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Show Forty Forfy Years Ago He Bid for Fame FameBy FameBy FameBy By Carrying CarryingIIA "A A IIA " Message to Garcia Garciall " But Andrew Summers Rowan Might Still StIli Be a ' Forgotten Hero " if Elbert Hubbard Had HadNot HadNot HadNot ReadyTo Not Neededan Needed an Editorial to PutIn Put in His Magazine Magazme . , The Philistine Philistme Phllishne , . Which Was Ready To Go to Press and Wrote One That Has Been Reprinted More Than 80,000.000 80000.000 80000000 80.000.000 80,000,000 , . . , Times TimesC Timese C e Western titwspapcr Ivewspaper ewspaper Union Bo B v ELMO EL\IO EL IO ! \ SCOTT WATSONF WATSONORTY WATSON ORTY years ago a young FORTY F youngAmencan youngAmerican American Amencan army officerhad officerhad officer officerhad had returned from a aperIlous aperilous aperilous perIlous mission which had hadwon hadwon hadwon won him the praise of lus his lussuperIOrs hissuperiors hissuperiors superIOrs and resultedm resultedin resulted in m his hisbemg hisbeing hisbeing bemg being summoned to appear before appearbefore the President of the theUmted theUnited theUnited Umted United States and members membersof of the cabinet cabmet where he re- re receIved received re received - ceived the personal congrat congrat- congratulatIOns congratulations congratulations - ulations of the Chief Execu Execu- ExecutIve Executive Executive - tive But m In the excItement excItementover excitementover excitementover over our entrance into mto the theWar theWar theWar War with Spain Spam , his lus exploIt exploItcaused exploitcaused exploitcaused caused little public comment commentand commentand commentand and it seemed that the fame fameWhICh famewhich famewhich WhICh was justly his was wasabout wasabout wasabout about to pass him lum byNearly byNearly by byNearly Nearly a year later the edl edi edltor editor editor tor of a magazme magazine which was wasabout wasabout wasabout about to go to press , neededan needed neededan an editorial edItonal for that Issue IssueWhIle issueWhile issueWhile WhIle having havmg dinner with hIS hISson hisson hisson son , the boy happened to tomf tomention tomention mf mention > ntIon the deed of the theyoung theyoung theyoung young army officer and de- de declared declared de declared - - clared that he was the real realhero realhero . hero of the Spanish Spamsh Amen Amencan Amencan Amencan can war The father leaped leapedup leapedup leapedup up mspIred-here mspIred here inspired - here was an anIdea anidea anidea Idea for the editorial edItonal editorialt editorialtSo ' So he wrote it , but he hethought hethought hethought thought so httle lIttle of the result resultthat resultthat resultthat that he ran it in m the maga magazme magazme magazine zme without a headmg How How- However However However - ever , that editorial edItonal has been beenreprmted beenreprmted beenreprinted reprmted more than 80 000 000000 -000 000 - 000 times , after 40 years yearscopIes yearscopies yearscopies copIes ofit of it still sell at the therate therate therate rate of 150 000 a year , it has hasbeen hasbeen hasbeen been carried carned to all parts of ofthe ofthe ofthe the world and translated Into into20 20 languages andIt and it is prob probably probably probably ably the best known piece of ofEnglIsh ofEnglish ofEnglish EnglIsh prose ever written wntten wnttenThe writtenThe writtenThe The young army officer was wasLleut wasLieut wasLieut Lleut Lieut Andrew Summers Rowan Rowanwho Rowanwho Rowanwho who is still stlll living hvmg m In CaW'orma CaWorma California Californiaat CaW'ormaat ' at the age ofolghtyone ofmightyone of "ighty-one "ighty ighty one olghty-one olghty mighty-one mighty " - - The Theeditor Theeditor Theeditor editor was Elbert Hubbard who whodied whodied whodied died on the Lusitama Lusltama Lusitania when it was wassunk wassunk wassunk sunk by a German submarine submarme m in m1915 1915 And the editorial which he hewrote hewrote hewrote wrote for the March 1899 Issue Issueof issueof issueof of his magazine magazme the Phlbstme Philistine Phlbstmewas Philistinewas Philistinewas was A Message to GdrClaIn GdreiaIn Garcia GdrCla Gdreia GarciaIn In 1898 Lieutenant Rowan a agraduate agraduate agraduate graduate from West Point Pomt in the theclass theclass theclass class of 1881 was detailed to duty dutym dutyin dutyin m in Washington Washmgton War with Spainw Spaina Spain Spaina [ w a 9 9Y Y a 4 4v f fa v s . 