The Tupelo journal., 1905-07-21
Russell Day in Verona
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poration attorney invited. twas
agreed on all sides that he could.
if he would, be the next chief
executive Of our great common
wealth. And at the time all eyes
were turned to him as q new
leader, when every tongue was
busy with praises Of his magnif-
icent Grafton, just delivered be-
fore the graduating class Of the
state university, when the sad
news was flashed abroad that
his great spirit had taken its
flight to it's immortal home be-
yond the skies, and whole state
mourned because Jud Russell
was dead. But we have met to-
day to do honor to the Verona
boy that has climbed to the high
est round Of Fame's ladder. Be
ginning life with no fortune save
a determination to succeed, and
with youthful prospects less
bright than others | have men
toned, by his force and splendid
ability he has reached the top in
his chosen profession. It is now
about twenty-eight years since
he left us to take up his life work,
and while he was not versed in
the intricacies of railroad, he
knew nothing of the detail and
machinery, and all that, yet at
this early period in his career he
knew intuitively that more Won
derful machine-man. And this
gift has been the basis Of his phe-
nomenal achievements. A knowl-
edge of his fellow man has been
the ballast that supported the
road to his success. While his
contemporaries studied detail
and respected precedent, he has
studied man; thrown details to
the wind, ignored precedent, met
conditions and solved problems
for himself.
If actions speak louder than
words, and they do, then his UNI
spoken motto, has been DO
right" And he has respected
the lives of all alike. He has been
equally as mindful Of the poor
and the weak as Of the rich and
strong, only showing preference
to the weak where even-handed
justice would permit partiality.
| have often heard him say,
Treat the public right and the
public will treat you right" and
all his actions have been directed
by this theory. While he has
been fair to the public, he has
been absolutely faithful in guard
ing the great interests intrusted
to him, and instead of suffering
they have profted by his wise
and unique course. It was said
of the great Grady that he was
loving a nation into peace. II
could be said with equal truth OF
Ed Russell that by his fair deal
ing he is harmonizing the two
great conflicting elements of SO
ciety-the masses and the classes.
AS a railroad man he is one OF
a kind. No other like him ever
lived, and if I should allow my
selfishness to control, / would
be glad of it, for if they were all
like him the state would have nc
need of men to fill such positions
as. | hold to protect her citizens
in their rights, and / would be q
statesman without a job.
That he is a remarkable mar
everybody will admit. We fire.
quently hear of combination nor.
ses, but it is a rare thing you hear
of a combination man. Ed Russell
is a combination man, equally at
case in our humble homes and in
the magnificent mansions of the
four hundred. But today the fair
women who belonged to that
other :world that claims him
cannot imagine why he hops Sc
high as he trips the light fan
tastic over their polished floors;
but we could tell them that he is
still jumping stumps in the new
ground where he first learned to
dance. While he has been busy
solving great questions in the
railroad world, he has also solved
the question Of how to be happy
in this life, by living this year on
what he expects to make next,
thereby assuring himself that
when the great summons comes
he must quit one year ahead OF
life's game.
Every day Of his life is as hap
by as a nigger's when chickens
roost low and Watermelons are
ripe. It is therefore meet that
we should especially honor him.
While our other great sons have
been able to pluck the brightest
laurels from the wreath of fame
and place them on the brow Of
the great mother, Verona, and
and while Verona, like a proud
mother. has been content to see