The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-01-30
JUST p CHHT.

Gladstone or Buckle or Burke-certain-
ly one OF these wise men remarked that
the most essential possession for big
statesman was "a big belly and broad
back" This seems a tleshly view 10
take of craftsmanship, but there is ID 1t
more of philosophy than of flesh. l
happened to think of this when on Fri
day last / saw all these fat railroad
Mahdis roll into town in private cara.
There were Colonel Bill Turk, Colonel
Warren Elliott tall Colonies, so as to
make no mistake), Col. A. b. Andrews
(already rolled I'M. Col. e. st. John, Col
Bunch McBee, Coils. Bill Day and Fablus
Busbee (already rolled I'M, Col. l.. H.
Watts. 1t will be noted that some or
these who were mere are omitted, De-
cause their physiQues do not measure up
to the class under consideration here.
The sociological and psychological
question here presents itself and presses
for solution whether fairness is condi-
ton precedent to a big railroad man, or
a consequence of the private-car habit.
Par parenthese, big railroad man now
adays must have the bulk OF his body
above his legs and the bulk Of his head
above his ears. His boiler must grind
up wood if necessary and he must steam
well''-else he will in the end go down
in collapse under the strain undreamed
of by those who have not observed his
life. Napoleon's legs were so short that
little OF his blood and vitality were re-
ouired to keep them in running order or
walking as the case might be. From
the waist up, he was all appetite and
digestion and respira ton; with a cranial
development betokening colossal and en-
during cogitation and agitation. Not
that I am comparing Col. Bill Turk TO
General Bonaparte, or any other OF the
group OF Colonies mentioned above, ex-
cept in this: they are a type OF the men
sought nowadays to be at the head Of
large, complex interests with clearness
and calmness. To recur to Col. Bill
Turk-his tremendous physical machin-
cry is not result OF the pfivate-car hab-
it--that theory must be ignored-he don't
use private-ear-his entire physical
competence was no doubt a condition
precedent to his landing in his well-flled
position. He threshes out stacks cfl
stuff every day. letting the grain 90 off
through the mail and leaving the clerks
TO put the straw away in appropriated
ricks. When the whole question is VIM
moved down. and it is asked why are bigI
railroad men always big men physically. |
the answer is that it takes "a big belly |
and broad back" to stand the strain
Of the steps leading finally up to the ''pri- |
vate ear Then what an adFantageI
has been the en- bon point of Col. Bin
Turk to the social side OF
his canary-colored nature. For
instance last night as the spe-
cial guest of Hon. Reriah Wilkins,
he was mt the Grid Iron dinner.
He laughs and makes laughter well on
the top Of his physique. and the grid
iron Of that Washington crowd is warm
ed only with laughter. Consider.
how handy this genuine Taught
er is in the passenger bust
ness. The thin men in the railroad
crowd may think they are in it-well
they'll do to get about, but not for
big wigs who can sit down. not be in a
hurry and get big salaries as a result
of good digestion and good judgment.
The Lord made long legs TO run about
and wait on short legs, and short legs to-
tell long legs what to do. Behold Col.
Warren Elliott, shaped like Napoleon
for the world, with a constant tendency
upward. What he lacks in laughter, be
makes ND in voice. But the railroads
are no exceptions; in all the great practi-
cal enterprises Of American life. look
in for a moment at the head mans office
the pork-packer-the steel magnate-
all of them, you see the man there with
the ''big belly and the broad back"
A few days ago | happened TO be pass
ing through Norfolk and as l had never
met President St. John at close
range except (as / thought once three
xaars ago ae a renorter for a hurried
interview / concluded I should like 70
take look at him. 1t is not too much
10 saw that Mr.. ST. Johns career in
North Carolina has been strangely
brilliant one-his enemies say that. he
is probably technically, speaking. the
man among Us of the greater
,noo,,;+rda--lavi WING come from
telegraphic operator on the ROCK Is
land through all the grades for 81 years.
| mean in the class of such men as e. w.
Smith. under whose constructive genius,
first the Chesapeake and Ohio was knit
together az grain-carrying system 10
the sea, and then the old Atchison road
was with similar treatment developed
through to the waters edge Of the Pacl-
fc. He might be put in the class OF
these men Of earlier days, who gathered
together the fragments OF the old Rich
mond and Danyille in the blanket OF the
Terminal Company constructive man,
striving from the start towards a grand
unity in the S. A. l.. system, as all rail-
road men who are big men must be these
DAYS. There are others used for special
purposes, and they may grow-but | am
talking about big-wigs.
There were no crimps about getting
in to see Mr.. st. John any more than
t. Il. Waiting IN oua Horny (tIa4uu m