The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1922-11-02

Once arrived safely in Washington, Rowan
ported TO the Secretary of War. Russell a. Alger
and introduced his personfed information to
The commanding general of the army, Gen. Nelson
A. Miles. This officer wrote TO the secretary Of
war:
~ recommend that First Lieutenant Andrew S.
Rowan, Nineteenth infantry, be made lieuten-
ant colonel of one of the regiments of immunes
Lieutenant Rowan made journey across Cuba,
was with the insurgent army under Lieutenant
General Garcia and brought most important and
valuable information to the governments This
was most perous undertaking, and in my judg
ment Lieutenant Rowan performed act of hero
ism and coo daring that has rarely been excelled
in the annals of warfare. Very respectfully,
NELSON A. MILES,
Major General U. s. Army"
Lieutenant Rowan was made captain, sent to
the Philippines (where he won further commenda-
tion for bravery)-and then-fo+gotten.
Colonel Rowan's comment on his belated award
is this:
why, l never thought 1 deserved any special
reward. 1t was only my duty. l did only what
was commissioned to dO-what was paid to do.
It's just the same If there Is a squad of men
In trench. The shell comes from the enemy.
Someone dashes out, picks 1t up casts 1t aside
and saves the squad. That individual Is doing
only his duty
Though the War Department may have forgot
ten the man who carried the message through
Cuban swamps. fever and the Spanish lines and
returned with the information desired, the world
did not. For Ebert Hubbard made his name a
household word.
Ebert Hubbard In 1899 conducting q much
discussed periodical called the Pkilistne. 1t was
a lively sheet and Its readers many. So he
proceeded to print an editorial In the Philistine
about fellow by the name of Rowan" who
d landed off the coast of Cuba from an open boat"
and disappeared in the Jungle" He began his
editorial with the words: by the Eternal this Is
man for the ages!'
This editorial by Ebert Hubbard has been re-
produced in most civilized languages. 1t was
estimated In 1913 that over 40OOO,OOO copies Of
The story had been circulated.
Looking Ii over, one Is instantly struck with the
remarkable fact that Hubbards conclusion thaugh
written in 1899, fits almost exactly the present
conditions. Indeed, 1t sounds as If 1t might have
Teen written today, so in keeping Is 1t with the
present hour. 1t reads
"Have put the matter too strongly? Possibly
have; but when all the world has gone a-slum-
ming l wish to speak word of sympathy for the
man who succeeds-the man who against great
cdds has directed the efforts of others, and hav.
ing succeeded finds there's nothing in it-noth.
Ing but bare board and clothes
II have carried dinner pail and worked for
days wages, and have also been an employer
of labor, and l know there is something TO be
said on both sides. There IS excellence per Sc
10 poverty; rags are no recommendation; and all
employers are not rapaciOus and high handed, any
more than all poor men are vrtuOus.
'My heart goes out to the man who does his
work when the boss is away, well as when he
is at home. And the man who, when given a let
Ter for Garcia, quietly takes the missive without
asking any idiotic questions, and with no lurking
intention of chucking it into the nearest sewer
or Of doing aught else but deliver It, never gets
laid off, nor has to go strike for higher wages
Civilization is one long. anxious search for
just such individuals. Anything such man asks
shall be granted. He Is wanted in every city,
town and village-in every Office shop, store and
factory. The world cries out for such he Is
needed and needed badly-the man who can
Garry a Message to Garcia"