4 / , J Jy y 9 9A a M } A \ 4 4ti fhO t . . : ' --ti ti - - tit -t t - t3SMV&S9 -3SMV&S9 3SMV&S9 3SMVS9 - & * bf4 LA LAELBERT ELBERT HUBBARDwas HUBBARD HUBBARDwas was imminent and President Mc McKmley McKmley MeKmley Kmley realized the necessity ofhaving of ofhavIng ofhaving havIng reliable rebable information mformatlon about aboutthe aboutthe aboutthe the Spanish Spamsh forces in m Cuba and andwhether andwhether andwhether whether or not Lieut Lleut Gen CalIX Cahx CalIXto Cahxto Calucto to Garcia commander of the Cu Cuban Cuban Cuban ban insurgent msurgent army would co coi cooperate cooperate cooperate i operate with the American forces forcesif If an army was sent thereThe thereThe there thereThe The President summoned Col ColArthur ColArthur ColArthur Arthur Wagner head of the bu bureau bureau bureau reau of military mlhtary intelligence to tothe tothe tothe the White House Where can I Ifind Ifind Ifind find a man who will carry ames amessage a mes message message sage to Garcia7 Garcia ? ' he askedThere askedThere asked askedThere There is a young lIeutenant lIeutenantnamed lieutenantnamed lieutenantnamed named Rowan Ro.an Roan . here in m Washmg Washing Washmgton Washington Washington ton who will take it Wagner WagnerreplIed Wagnerreplied Wagnerreplied WagnerrepliedThe replIed replIedThe TheIan The Man \Ian Ian ! \ for lor the JobProbably ! Job JobProbably ob obProbably Probably one reason for his answer an answer answer swer was the fact that Rowan Rowanhad Rowanhad Rowanhad had recently published pubhshed a bookThe bookThe book bookThe The Island of Cuba although althoughhe he had not yet been to Cuba and andIus andhis andtus Ius his book was based only upon uponother uponother uponother other volumes But having as assured assured assured sured the President PresJdent that Rowan Rowanwas Rowanwas Rowanwas was the man for the job Wagner Wagnerprepared Wagnerprepared Wagnerprepared prepared to back up his wordsI wordslIe words wordsHe I Ito He lIe invited the young lteutenant lieutenant lieutenantto lteutenantI lteutenantto to lunch at the Army and Navy Navyclub Navyclub Navyclub I ( club They were scaicely sCalcely seated seatedv v hen Wagner sad sa d When does doesthe doesthe doesthe the next boat leave for Jamal Jamai Jamalca JamaiCa Jarnaica7 ca ? Since Smce Wagner was a noted notedJoker notedjoker notedjoker I notedI Joker Rowan thought that this thiswas thiswas thiswas was a rrelude to another prank prankof prankof prankof of some sort but he looked up I r 5 7 c , / / .rah rah . .raha .raheJ'1 a e-J'1 e J'1 J1 - ' 4Mt 1 1u u f lr ( y yv v t ta a 1 o oi o'A i 'A A 'ACOL ' COL ANDREW SUMMERS ftO VAN WIIO CARRIED CARRIEDA A MESSAGE TO GARCIA ' the sailing sallmg time bme and told WagnerCan WagnerCan Wagner WagnerCan Can you sail on that boat boafthe ? ' the colonel asked next and Row Rowan Rowan Rowan an immediately replied Yes Yesstlll Yesstill Yesstill stlll still believing bebevmg it was a Joke ] oke But ButWagner ButWagner ButWagner Wagner s next net ' ! : words showed him himlu himhis himhis lu his > mistake mJstake mistakeThen mJstakeThen Then get ready to take It Itsaid itsaid itsaid said Wagner You have been se selected selected selected lected by President McKinley McKmley to tocarry tocarry tocarry carry a message to Garcia He HeIS Heis Heis IS somewhere in m the eastern part partof partof partof of Cuba Your duty will be to tofind tofind tofind find him and learn the mlhtary military mlhtarysituatIon militarysituation militarysituation situatIon m in Cuba in so far as