The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-10-20

Robert Adarnson In Atlanta Constitution.
Men do not follow weaklings. They may
be craven and groveling and low and vile,
but with their Adams instinct they set the
seal of leadership only upon the strong
est among men. Not the fittest always
for alas, the arm OF the good ia too often
the weakest. For all the time of their
history the sons OF men have been willing
and unwilling doors OF the will of the
giants Of their time. Man instuctively fol-
lows the lead of him whose will Is as
iron, unchanged by the days, whose pur-
pose is compelling, whose resolution I'M
yielding. In the philosophy of man,
whether one likes to or not, he Is forced
to believe that in the mere matter OF sue
cess 1t is better to have strong purpose
than good one.
So the miracle and mystery OF single
will bending to the common line of
thought and action the myriad minds ana
Wills and prejudices of the great multi
tude is as old as the race, and the spec
tacle of Richard Cookers tremendous per-
sonal force revolutionizing the political as
pect in Greater New York is merely the
history of humanity repeating ftself.
Mr.. Croker is the incarnation of strength
and force. The seal OF It is upon his rigid.
hard set countenance, the ring of 1t In his
hard, quiet vioce, the whole aspect OF it
in his manner of living and doing. One
need not know his history, but needs SIM
ply TO see him. to know instantly what
manner of man Croker is. One would not
take him for philanthropist or patriot or
church leader from looking at him. One
would not say that there Is man who
would die for his country or his people,
but rather. there 10 one who would
die for himself II need be. What
would most impress one in this iron
Inn .v sHf fc
and bulldog tenac,ty lined and grained in
his broad, full, firm face. His heavy neck
is planted short upon his powerful should
ders, and his broad Jaws give his dark,
rigid face the aspect OF marble immobility.
There is nothing inviting about Croker's
face. 1t repels advances and is forbdding,
almost sinister. He is dark--very dark
with stiff. short cropped black beard that
but adds to the bulldog impression OF the
face. He dresses in good tase, but not
showily.
The first time l ever saw Croker / met
him at the train on which he came here
from Aiken, s. C. had a telegram for
him and a description, but the latter was
worse than needless. a heavy, stocky man
with fierce close-cut black beard came
brskly from the crowd. He paid not the
slightest heed to the jostllng, clamorlng
dozens about him.
SIS this Mr.. Croker" / asked.
He turned around quickly, stopped. look
ed me over from head to foot, scowled
darkly and said:
"Yee, this is Mr.. Croker"
The scowl deepened and he seemed but
poorly satisfied when ! explained why
was there He didn't know thing about
the political situation: he would like to
know. What did I think of Mr.. Bryan and
Mr. Bryan's chances? had been in this
country and ought TO know. He had been
In Europe you have kept up with the
situation" said; you have seen the pa
pers, haven't your"
Il haven't read the papers" he said
you can't tell- from the papers"
No. he was out OF politics. quite out.
He didn't know q thing about Greater
New York or what was going to happen
there. He presumed Mr.. Sheehan knew.