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136 Personality of Colonel Goethals
man with the pad had evidently intended
to spring upon him was withheld from
view.
A similar display of superior wisdom
was made by a close associate of the leader
in the foregoing incident. The second
brought to the Isthmus. A list was given,
including cabbages.
Member. What do you charge for cabbages
?
Commissary Head. Two cents a pound
at present.
He was not on the bridge of the first ship . . . but on the lock-walls . . . watching the operating machinery.—Page 151.
performer belonged to the swagger type,
who obviously believed that bad manners
were the outward and visible sign of real
statesmanship. He habitually cast his
gaze about the room previous to asking a
question, in order to call attention to the
awful exhibition he was about to make of
the witness, and then proceeded to interrogate
him as if he were a rascal and a
thief who was endeavoring to conceal his
guilt. On this occasion the question of
food supply was under inquiry and the
head of the commissary department was
on the stand. The item of vegetables
was mentioned. Alert and keen-eyed,
pencil in hand, pad in readiness for notes,
Mr. Swagger asked what vegetables were
Member. Yes, yes; but how much a
head?
Commissary Head. That depends on
the size of the head.
(Side remark of a cynic in the room:
"Measure the size of Mr. Swagger's head
and get the average.")
Colonel Goethals had a way of his own
in dealing with congressmen of this type
which caused them to handle him with
care after a few experiences with it. He
was invariably courteous, but when
pushed to the limit he was able to "get
even" with them in a manner that they
did not soon forget. During the visit of
one large delegation its members made a
tour of inspection of the various types of