The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-09-05

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Azong rscens deaths are those Of Prssi-
dens Newell, Of the Lsks Shore railroad.
and John C. 0auIt. for many years 0ns Of
the most Distinguished railway managers
IN The West ard Southwest Mr.. Gsult
was obliged ~ failing health 90 retire
from active life. after years % brilliant
service upon the Chicago & Northwestern
railroad system. bzs Mr. Newell was IN
command % bis great corporation 20 the
day Of bis deztn- Mr.. Newell, like Mr..
Gsnis. began his railway service when the
Vermont Central railroad Vas 10 course Of
construction. In 1874 Mr. SessI began
az rodman. and rose 70 Be n distinguished
civil engineer. Mr. Ga1it, another poor
boy. began AZ the very bottom Of the lad
der, and before be vent West, ~ an early
day. held high position in the freight de-
pzr;msns Of the Vermont Central Both Of
these brilliant young men went West about
forty years age and rosa rapidly 20 DIS
tinefson. By 1850 Newell Vas president
and Gault was superintendent of the
Chicago & Northwestern railroad. Newell
became president Of the New York Central
4 Hudson River railroad, and in 1875 be-
came general manager Of the Lake Shore
railroad. which position he held until be
died al "a years Of age. Mr. GsaIt became
the greatest authority on traffic organiEa-
tion In tie whole West. and even when
disease had compelled him 10 retire from
active work be was consulted by al the
leading railway men OF the West and
Southwest.
These two New England boys, who be-
gan At the bottom in poverty and steadily
worked their way to the top. died after
career which was generally typical Of
nearly all the men who have become
prominent In the immediate and practical
management Of American railways. They
were both cons OF small New England
farmers: they both started out in boy hood
TO make living. They had only the edu-
cation of the village school, but they both
had inherited and had cultivated habits OF
industrious aud conscientious applica-
ton TO whatever work they turned their
union 20 tx the standard Of their work;
they fixed II for themselves; il was limited
only by their capacity and ambition.
They began at i6, and closed their able and
useful lives after career Of fifty years. at
the top Of the ladder. They did not spare
themselves any toll. night or day. in their
youth, 10 master the railway business in
all its branches and details. and learned
thoroughly the requirements of every
subordinate post through which they
passed. They were like Napoleon and
Commodore Vanderbilt in their hate for
incidence. for negligence. for the DISPOSE
ton 10 eyade responsibilities, and they
could tolerate them in no subordinate.
They never spared themselves. and they
exaeted equal devotion to duty from
others. These are the children Of poverty
and labor that never suffer themselves to
be kept down by either organized cap
ital or organized labor to the level of or
binary ability and accomplishment. These
are the children of poverty and labor that,
when they begin as rod men, are sure 10
end as rulers you can no more keep such
poor boys down than you could keep
Abraham Lincoln down TO the level OF
rail splitter. Lincoln was not ashamed to
split rails; he was glad ana proud TO split
rails 10 keep the wolf from the door, but
he believed that he could do good many
other things quite as well as he could split
rails, so he dropped his ak and maui for
the law: from the law Office he passed
into the world of politics: from
politics he passed into the White
House, and from the White House
he stepped 10 the sky. These
splendid children of labor and poverty
never wasted time talking about the hard
ships of labor, but toiled to reach the top
Of their natural bent When We contrast
these silent. efficient children Of labor that
compel by their virtuous energies the
homage of capital and the malicious envy
OF their INDECENT, vicious and inefficient
former associates they leave far behind,
the distinction is powerful object lesson
for honest labor.
What a contrast 20 screechlng labor
demagogues are the indomitabls and rp-
force capital 10 pay them homage by offer
ing them the command of their plants and
their industrial armies. Nine-tsnths Of
ali Americans who have risen to distino-
ton have been born 20 poverty and bred
% labor. bat they do not walk around
labor, nor talk around or about labor;
they are always the still. strong men In
the army Of labor who work eeaselessly
from boyhood 20 old age instead OF within.
pering about labor, and its real or fancied
rights snd wrongs. The great generals Of
labor have all made their var upward
from beginnings a. low and small as those
Ia thslr employ WAC are working for
bare living.
These men had another quality In com
moa With Abraham Lincoln; they never
pretended that thsir early poverty and
hardship had left no time 90 read.
They did read at every spare moment. be-
cause they wsr@men who tAirsted nAtar-
ally for kRowledgs not only Of the litera-
ture OF facts and scientific knowledge, bat
for the literature Of imaginatlon and en-
tertalnmenL Mr.. Gauit found time from
the cares OF hi. Office al bis iife 10 write
delightfully."- humorous letters 10 his
friends, and BE vas an enthusiastic lover
81 the best literature Of EnElish wit and
humor. The lesson Of the lives OF such
children OF American poverty and labor
ought net 20 hs lost on the laeoTing
masses Of our country. Think Of the vast
amount of valuable steam that is an