The Washington herald., 1907-09-02

cCiHihB GOWN mountain STREAM WIN
gang Of drivers?
Or Senator George c. Perkins. Of Cali
fornla, in blue blouse and trousers and
round cap climbing the mast Of a vessel,
swabbing the deck, or attending 10 any
Of the duties Of sailor?
Perhaps you may imagine Senator Ia
Toilette, of Wisconsin, on the stage as an
actor?
Yet these things you might see, If these
men had continued the Yocations Of their
early years. What some other men of
Is fully as surprising.
OF all things. would Senator Beverage
Of Indiana make one think OF q lumber
jack?
He is essentially man of the cities; he
likes to speak before great gatherings in
the crowded centers of population; TO
lombard the city readers of newspapers
and magazines
Wouldn't he seem out Of place bossing
a logging crew. or himself welding an
ak or canthook? Yet. at the age Of six
teen, he had little idea, perhaps. OF ever
being anything else.
lie started 10 earn wages when very
young. as a farm laborer. At the age of
fourteen. on a railroad construction Job.
he was driving an old-fashioned scraper.
At sixteen he was placed in charge of a
Iogging camp.
Young Beverage was a practical expert
logger He could chop a tree so as to
make 1t fan in any desired location;
could spud the bark OF; could construct
or break a landing, and knew how to
drive the logs down a stream.
In this business he underwent perils,
displaying ingenuity Of no mean order.
Sometimes, when an avalanche OF tossing,
rearing logs is crashing down a mountain
stream, there Is an unaccountable impedi-
ment-one log becomes stuck; then others
pile on top of It. and in a few minutes
there Is jam, which constantly becomes
more periious.
To break a log jam. one must climb
over the mountain Of logs, releasing one
here and there. and when the avalanche
starts on its way again the driver n ST
do some remarkable skipping from log 10
log 10 escape.
Many lives are lost In this way every
year In the logging country.
Such agility and sound judgment did
Beverage display that he never came 70
any harm In the logging operations.
Strongly evident during his lumberjack
days were the ability for hard work. the
close application TO duty, the earnestness
that have characterized his triumphs
since.
Out OF his day wages he saved some
money, and one day the impulse seized
him 10 get an education. So he went 10
college; later studied law; became ranked
as one Of the leading lawyers in Indiana
was a stump speaker, and developed
such strength that, although never be-
fore candidate for any Office. he was
elected in 1899, at the age Of thirty-six,
United States Senator from Indiana.
Vice President Charles ". Fairbanks IS
an interesting example Of man who has
changed his life work
Born on an Ohio farm, he went TO col
lege at the cost Of some sacrifices. Had
his college work failed, he could al that
time have made a living as a carpenter
for he possessed great adeptuess with
tools, and. indeed. did odd jobs Of car
pentering 10 help earn his way through
college.
But another vocation was cut out for
him. He became editor OF the college pa
per, and owing 10 the training which he
received in this work, was able 10 act as
an expert newspaper reporter afterward
while pursuing the study Of law.
He was an attache OF the Associated
Press at Pittsburg and Cleveland. and
was very fond OF the work Had he de-
termined at any time 20 turn aside fro-l
the law. he could have made his mark IN
the newspaper business.
Never since taking up the profession
Of law in Indianapolis has he done any
active newspaper work. although he
could even now write such a report OF
anything from a political meeting dowr
20 a christening that would bear the
stamp Of perfect journalistic training.
One Of the big men who have changed
their professions at least looks the par
Of the discarded vocation. That is Rob.
ert Marion La Toilette, United State.
Senator from Wisconsin, and formerly
governor Of that State, who, in his youth
desired 10 shine before the footIights.
When. a little over two decades ago
he was a farmer boy in Madison, he bal
anced in his mind the question of wheth
er he should adopt the stage or the bal
for a profession.
An analysis which he wrote on IN,
character Iago. attracted the attention
Of Edwin Booth, and at one time Nc
CullOugh, the great tragedian, engaged
him to write an analysis Of Hamlet. Thi
piece OF work brought out his dramati,
talent still further, and his friends in
duced him 10 try the footlights.
He went TO Mccullough for advice. blr
was discouraged from following the stage
hence took up law, became district at
torney, developed great political power
was sent TO Congress, and afterwarC
elected governor Of Wisconsin. From tha
stepping stone he went TO the United
States Senate.
He Is generally regarded as one OF tn,
most far-seeing politicians that State ha.
ever seen. Would he have made as great
a success on the stage?
A section boss of a railroad construc
tion gang, John A. Johnson, governor Of
Minnesota. might be now, only the fate:
ruled otherwise.
He started in life at SO a month a.
clerk in a store In cold winter weather
he wore an alpaca coat, and 1t was mucI
against his protest that his employer
once gave him an overcoat out of tn,
store At fourteen he was supporting thu
family.
Soon thereafter it was that he went 7,
MankatO, where he entered the employ o.
a railroad contractor at SO a month. Out
OF this salary he kept his mother. sisters
and brothers, and educated the two chit
dren that lived.
He gave up the section boss Job TO buy :
half interest in a country newspaper, III,
st. Paul Herald. It was from the posi-
ton of editor of this paper that he gravi
tated into politics and finally became gov
| eTnor of Minnesota.
There are plenty Of examples almost 4,
interesting as these to show how one ma,
change his life work, and succeed. Their.
Is the fact that Joe Cannon once ran
/ country store.