And State Papers 163 



worth of the individual qualities of a man. I said 

 to you that I came here in a sense not to speak to 

 you, but to use your experience as an object-lesson 

 for all of us, an object-lesson in good American 

 citizenship. All professions, of course, do not call 

 for the exercise to the same degree of the qualities 

 of which I have spoken. Your profession is one of 

 those which I am inclined to feel play in modern 

 life a greater part from the standpoint of character 

 than we entirely realize. There is in modern life, with 

 the growth of civilization and luxury, a certain ten 

 dency to softening of the national fibre. There is 

 a certain tendency to forget, in consequence of their 

 disuse, the rugged virtues which lie at the back of 

 manhood ; and I feel that professions like yours, like 

 the profession of the railroad men of the country, 

 have a tonic effect upon the whole body politic. 



It is a good thing that there should be a large 

 body of our fellow-citizens that there should be a 

 profession whose members must, year in and year 

 out, display those old, old qualities of courage, dar 

 ing, resolution, unflinching willingness to meet 

 danger at neeti. I hope to see all our people develop 

 the softer, gentler virtues to an ever increasing de 

 gree, but I hope never to see them lose the sterner 

 virtues that make men men. 



A man is not going to be a fireman or an engineer, 

 or serve well in any other capacity on a railroad 

 long if he has a "streak of yellow" in him. You 

 are going to find it out, and he is going to be pain 

 fully conscious of it, very soon. It is a fine thing 



