The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-02-10

ton as to how many OF the OIDcldE'
would attend. but the men all count
ed on the Colonel being present lie
was there, and, if I remember rightly,
he was the only one who was. How
many in the Colonel's position would
have left their homes on Christmas
night, of all nights in the year, TO
make merry with their men for sew |
eral hours? 1t is such traits as ]
have mentioned that have endeared
him to every man in his employ.
practically ever since he has been
on the IsthmuS Col. Goethals has
gone about in civilian attire. He has
also abolished such military formal
ties as might interfere with the eff
| cheney of his organization. He trusts
little to second hand information and
never loses a chance to get in touch
with the individual. In accordance
with this policy, he is known to prac-
ticany every man in the Zone, and
has kindly word of greeting for every
one with whom he may come in con-
tact, no matter how lOWly his posi-
ton. He invariably finds the right
man for the right place and always
rewards merit where he finds it.
I'm accordance with his plan of the
square deal Col. Coethals established
a Sunday morning tribunal for the
hearing of complaints, over which he
presides. All who have grievances are
welcome. When this court was first
established some Of his s~ubordinates
protested. declaring it would have a
tendency to demoralize the organiza-
ton. The Colonel was OF a different
opinion, however, and subsequent
ven bore him out.
What a splendid leader he would
2 make for our police force, the great
T majority Of whom are the finest in
J the world. What III example he
: would set to the rank and file. His
{ policy of the sQuare deal, enforced
without fear or favor, would be ar
D encouragement to every honest mar
. on the force, and woul also do much
9 toward solving many of the ~vexatiOu!
8 problems that now bother that de
p~artnnent.
3The position of Police Commits
sioner in New York is a big one am
necessarily requires q big man, but
knoW of no one who can fill It S
= capahly as Col. Cocktails. His strengtl
~ Of character, his capacity for organi
- cation and his power of imbuing me-
y with a spirit Of loyalty eminently f
him for the place.
THAT Col. Goethals will eventual
accept the Police Commissionershi
of New York I have not the .slightes
,e doubt. 1t is but natural that h
.. would wish to remain at his preser
he post until the completion Of the can
ty His great work would then be owe
K energy who loves work for the sal
of work would be content to sit quie
tv 1y down and administer the affairs
the Canal Zone in the capacity
IL Governor.
in For nearly twenty-five years CO
to Goethals' career was largely a ma
lis ter Of army routine and as with mar
- I others in tho C0ruiCo his aChInv
OF mentS were chronicled only in arm
an documents.
to He was born in Brooklyn. June ?
,r- 1858. Of Dutch parentage and obtai
Of ed his early education in the pub
schools. When II years old he S
Ias and later, at the age Of IA BEGAN
"a. bookkeeper and cashier in a mark
ng at the corner Of Thompson al
De- Blocker streets. New York, at a s.
I'D airy of SIS a week. All this time
OF kept up his studies and in the fall
1872 was able to enter the College
no the City Of New York, much to !
to delight.
AN 1t was there hat he became int
VS. ested in military life through liste
mel ing to a series Of lectures deliver
ust by instructors from West Poi
These lectures made such an impr'
will sion N him that he wrote to G.
aey Grant seeking an appointment to I
the Military Academy. Receiving no
ply, he interested Congressman "Sl
hat set Cox in his behalf and Mr.. c
10 secured for him the coveted hon
to He entered the United States NJ
re- tary Academy in 1876. graduating
1880. second in his class Accord
in himself the privilege that went "
nan his scholarship rank. young Goeth
A entered the engineering branch of
IL service and there he has remain
ever since.
the When william II. Taft, as Secre
tied ry OF War. visited Panama in 1
who he took Major Cocktails along to h
ho him look over the Canal work.
hen in 1907 he was placed in charge
an the construction work with the r.
ZAP of chief engineer, succeeding tn
dore p. ShontS.
re- There is nothing SNOWY about
and Goethals, but he simply radiates
that ficiency. If he was suddenly ca
upon to cut the United States in tv
by a canal there are those who XII