The Climax-Madisonian. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1914-1917, 1915-05-26
Hubbards Tribute to the Titanic Dead

Those still on the ship climb up from
deck to deck.
The dark waters follow them, angry.
jealous, savage, relentless.
The decks are almost perpe molecular.
The people hang by the rails.
A terrific exposion occurs-the ships
boilers have burst.
The last lights go out.
The great iron monster slips, gently
glides, surely down, down into the sea
Where once the. great ship proudly
floated there is now mass of wreckage
the dead, the dying, and the great black
all-enfolding night.
Overhead, the thousand stars shine
with brightness unaccostomed.
The Strauses, Stead, Astor, Butt, Har
ris,- Thayer, Widener, Guggenheim,
Hayes-I thought knew you, just be-
cause | had seen you, realizing some
what of your able qualities. looked into
your eyes and pressed your hands, but
do not guess your greatness.
You are now beyond the reach of
praise-1attery touches you not-words
for you are vain.
Medals for heroism- how cheap the
gilt, how paltry the pewter!
You are beyond our praise or blame.
We reach out, we do not touch you.
We call, but you donot hear,
Words unkind, ill-considered, were
somtimes flung at you, Colonel Astor,
in your lifetime.
We admit your handicap of wealth
pity you for the accident of biruh-but
we congratulate you that as your mouth
was stopped with the brine of the sea,
so you stopped the mouths of the car
pers and critics with the dust of the
Tomb.
If any think unkindly of you now, be
he priest or plebeian, let it be with
finger to his lips. and look of shame
into his own dark heart
Also, shall we not write postscript
to that booklet on cigarettes?
Charles B. Hays-you who made life
safe for travellers on shore, yet you were
caught in a sea-trap, which, had you
been manager of that TRANSATLANTIC
Line, would never have been set, baited
as it was with human lives.
You placed safety above speed You
fastened your faith to utilities. not fu-
tilities You and John B. Thayer
would have had searchlight and used
IL in the 'danger-zone, so as to have To-
Gated an iceberg five miles away. You
| ,lo
by that silly plunge-bath chow ironic the
| thing) with hundred collapsible boats,
and nests of dories.
You, Hays and Thayer, believed in
other smen-you trusted them-this
time they failed you. We pity them
not you.
And Mr. and Mrs. Straus, envy you
that legacy of love and royalty left to
your children and grandchildren. The
calm courage that was yours all your
long and useful career was your posses
sion in death.
You knew how to do three great
things you knew how to live, how to
love and how to die.
Archie Butt, the gloss and glitter
ou your sprangled uniform were pure
gold l always supect it.
You tuck the ladies in the lifeboats,
as if they were going for an automobile
ride. ''Give my regards to the folks at
home" you gaily called as you lift your
hat and stepped back on the doomed
deck.
You died the gallant gentleman that
you were. You helped preserve the ole
English TRADITIONAL. Women aud chill
dren first:''
All America is proud of you.
Guggenheim, Widener and Harris.
you were unfortunate in life in having
more money than we had. That is why
we wrote things about you. and printed
them in black and red. If you were
sports, you were game TO the last, cheer
full losers, and all such are winners.
As your souls play hide-and-seek witt
sirens and dance with the naiads, yol
have lost interest in US. But our hearts
are with you still. You showed us how
death and danger put all on parity Tn
WOmoil III buO WOiO JOdA StStOi
The men your brothers: and the
tablets of love and memory we hav
'graved your names.
William 7. Stead, you were writer
athinker, and speaker, a dosr. of tn,
word. You proved your case; seale
brief with your hearts blood; as you
bearded face looked in admiration fc
the last time up at the twinkling star
God in pardonable pride said 10 Gabrie
Here comes a MANI
And so all you l knew and all tina
thousand and half thousand more. die
not know: passed ont this Earth Life il
to the Unknown upon the unforgettin
tide You were sacrificed 10 the greed
Goddess of Luxury and her consort, tn
q Demon of Speed.
Was it worth while? Who shall sa
The great lessons of life are learned on
in blood and tears. Fate degreed tn
you should die for us.
Happily the world has passed for ev,
Il. : e.. r