The record-union., 1893-06-22
LELAND STANFORD.

While it was no secret that Senator
Stanford was in feeble health, and that
serious complications in his affliction had
lately developed, it was not anticipated
that he would soon pass away. The
suddenness with which this distinguished
citizen was called away was therefore a
shock to the entire State.
Nowhere in all the broad domain of
our common country is that shock more
severely felt than in Sacramento; no.
where is the death of Governor Stanford
more deeply deplored or more sincerely
or widely mourned; for the first great
achievment OF that useful life had here its
genesis; in this city were begun and car
ried on to triumph those heroic struggles
which have related the names of Leland
Stanford, C. P. Huntington, Charles
Crocker and Mark Hopkins imperishablv
to national and State history, and made
them the initial monuments in that
splendid series of works which bind
together in commercial and national
unity the great East and the Pacific
shores of the republic.
A distinguished writer has said that
california has been largely built up, and
its vitality has been developed, nourfsbed
and strengthened almost entirely by self
made men-men who, in the hard battle
of life of their early years, gained the ex-
perience that placed them on tho winning
side in their later struggles" Among
such Leland Stanford was chief. He
was in all essentials a self-made man: he
impressed himself upon the State and the
Nation because of his never falling spirit
of self-reliance, his supreme fitness for
headship, his cosummate business ability.
his continuity of purpose, his broad
sympathies, his philanthropic interest
in human kind, his intellectual sa-
gacity and political wisdom. He was
of the foremost order of men
from whom State builders are chosen
by the inevitable DEGREES ofprogress. and
like the great mass of the men who have
stood in the front ranks of our national
history. he came from the agricultural
class and began life as poor man. He
achieved position and wealth, but these
were due to the recognition of his fitness
for places of high trust in the one case.
and to his untiring industry and business
sagacity in the other. But neither lofty
position nor extraordinary wealth ever
changed Leland Stanford in the respect
that made him esteemed as citizen and
benefactor. As in lowly estate, so in
prosperity he was ever the same charita-
BILE, kindly, mercifuI and approachabIe
man, never esteeming himself worthier
than another for privileges or marks of
distinction; one who received the praise
and admiration of friends without demon
stratons of vanity, and without change
of demeanor toward his fellow citizens.
His sincerity no man doubted, his love
for his fellow man no one questioned, his
loyalty to the best interests of his State
and its people none who knew him and
the motives which actuated him, for one
instant challenged.
With this much of Introductory trib-
ute in this column. inadequate and in
complete though it is, we invite the at
tention of the readers of the RECORD
UNION to further expression, in other
columns Of this issue, upon Governor
Stanford and his labors and services in
the interests of humanity and the State
of his adoption, and to an analysis of the
distinguishing traits of his character, and
which expressions, because of their
necessary length, We have placed in a
distinct article.