And State Papers 157 



of citizenship can fail to do so. I want to see the 

 average American a good man, an honest man, and 

 a man who can handle himself, and does handle 

 himself, well under difficulties. The last time I 

 ever saw General Sherman, I dined at his house, and 

 we got to talking over the capacity of different types 

 of soldiers, and the General happened to say that 

 if ever there were another war, and he were to have 

 a command, he should endeavor to get as many rail 

 way men as possible under him. I asked him why, 

 and he said, "Because on account of their profession 

 they have developed certain qualities which are es 

 sential in a soldier." In the first place, they are 

 accustomed to taking risks. There are a great 

 many men who are naturally brave, but who, being 

 entirely unaccustomed to risks, are at first appalled 

 by them. Railroad men are accustomed to endur 

 ing hardship; they are accustomed to irregular 

 hours; they are accustomed to act on their own re 

 sponsibility, on their own initiative, and yet they are 

 accustomed to obeying orders quickly. There is not 

 anything more soul-harrowing for a man in time of 

 war, or for a man engaged in a difficult job in time 

 of peace, than to give an order and have the gentle 

 man addressed say "What?" The railroad man has 

 to learn that when an order is issued there may be 

 but a fraction of a second in which to obey it. He 

 has to learn that orders are to be obeyed, and, on 

 the other hand, that there will come plenty of crises 

 in which there will be no orders to be obeyed, and' 

 he will have to act for himself. 