ashe ashe ashe he knows Your success and In Inall inall inall all probability the outcome of a apossible apossible apossible possible war with Spain Spam will de depend depend depend pend upon you Leave at mid midmght midnight midnight mght night tonight tomght Good by and good goodluck goodluck goodluck luck but-get but get but - get that message to toGarcia toGarciat toGarcia1 toGarcia1Rowan Garcia Garciat ' GarciatRowan Rowan was on the boat whJCh which whJChsaIled whichsailed whichsailed saIled that night mght Upon reachmg reaching reachmgJamaica reachingJamaica reachingJamaica Jamaica he cabled word of his hisarrIval hisarrival hisarrival arrIval to Wagner and on AprIl April23 23 the day set by the Umted United UmtedStates UnitedStates UnitedStates States as the last date for Spam Spain Spamto . , to withdraw its forces from Cu Cuba Cuba Cuba ba he received cabled orders toJom tojoin to toom Jom join ] om Garcia as soon as pOSSI pOSSIble possible possible possibleRowan ble bleRowan Rowan had been in touch with witheXIled withexiled withexiled eXIled Cuban patriots in m Jamaica Jamaicafrom Jamaicafrom Jamaicafrom from the time of his arrIval arrivalThey arrivalThey They immediately set to work to toaid toaid toaid aid him m in getting gettmg to Cuba He Hewas Hewas Hewas was taken on a mysterious JOur JOurney journey ] OUTney ney in m a closed carriage which whichbrought whichbrought whichbrought brought him lum eventually to the theshores theshores theshores shores of a small bay . where here a afishmg afishing afishing fishmg fishing boat stood off shore a ashort ashort ashort short distance After an ex exchange exchange exchange change of signals sJgnals he was taken takenaboard takenaboard takenaboard aboard this boat which was cam camouflaged camoufiaged camouflaged ouflaged oufiaged with a false cargo of ofbundles ofbundles ofbundles bundles and operated by a Cuban Cubanpilot Cubanpilot Cubanpilot pilot named Sablo who had been beendetailed beendetailed beendetailed detailed to take him lum to Garcia GarciaA A Dangerous JourneyThe JourneyThe Journey JourneyThe The little bttle party then began the thefirst thefirst thefirst first leg of their dangerous Jour Journey journey journey ney If they were caught wlthm within wlthmthe withinthe withinthe the three mile limit they could couldbe couldbe couldbe be held and possibly ImprIsoned imprisonedfor for violation vlOlatlon of British BrItlsh neutralIty neutralityIf If they were caught outside outsJde the thethree thethree thethree three mile mJle limit Iumt by any of theSpanish the theSpanish theSpanish Spanish boats which were patrol patrolIng patrolmg patroling Ing mg the Caribbean sea they would wouldprobably wouldprobably wouldprobably probably be treated as spies and andthat andthat andthat that meant their backs to a waIl wall waIlwith wallwith wallwith with a firing firmg squad m in frontEarly front frontEarly Early the next morning morrung they theysaw theysaw theysaw saw a Spanish boat approachmg approaching approachmgRowan approachingRowan approachingRowan Rowan and the rest of those on onboard onboard onboard board except Sablo dropped droppeddown droppeddown droppeddown down and hid Iud under the bundles bundlesAs bundlesAs bundlesAs As he dropped the sail the Span Spanlards Spanlards Spanlards lards saw only what appeared to tobe tobe tobe be a lone fisherman After a acasual acasual acasual casual inquiry mqulry as to how the fish fishwere fishwere fishwere were biting bltmg they passed on with without without without out closer investigation mvestIgatIon investigationAt mvestIgatIonAt At midnight on April 25 the theday theday theday day that the United Umted States de declared dedared dedared clared dared war on Spain Rowan andhis and andIus andhis Ius his friends entered Onente OrIente bay bayand bayand bayand and were met by a group of Cu Cubans Cubans Cubans bans who in m some mysterIOUS mysterIOUSmanner mysteriousmanner mysteriousmanner manner knew of their commg