The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1910-02-17

G. Simmons.
and eminence through unwearied
thought and constant application of
his powers. Looking back at his com
pleted life, we cannot fail to see the
intellectual grasp, the mental vigor,
the unwearied will, which made him a
master of finance. 1t was not opportun-
ity alone, or chiefly, which won him
success. That was due to his own emf
nent qualities of mind, to the constant
cultivation and application of his pow
ers to the affairs of life. The world
may well remember his great thought
contribution to it's progress. 1t was he
who saw, in advance Of all others, how
indispensable was the telegraph line to
the railroad. The marriage of the tel
egraph and railway systems he rightly
considered his most important contri-
button to the material progress of his
time. 1t was his vision, his faith in
human ability and inventive power, his
ability to receive new ideas and act
upon them, that made him eminent.
He was a representative of the older
order in the business world. That old
order changeth, giving place to new,
It's forces change, its methods are i'm
proved, it's defects are corrected, as
the human problems involved in it are
better mastered. Let us not charge to
him, nor to any single individual, the
mistakes Of the old order. If we see
possible improvement, better way,
| it is because such as he have labored, and
we have entered into their labors; be-
cause such as he have desired human
progress, and made our work for it
possible.
z. G. Simmons, citizen! If his Ia
bors in the business world were evil
dence of his greatness, they are equal
led by his relation to his fellowmen
in the affairs of government. He car.
ed for the welfare, of this community
and was devoted to it's best interests
Twice elected mayor of the city, he up
held it's laws, advanced it's best in
terests, used his intellectual powers for
the solution of important municipal
problems. Every good cause has
found in him champion. Every pro
posed improvement has received his sup
port. Tt is this fact, quite as much
as his wealth and business ability,
which have made him the leading citi-
zen Of his community, whose counsel
men sought, whose approval they de-
sired
In nothing was his sense Of response
bility more marked than in his philan-
thropies. Every appeal made to him
received his careful attention, and the
most received his bounty. His bene-
factions reached from east to west and
from north to south. His great heart
beat in sympathy with the oppressed.
The humblest and most needy were first
to receive his aid. Beyond most of
his peers did he realize the responsible
ty imposed by great wealth, and seek
to meet that responsibility Of his
numerous private benefactions no man
knoweth. In all his later years he
revealed that best part of a good
man s life.
Ellis little nameless unremembered
acts
Of kindness apd of love-"
Of the tie which bound him to the
members of the Grand Army of the
Republic we are alI aware. It was
not granted him to fight his country s
battles in the great war. His part
was in "the world g broad field Of bat
tie, in the bivouac of life" There
indeed he was a sturdy fighter. The
spirit Of the warrior who battles for
great causes was in him. His epitaph
might well be that Of another great
soul as
"0ne who never turned his back,
But marched breast forward,
Never doubted clouds would break;
- Held we fall to rise; are bafied to
Fight better, Sleep to wake"
Out of the stress and struggle Of
life, he won that hope and aspiration
which was dearest to his heart, the
desire for universal peace. Loving
the soldier, he hated battle. Honor
ing those who died for their country,
he longed to make warfare and the
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