And State Papers 353 



ture to an even greater degree than in the past, then 

 in the century now beginning we shall make of this 

 Republic the freest and most orderly, the most just 

 and most mighty, nation which has ever come forth 

 from the womb of time. 



AT TOPEKA, KANSAS, MAY i, 1903 



Colonel McCook, Gentlemen, and Ladies: 



It needed no urging to get me to accept your 

 invitation. I hailed the chance of speaking a few 

 words to you on this occasion, because it seems to 

 me that the railroad branch of the Young Men's 

 Christian Association exemplifies in practice just 

 exactly what I like to preach; that is, the combi 

 nation of efficiency with decent living and high 

 ideals. 



In our present advanced civilization we have to 

 pay certain penalties for what we have obtained. 

 Among the penalties is the fact that in very many 

 occupations there is so little demand upon nerve, 

 hardihood, and endurance, that there is a tendency 

 to unhealthy softening of fibre and relaxation of 

 fibre; and such being the case I think it is a fortu 

 nate thing for our people as a whole that there 

 should be certain occupations, prominent among 

 them railroading, in which the man has to show the 

 very qualities of courage, of hardihood, or willing 

 ness to face danger, the cultivation of the power of 

 instantaneous decision under difficulties, and the 

 other qualities which go to make up the virile side 



