Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1900-02-13

Mr.. Bushrod c. Washington. who said.
It affords me pleasure to respond to
that toast. We have been invited to-
night to the delightful banquet of which
we have partaken. by Captain Holmes
and the brave FIRE fighters of the hide
pendent Fire Company, to join with them
IN celebrating the anniversary of the
birthday of their friend and patron;
gentleman whose name is familiar to all
in this community and throughout the
country. and who is himself close to
many of us as an old comTade in arms,
and to others as a friend and benefactor.
Connected as his name is with so many
manifestations and evidences of his pub
lie spirit and kindness of heart. it is we'll
that we should wish. as am sure we all
do. here in this handsome building, built
largely throug his munifcence-long life,
health and prosperity to Charles Broad
way Rouss.
1t Is not my purpose in responding to
this toast to pour out libations of fattery
or fulsome praise of Mr.. Rouss, but only
to speak of him as / see him, as l have
known him, and think him to be, just as
if he was sitting here with us this evening,
l am sure If he was here he would not
let US fatter him, but would say in his
peculiar way, hold on old fellow, don't
lay 1t on SO thick" He is himself a man
of few words and plain spoken, and
takes sort of pride in always calling a
spade a spade. There is therefore no oc-
casion for fattery.
The standard the world has erected as
the measure of man, his ability and
greatness in his special vocation, is sue
cess. While it is not always an infallible
standard, because many inferior men at
tain to it, through the mere force of fav-
orable circumstances, and on the other
hand some men seem at their best in de-
feat; yet it is the only standard available
in human affairs. and when taken in con-
nection with the circumstances attending
it, it is on the whole a fair measure of a
man. Measured by that standard Mr..
Rouss is great merchant Had he ap-
Piled the same qualities of courage, per-
severance, sound judgment and energy
to any other vocation, public or private,
, he would most likely have attained emil
nence. But he early selected the mer-
camille life. am not well enough ac-
quainted with his business experience to
more than say generally, that up to mid
die lite it was a struggle with varying
and adverse fortunes and temporary sue
cesses, followed by failures and discour-
!; agements, under which ordinary men
would have gone to the wall F." and staid
there, or else have changed to some more
promising enterprise. Not so with Char
lie Rouss Feeling that he possessed the
qualities of merchant he stuck to his
ship through the storm and stress of hard
times and temporary embarrassment, and
is now sailing in the smooth sea of sue
cess. To-day flag bearing the name of
Charles Broadway Rouss floats from the
top of one of the largest mercantile
houses in the great metropolis of this
country, doing an enormous business
with ranifcations through this country,
Europe, Asia and the isles of the sea
His employees are numbered by hun
drcds, large number of them from this
town and county. He is accounted to be
a many times millionaire, and his name
is enrolled among the merchant princes.
But Mr., Rouss does not pose as a
prince, he Is in fact a most democratic
kind of man. l believe he is the most
accessible of the busy men of New York,
in striking contrast with many of the bus
mess potentates of that city Some of
them are as exclusive as the Emperor of
China. who must be approached by the
applicant on all tours, butting his head
against the ground in great humility
Some of them sit back in offices guarded
by porters and clerks and surrounded
with red tape and exclusiveness as ridic-
ulous and irksome as that of the Emperor
of the Celestial Kingdom.
Mr.. Rouss sits on the second floor of
his great store within an open railing en-
closure, with his clerks, and gives a quick
interview to anyone having business with
him, and mahes it pleasant or unpleas-
ant, as the business seems to require
At the same time he is about the busiest
man you ever saw. He is indeed great
merchant. l believe the greatest genius
in that line in this country.
Mr.. Rouss is philosophical man.
His public donations run up in the hun
dreds of thousands, and are too we'll
known to specify. Much is said about
them in the papers. They are of a pub
lie nature.
But am told by those close to him
that his private charities are equally as
great. Hardly mail comes to him that
is notfull of all kinds Of requests, from
all kinds of people, for assistance. He
inquiries into all that appear deserving,
and am told that few deserving appli-
Giants go unhelped. He is particularly
fond of aiding needy ex-Confederate SOL
diers and their families. He is unques-
tionably n benevolent man.
Is was, however, as a soldier that
first knew him. We served together in
the Southern army in the late Civil War,
in Company B, 18th Va Cavalry. I can
not recall the time and place where he
joined us. but remember as we'll as yes
terday his appearance and the impress
sion he made upon me- was struck with
his modest and quiet manner. He came