The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-02-05
SAYS UNCLE CAV

Let it be said in all solemnity that
no man may be denied his privilege of
| being of account in the world. 1t is
a mere question of will and persist
ence.
There died, a little while ago, a
hunchbacked young man, who was one
of the greatest, if not the very great
est, military genius of the age. He
was thirty-six years old, and If youth
had ever flushed his veins with the
joyous energy that is the birthright of
the ordinary boy, he would have been
but approaching his prime. But this
young man had never known a well
day. And when he died at thirty-six,
he had made the most hopeless coun-
try in the world a promising republic,
and had pointed out to the wonder of
the world, his own country's military
weak points and their remedies. The
military authorities had placed him
beside Napoleon and Won Moltke, even
while he lived, and China regarded
him as her soldier savior.
Homer Lea never had a chance"
Not only was his body structurally
deformed, but its fabric was fragile.
From his birth he knew scarcely an
hour that did not bring its pain. His
very veins were too weak to hold
the vital stream from his heart, which,
except his brain, was the only perfect
ly sound organ in his body. His eyes,
responding to the intense nervous
linn before he had fairly begun his
education, much less his work
If there ever lived man who had
no chance to become the commanding
military figure OF his time, it was the
pitiable hunchback, whose friends be-
lieved that he could not live to attain
his majority.
accepted him as a soldier.
The congress of his native country
would have sighed individually and
collectively at the suggestion of a spe-
cial act to permit him to serve as a
quartermaster's clerk.
1t is probable that he could not have
walked a mile without firing
He determined to be a military com
mander or nOthing-and all the gates
were barred.
He was beaten before he began.
hopelessly beaten. everybody said. His
ambitions were too sad for a sneer
too pitiable for derision.
Yet his unconquerabIe will drove
him to the mastery of military science
He studied 1t from the manual of
arms to the engineering problems and
plans of campaign, and that without
actual practice. Alone, unaided ~
heralded and almost penniless' he
went to China. His strength spent he
kept going on sheer nerve force HE
earnestness gained him a hearing and
his knowledge brought convicfior -
the leaders of the revolution From
that moment, Homer Lea, throl1eI
many vicissitudes. and seemingly IN.
possible conditions. became the r,iis
tary inspiration of the revolution He
made soldiers of the peace Io,,ing
coolies, monumental task, in ITSELF
bigger than any similar thing aoccr.
plished by Napoleon.
He was told that he would go blind
He was told that he would die "a
man cannot die until his worl, -
finished" he said And it was tr,,a
Over in Asia little less than ona-
third of the earth's population Is
awakening TO sense of its latent
power. When the Dragon. wbich III.
stretches itself. shall arise to assor,
its strength, the world may be tnrrad
topsy-turvy. If this comes to mass
historians Will tell the story of how
domitable will. thrust itself against
the wall of Chinese lethargy and Tar
red the foundations of civilization
To him that hath the will 70 A.
nothing is impossible-(Copvri1
1918. by the Mcclure Newspaper syn
dicate.) ="