The Washington herald., 1914-03-16
Statesmen, Real and Near.
By FRED c. KELLY.

..
whom Georgia. we have a tall, angular
man Of sixty-ive. or thereabouts, who
wants what he wants when he wants IL.
And when William s. West wants a thing
he grabs hold and hangs on with a
tenacity that makes a bulldog seem
ilresolute. -washy. vscillating, in
sipid. and undetermined. He is a posi-
tive quantity.
West wanted recently to become a
United States Senstor. and he wants
people at all times to keep away from
Valdosta.
All excitement loving persons are here
by offered the suggestion that they go
to West and propose themselves for
guests on his fish pond.
Just say to him, pleasantly: Senator.
j understand there's some mighty good
fishing on your place. / must get out
my rod and reel and drop In on you some
day"
Try 1t. say. you who go in for ex-
citemcnt. 1t is said to furnish a thrill
that compares favorably with aviation.
In fact. there would probably be some
aviation on the part OF West.
That trout pond on Vests country
place Is there for West. and not for any
Tom. Dick. or Harry who might desire
10 try his luck. The man Is not with
out Southern hospitality, understand; he
would gladly take the humblest stranger
into his home and feed him all the
deliclcies of the season. including a nice
big platter Of speckled trout from the
private pond. But as for letting him go
and CATCH the trout,--that is distinctly
something else again.
Once In a long while-once i'm a very,
very long whIle-West leads a personally
conducted excursion of one or two inti-
mate friends TO his trout pond and per-
mits them TO make a few casts. But
he is always right on hand taking note
Of the number Of fish yanked out and
placed In the creel The man doesn't
live whom West would trust to go to his
trout pond slons. And only his most
intimate friends-an extremely. brief.
hand-picked list-are ever taken to the
sacred waters at all. II is the holy of
holies, n place reserved to mark the deep
est depths of intimacy. West has a num-
submit to TRANSMISSION of blood, but he
would hesitate a long time before al
lowing them to venture on his premises
carrying a fy-book and trout rod.
When II comes to trout ponds West. you
see, Is almost rabid on the subject of
property rights. 1t Is his trout pond
He had II built and stocked and he did
SO because he likes TO fish in waters
where fish are to be caught. He doesn't
purpose to devote forty to fifty acres to
a pond that has been ''ished out.
whether by friend or foe.
When he does take friend to the for
hidden pool. West carefully examines his !
bait to see that there are no minnOws OF !
uncouth variety that might grow into
large fish and multiply. One Of his great |
est horrors in life Is that some day a !
catfish might find its way into his pond !
He would not have that happen for all |
the money in Georgia-and that state
ment is less OF an exaggeration than it |
sounds
Senator West is philanthropically dis
posed and gives literally TO all worthy |
charitable projects in his locality, but in !
a business transaction he insists on hav-
ing what is coming TO him. There is no !
record Of him ever forgetting his change !
and he sees no reason why a man should
throw of the odd cents. II you owed
him S,Ill.Oi. and the debt fell due on
Christmas eve. let us say. he would not
ofer to settle for ss.4Il. lie would expect
'Ou TO pay the one cent also. But il
coal. the chances are that the next
he would send it to you.
West walked up to a hotel newsstand
one day. according TO a story. to buy a
paper 'ntaining an article that he was
anxious TO see. The paper was intended
by the publishers to sell for two cents
/ copy, but the hotel newsdealer was
IN the habit of asking three cents. West
threw down a nickel. got only two cents
n change and demanded an explanation
'h..W aN..r- II
the price plainly printed on the ear of
The paper. and West threw the paper
lown and refused to do business Then,
lie went and hired a boy to 60 out and
'uy him copy Of the paper some place
where 1t sold for two cents as pre-
scTibed.
Some Of Vests closest friends say that
heir idea of an entertainment worth
While would be to see him in a New York
estaurant dealing with the boys who
heck ones hat. cane, coat. gloves. etc.
md perform similarly useless service in
of tips
West started out to be a lawyer but
aw that he could make more money in
BUSINESS enterprises ana has found for =
une in the lumber business lie is ,um-
monty rega rded as worth half million, ;
fhlCn IN MS part or the country is Sufti- !
lent for a mans actual needs. and IL
I'VE him standing in the community
There are two great political factIuns
D Georgia-one allied with Senator I.oI;e }
mith. and known as the Smith faction,
nd the other antI-Smth West belongs
D the anti-Smith. and so does Cow
laton.
After the death of Senator Bacon
hort time ago. il was up To Gov. Slaton
} appoint a successor West felt that :,
ne successor should he one William :.
est Did he mOdestly sit back and say ! I
nat he was in the hands OF his friends. =.
nd that he was willing to serve as Scua- :,
IT provided that would make Tor the
est interests OF the state?
Alb no. he did not. Instead he hastencd =
once to the governors Office and made :,
perfectly clear to the governor that he =,
esiTed to become a United States SCna-
" right anyway quick. H.
The governor was disposed To hesitate
II a day or SO in an effort To paCify j.,
arious candidates. some of whom. uh- n
ousy, seemed certain to be diSapppInt-
J. West grew impatient. and is said to
ave spoken to the governor subStan- b
ally as follows:
Il would not influence your decision
n the world. but ! want this Job. and Al
don't want to he hanging about here "