Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1904-11-03
A GREAT QUALITY
Roosevelt Quick TO Think and Act, but
Always Wisely.

Always wisely
President Rooseveltis being attacked
! as a possible danger to the country
because of his alert. quick mind and
prompt action. The scare-cat variety
of politicians are crying him down on
this issue.
1t is 4 common error, the belief that
because a man thinks quickly, and
acts promptly in an emergency, he Is
a rash or dangerous individual. To
the slow man, one whose mental pro-
cesses are naturally labored, 1t is in
credible that another mind, differently
constituted from his own, may arrive
I almost Instantly at the solution of a
question which would occupy the at
tention of the heavier moving brain
for a long time.
Celebrity of judgment and action are
characteristics of some very great men,
though not by any means is this an at
tribute to them all. Whenever this
quality is conspicuous in man. his
critics, friendly and adverse alike, ac-
cuSe him of rashness. After long trial
such man often convinces his friends
that his instant Judgment was well
founded, his prompt action well TAX
en-. But his enemies never will allow
this.
4 practical illustration taken from
the most commonplace fields of life
shows how unfounded is the idea that
quick thought and action are danger
Gus. "A horseman. foot bah player.
! 4 locomotive engineer, woodsman
telling tree, all these at times must
instantly grasp a situation, judge accu-
rately as to distances. chances and GER
tainties, and act, with the rapidity of
light, upon the minds direction. Dis
patch is the soul of business" This is
the motto of every great manipulation
In the field of business and finance. The
money-makers decide instantaneously,
in crisis, and he who most quickly
thinks, and thinks right, acting boldly
upon his own judgment, is the winner.
There was never any such thing as
successful fighter who was slow of
brain, languid In motion.
1t is a great quality, that of being
able TO think quickly, and think right
at the same time. 1t is said of some
horses that they look over the whole
ground" There are men who do the
same thing, taking In the entire situa-
ton in one comprehensive glance. The
born soldier does this. So does the born
statesman.
When the ship of state Is headed to-
ward the rocks the executive officer
must be quick to see and prompt to
steer away from the danger. TO wait
would he fatal. When advantage to the
state Is waiting, the executive head
saould be instantly alert to the poten.
tialties OF the moment, and competent
to act upon the case at once, for oppor-
tunity waits for no man.
Because the mass of men are slow
in thought, scattered as to attention,
late in action, they should not suspect
the quick, alert, concentrated minds
of men more gifted than themselves.
As matter of fact, the public adj
mires, trusts and believes in the man
of quick thought and action 1t has
more faith in the man who knows his
own mind than 1t can have in the man
who waits for help from within or
without to make it up.
Events have shown that President
Roosevelt thinks quickly and thinks
right; that he acts promptly, and WISE
ly. What more could be asked, breth-
rem of the slowgoing order?