The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-08-07
SAYS UNCLE CIV

| Character tells in spite of every.
thing and force of character makes
itself felt regardless of circumstances
Kansas City recently unveiled a stat
ue that stands unique among public
memorials. Let it be said that Kan
sas City did it because the mayor de-
| livered an address, a priest pro-
nounced a eufogy. members of the
! common council looked on, men and
women representing every kind and
condition of citizenship applauded
and the public verdict of approval was
Well-nigh unanimous. The statue
set upon a hill in the midst of a pub
lie park, is that of a saloon keeper.
Americans do not make a practice
lsof building monuments to proprietors
of dram shops. 1t was not the bust
ness, but the man who was honored
And the question that was upon the
lips of every man who had not known
plain, straightforward old Jim Pen
dergast was, Why?
Jim Pendergast was a saloon man
and something more. Men and wo-
men who hated his business loved the
man because he was living life hon
a good deal of courage.
He never broke his word.
Although long in public office, he
never betrayed friend or a constit-
uent.
He never took a dollar for a vote.
He was a hard fighter, but he never
struck a blow without warning.
He was an iron-handed master
politics, but no man who, friendless,
hungry and broke, still had d spark
of manhood in him ever appealed to
him in vain.
Before charitable Institutions arose
to meet the need, his saloon was, after
business hours, the refuge which gave
shelter and food to the unfortunate.
He drove drunkardS from his bar to
take the pledge.
He fought the battles of the poor
without stopping to question the just
ice of their cause.
He might have been in better bust
ness and his political ideals might
have been higher, but they said of
him that he was white all the way
through And, according to his lights.
he was. So when he died they for
got his errors and remember him
for the human service he had done
That is why his patient eyes look
from the enduring bronze out across
the dingy district where live the peo-
he understood with the sympathy OF
q brother.
Not very inspiring example, you
say. Quite the contrary, when you
consider the environments OF Jim
Pendergast. In the midst of much
that was unclean, he was clean and
square. Where others employed dew
ious methods, he was straightforward
anu ne SlOOu nllCIed. Lille was d
good deal of a puzzle to him, but
he knew it's one great secret-'Love
thy neighbor as myself Neither
power nor place nor plumber weighed
against that love. He made the most
OF what he had and what he was
He was the best man that he could be
under the circumstances. He made
a despised business the instrument for
good. He made a humble relation
ship to the community at large, a
position to be envied by more fortu
nate men. He lived life as he saw
it-lived it intensely and profitably
to the community.
There have been better men and
bigger men. Some of them stood at
his bier with tears on their cheeks,
unashamed. There are better exam
pies for young manhood. but few that
are more inspiring to those capable
of judging moral netes and bounds
So a city believes that it could have
done worse than to erect in public
park an imposing pile of stone and
bronze which says to all beholders,
Here was man" Copyright,
1913. by the Mcclure Newspaper Syn
dicate.)