Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-05-20
Sightless Men Are Not JObleSs.
" LUCRATIVE OCCUPATIONS ARE NOW OPEN TO THE, eLlNt

more than 20 years. Nicholas
Saunderson and DR.. Henry Moves not
only lectured to seeing people but
were actually able to give learned
talks on optics-the science of vision.
DR.. Moves had the honor of being the
first blind man TO perform chemical
experiments in connection with
public lecture.
a very noted instance of a blind
man in active business is found in the
career of John Herreshoff, the boat
builder who was blind from his fif-
teenth year. While it is true that
the success of the business was due
to his sighted brother, yet many of
the most important decisions of ths
company were made by this blind
man, its president 1t was said of
him that by passing his hand over
model of ship he could tell more
about its value than most men who
have the use of their eyes"
Another noted blind man i'm
America was the late Walter L.
Campbell, who was one of the cam
paign speakers on Bryan.s side in the
great free silver battle a few years
ago. Mr. Campbell lost his sight when
years of age, owing to the careless
ness of a playmate who threw elod
of dirt square in his eyes. Neverthe-
less, Campbell Went through Western
Reserve University with high honor
and studied law. He successfully
passed the bar examination and was.
later appointed United States Com
missioner in the newly created terri
tory of Wyoming.
When his work there was over he
returned to Youngstown, Ohio, and
for many years conducted promi-
nent Journal. writing his own edi-
torials, with the assistance of sec
rotary. or else upon a typewriter him
self, which he could manipulate with,
speed and accuracy. lie was a pro-
gfessive student of affairs and an
original thinker.
Except for the great poets, Homer
and Milton. probably the most famous
blind man in history was Henry FaW-
eett, whose career is almost unbe-
lievable, so much did he accomplish
He became blind at the age of 25
owing To the earelessness of his own
father while they were out hunting
together. promising career seemed
to be hopelessly blighted, but it is re-
corded of him that he bore the
calamity with superlative courage"
He went right ON with his eduea-
ton and became an instructor and
writer on political economy. At 80
he was elected to Parliament and for
years was wonderfully active in that
great field of brainy men. The great
est triumph in the life of this blind
man was his appointment by Glad
stone to the position of Postmaster
General of Great Britain.
In this post of high honor he dis
tinguished himself and was decidedly
Progressive. Introducing among other
innovations, Government ownership
of telegraph lines. Throughout his
Ifs he acted on the principle that a
blind man should. as far as possible,
act and be treated like a seeing man.
He kept up the reereations to which
he had been devoted. He was a
sturdy pedestrian and a very powerful
skater, often skating so or 60 miles
day"
Equally interesting. though not as
noted, is the career of Prof. James
w. Welsh of Ohio. Few blind men
can come anywhere near his record,
if we judge by the variety of oceu-
pations which he followed. Music
was his main field, and he became
well known as a teacher and concert
player But he also was at differ
ent times a farmer. a lawyer and a
broom manufacturer. He was an
expert horse itrader, and even Ven
tured to break in horses that seeing
men could not subdue.
In his varied career he was also a
partner in a travelling drug business
and at another time conducted
panopticon or panorama. AS side
lines, he also engaged in the selling of
musical Instruments and sewing ma
chimes. His musical ability being.
we'll known he was paid S. day for
some work he did in arranging and
writing music for d new hymnal
When new institution for the
blind was needed his own blindness
did not prevent him from being a
successful lobbyist in favor of bill
that had been introduced into the
ohio Legislature by member Of
that body, who himself was totally
blind. Mr.. Welsh gives us his own
philosophy of life, and it is the most
optimistic and sunny that can be i'm
asined.- Chicago Tribune.