The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-09-09
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT
TO FIREMEN
ContInued from FIRST Page.

ship as firemen, to the conductors, who
as a rule have served an apprentice
ship as brakemen, but 10 al the meH
of the organizat tion-au organizations
connected with railroad work ] know
you do not grUdge me saying through
you that ! am talking TO all the l'all-
road men in the ccuntry.
You in your organization as railroad
men have taught two lessons-the les
son of how much can be accomplished 10y
organization, by mutual self-heip oI the
type that helps another in the only way
by which ia the long run man VINO Is
q full grown man really can be nelped'
that is by teaching min to help himself
You teach the benefit Of organizations
an you also teach the Indispensable need
Of keeping absolutely uHimpaired the
faculty Of individual initiative the fac
ulty by which each man brings himself
70 the highest point Of perfection BY
exercising the special quclities with
which each man brings himself to the
highest point Of perfection by exercis-
ing the special qualities with which he
is himself endowed. C1e brotherhood has
dev eeesd to this enormous extent since
the u.s. now many years ago, when
the first little band came together, ana
it has developed not by crushing out
individual initiative but by developing IT,
by combining many individual initiatives
The Brotherhood of Firenea does much
for all kreFnen. but I firmly believe thot
the individual fireman since the growth
Of the Brotherhood has been more. not
less. efficient. than he vas twenty years
ago Membership in the brotherhood
comes. as / understand. aftel nine
months probationary period after
man has shown his worth BE- is then aa-
mitted and stands GA his footing as a
brother Now. any man S-ho enters wita
a purpose of letting The Brotherhood
carry him along. is not worth much.
Tie man who counts in the Brotherhood
is the RAN who pulls his own weight
and a little more Much can be dore
by the Brothherood ] have just hinted
IN the general figures gave you at how
much has been done, but il stiil remains
true in the brotherhood and everywhere
else throughout American life that in the
last resort nothing can supply the place
Of a mans own individual qualities We
need those. no matter how perfect the
organization is outside. There IS jUst as
much nerve, hardihood. power 90 face
risks and accept responsibilities in The
engineer and fireman, whether on a
flyer or on a freight train now as ever
there was Much can be done by the
association. a great deal can be accom-
plished by working each for all and all
for each, bet we must not forget that
the first requisite in accomplishing that
is that each man should work for 9TH
ers by working for himself, by Develop
ing his own capacity. Isn't that com
mon senses 7 think so. The steady way
in which a man can rise is illustrated
by little talking that happened yes
terday. came down here over the Queen
and Crescent railroad, and the general
manager who handled my train and who
handled yours. was Mr. Maguire.
used TO know him in the old days when
he was on his way UP. And he began
right at the bottom. He was fireman at
one time He worked his way steadily
up and is now general manager, and he
put this convention here, and he put me
here. (Applause)
I believe emphaucally in your organi-
zation. because while 1t teaches the need
Of working in union, Of working i'm asso-
citation. Of working with deeo purpose in
our hearts. not merely of our lips, the
sense Of brotherhood; yet of necessity
it still keeps. as your organization must
always keep TO the fore front,the worth
Of the individual qualities Of a man
(Applause) Now, as I seaid to you that
I came here in a sense not to speak TO
you. but TO use your experience as an
object lesson for all of us an object
lesson in good American citizenship All
professions, Of course. don't call for the
exercise to the same degree of the quail
files of which ] have spoken. Your
profession is one of those of which ] am
inclined 10 feel play in modern life a
greater part from the standpoint of char
acter than we entirely realize There is
in modern life. with the growth OF civil
izatiOn. with the growth OF luxury. q Ger
tain tendency TO softeninr Of the ma
tional fiber. There is certain tendency
20 forget, IN consequence of their dis
use. the rugged virtues which inspire
life at the back Of manhood. and I feel
that professions like yours like the pro-
cess OF the railroad of the country. have
a tonic effect upon the whole body polf-
tic. Il is a good thing that there should
be q large body of our fellow citizens
that there should be q profession whose
members must year i'm and year out
display those old. old qualities Of cour-
age, daring, resolution. unainching vii
Hngness to weet danger at need ] hope
TO see an of YOU people develop the soft
er genucr virutes TO an ever Increasing
degree but I hope never to see them
lose the sterner virtues that make men
men. (Applause)
a man IS not going to be a fireman