The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-05-18
FUNSTON--THE MAN
FROM KANSAS.
Concluded from page 81


pointment of Funston as a brigadier
general was natural, logical, and in all
justice inevita ble-even if the young
man who beat Funston to West Point
has only got as far as a captaincy.
WILL OF THE NEW GENERAL
The incidents hereinbefore mentioned
in the life of Funston prove one thing:
that in this free country any one may
be what he will, but that he must will
hard. Funston is tWo-thirdS Wi1l-the
rest intelligence and sense of humOr.
Consider his career, and then consider
his circumstances when he began to
climb. He has lived a life of adventure
and excitement He mas explored viii
dernesses- He has become famous at
arms. But he grew up on the banks of
Deer creek, Allen county, Kansas. His
parents are ordinary, wholesome, intel
lgent An ericanS; and although his
father served half a dozen terms in
congress, congressman are not SO I'M
common in this country that his faith
er's political position can be used to
account for the sons achievements
When young Funston left Deer creek he
entered what seemed to be a humdrum
world. Theoretically all the land had
been explored; apparently all the
knight-errantry had been accomplished
and all that seemed left undone for
young man who wished to make his
mark in the world was to enter some
liberal profession, trim his cuffs reg
ularly and trust to fortune
Yet Funston left Deer creek and
made a Decline to chiValry. He made
his opportunity when it did not come
easily. He took an uncom mon school
course in courage in the Death valley,
where the sun drove men mad. He
took remarkable postgraduate work
in patience in Alaska. Then he went to
Central America, engaged in coffee
raising-and failed 1t was a common,
ordinary, business failure. Other men
might have given up and decided that
the world was against them. that they
nj great
porations. But Funston spat on his
hands, took a tighter grip on the rope
the Fates are spinning, and pulled him
self into a sane view of life. Pro baby
the failure in Central America was one
of the decisive events in his career.
Probably he used more grit to rise
above it than he used to capture Aguin-
aldo. Then he went to Cuba, the one
place in the world where there were
arms and fighting men, He was still
making his opportunity Theoretically
he should have been on the banks OF
Deer creek. owning two eighties, SIX
head of horses, a bunch of cattle,a green
farm wagon, two top buggies and a
shed of machinery. A Kansas farmer
boy, industrious, heady, forehanded, in
telligent, had no business standing be-
hind a dynan tie gun. afraid - ---- for
shelter with the Cubans and uncover
his ignorance wondering if she would
blow up and kill him the next second
after she began coughing like COW
with q straw in her throat
His presence behind that gun, instead
of behind the pillow, meant something:
it meant that the young man was i'm
PEELED away from natural environment
by some resiStless power. That power
was his unwavering determine ion-a
kind of BeSSemeriZed W1il-tO be OF
force and consequence in the world.
When he came back from Cuba, looking
like a spiritualistic manifestation OF him
self, his proper place was in the hospital
But he took his station as colonel OF a
regiment of American volunteers, ana
made another opportunity, and men
called him a lucky dog.
In the campaign Of SO in Northern
Luzon, F'unston's place was back of his
regiment. giving orders. But Funston
charged with his men. He gave his COM
mand over his shoulder and on the dead
run Now it wasn't in the books and 1t
wasn't in the regulations, and colonel
wasn't expected to foot-race with his
men, and lie in trenches, and ride on
RATS, and take all the chances of being
shot But Funston was busy getting
things actually done and over with. and
had no time to bother about books or
regulations or traditions he was max
ing opportunity.
FROM UNDER THE BUSHEL
Then they made him a brigadier gen
eral of volunteers, and put him under
a bushel as the governor of a province
He subdued the province, made the ma
tives respect hinl-which was his duty
and he did more: he learned the native
language, and the native customs ana
he studied the nallNe character anu
made out of whole cloth the opportunity
which seWed the star on his shoulder for
life. And all this, gentle reader, was
done on the same prOsy old globe that
we all live on, while the world OF Deer
Creek was feeding the stock, harvesting
the crops taking them to lola, going
to basket picnicS, working on the roads,
gathering the eggs, and, Tor eXtra-haz-
ardous diversion, locating the niue pea
under the fellows shell. and going in
swimming with the horses after the
days threShing-
F'unston's career is opening. During
his thirty-five years he has shown him
self alert and sane and patient In the
duh days while he was waiting for ac-
ton he nursed his ambition in many
barren fields
The habit of life which has made him
so quick to tackle opportunity, how
ever trivial. however great, will not die
in him. now that Fate has set him at
a feast of good fortune His brigadier
generals star viii not weigh MIN down;
it will guide him farther into new fields,
into more glorious achievements There
are fifteen years more of youth IN run
ston and ten years upon that OF man
hood What he has done in the nine
wears since he left school Will be
quadrupled in the years that are to
come if he is spared to life and to the
country that he loves. In what direc-
ton his career will move no one can
say He is as clever as q writer as he
is ni1nble as a fighter. He is as capable
an organizer of men as he is daring as
a soldier A score OF avenues are open
to him now in the army, in civil life,
in diplomacy, in literature, in admin
istrative work What he will do is be-
yond conjecture But this much IS
sure: his work will be manly; it viii
be brave: it will be honest and true;
and it will be to the glory of God and
the honor of his country.
PICKING Up THE ENDS.