coming commgThe comingThe comingThe The most dangerous part of the thetrIP thetrip thetrip trIP to find Garcia now began beganIt It lasted for six SJX days durmg during durmgwhich duringwhich duringwhich which time bme the young AmerJcan American AmerJcanmade Americanmade Americanmade made his way through the steam steammg steamjag steaming mg jag insect infested ungle Jungle ] drmk drink drmkmg drinkmg drinking mg germ ] filled filed water and eatJng eating eatJngonly eatingonly eatingonly only such food as could be found foundin In holes in m the ground where the theCuban theCuban theCuban Cuban rebels had buried itOn it itOn On May 1 Rowan Ro\\an Ro an \ \ was as escorted escortedto to General Garcia s camp and andhere andhere andhere here he learned of an amusmg amusing amusmgmistake amusingmistake amusingmistake mistake that had been made He bore letters from the Cuban pa tnots triots patnots patriots in m Jamaica which charac characterIzed characterized charactenzed terIzed him as a man of confi confidence confidente confidence dence dente but a blundering blundermg mter inter mterpreter interpreter interprefer preter had translated it a con confidence confidence confidence fidence man thereby arousmg arousing arousmgsuspicion arousingsuspicion arousingsuspicion delayinghis delaymghis suspicion of lumand him lum hum and delaymg delaying his meeting meetmg with the Cuban com corn commander cornmander cornmander cornmanderRowan mander manderRowan messagefrom Rowan delivered his lus message from McKinley McKmley to Garcia who whoImmedIately whoimmediately whoimmediately ImmedIately althoughhe decided although he had given the lieutenant all allthe allthe allthe the necessary information mformatIon that thathe thathe thathe he would send three officers back backto backto backto to the United States with him to toexplain toexplain toexplain explain fully the needs of the theCuban theCuban theCuban Cuban insurgents msurgents After a two twohour twohour twohour hour rest Rowan started on hisreturn Ius his Iusreturn hisreturn return journey which wluch was all aU the themore themore themore more perilous because war had hadalready hadalready hadalready already been declared and cap capture capture capture ture meant certain certam death as a asp aspy asp sp spy > spyThe The five day trip to the north northern northern northern ern coast ( he had landed on the thesouthern thesouthern thesouthern southern coast ) was almost as asbad asbad asbad bad as the previous Journey Spanish journeySpanish everywherebut patrols were everywhere but by traveling at night Rowan Rowanand Rowanand Rowanand and his Ius companions managed to toelude toelude toelude elude them and reach the coast coastThere coastThere coastThere There they found a dJlapJdated dilapidated dilapidatedfishing dJlapJdatedfishmg fishmg fishing boat with WJth gunnysacks for forsalls forsails forsails salls sails and in m this the AmerIcan AmerIcanand Americanand Americanand and several Cubans headed for forNassau forNassau forNassau Nassau 150 miles awayA away awayA A tropical storm almost almostswamped almostswamped almostswamped swamped their crazy craft but butafter butafter butafter after 48 hours they managed to toreach toreach toreach reach New Providence island and andwere andwere andwere were promptly detained detamed at the theHog theHog theHog Hog Island quarantine quarantme Howev However er Rowan managed to get word wordto wordto wordto to the American consul and on onMay onMay onMay May 11 II the party went aboard the theFearless theFearless theFearless Fearless which wluch took them to Key KeyWest KeyWest KeyWest West where they arrived two twodays twodays twodays days laterThen later laterThen Then they took a train to Wash WashIngton Washington Washmgton Ington where Rowan reported reportedthe reportedthe reportedthe the success of his hJS mission mJSSlon to Rus Russell Russell Russell sell A Alger secretary of war warwho warwho warwho who sent him to Lieut Lleut Gen Nel |