
since / saw YOU last to look it up" sft
But to return to the progressive.
know of one young man who was In the
Grand Central depot on salary of S25 a
month He attended the Railroad Club
and benefited by its educational facilities
to such an extent he is now getting 800 a
month,
know one of the difficulties in the rail
may service is that man wants 10 be
promoted before he is ready and to be
pushed forward into place which he Is
not fitted for; when that thing happens
something is apt to occur which disgraces
him and throws discredit on the manage
ment of the corporation / don't take
any, stock in the man who tries TO do
what he knows he cannot.
A dear friend of mine Is bumptsous that
way He thinks he can do anything that
anybody can do; he is very good man
and his wife is very good woman and
they go to one of the great churches on
Fifth avenue; they have a weekly meet7
ing there, where the leading men and the
elders and deacons stand uD and talk aud
they talk remarkably we'll This man
kept saying to his wife:
II can talk Just as well as Elder Brown.
I can beat Deacon JONES'
She said Don't you try
One night he got up and he did try.
When he got home he said:
.'Susan, didn't ] do pretty welll'
She answered: We'll, / don't think
SOL
''Why don't you think SOL"
1s.aA.