The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-12-26


belong to her, II gives her the prestige Of glory,
and the security Of defence. But should any cir
cumstance arise to disturb this harmony, the Ame-
nationality will follow Upper Canadian wheat; and
every one knows where that goes TO.
YELLowrLUsu.
The Qualifications OF Railway Dircotorx.
fFrom the American Railway Times, Dec 2o.]
II Is useless to disguise the fact that the great
body OF our railway directors arc entirely UNFIT for
their position. They are personally very respect
able class Of men-Inen well to do In the world and
standing fair before their fellows in character and
influence; but still entirely unified either by educa
ton or natural taste, to conduct probably the com
plcated affairs OF any Of our railway enterprises.
These men have mostly passed through their active
business lives, creditaby and successfully, and after
retirement from active business pursuits they arc,
in the minds Of some men, eminently fitted to ill
greater mistake made. What Is wanted for 0 rail-
way director? An active, clear headed and practi-
cal man. and those characteristics only belong TO in
teligent men who have not outlivcd their time Of
active business life, and men who, by experience
in the details Of management, have fitted
themselves to fill the Office Of director. Where
do You find such on our boards? Here and there
you may find one or two; but IL you do find them,
they are overshadowed and outvoted by their fellow
members, and thus their influence is vitiated and
set at naught, 10 far practical results are con-
cerned. Once in great while some man OF strong
will and perseverance,, and possessing fund of COM
that almost everything is done wrong and he makes
an attempt to set matters right. His fellow men,
bers, the disciples OF Dulness and Routine are
rather frightened, and perhaps piqued at his effort
to reform out some time-h0nored abuses, and they
shrug their shoulders looking so solemnly wise and
scared all the while that the shareholders are
straightway convinced that the new director is
hardly sane, and he must not be allowed to break
away from all the old fashioned ideas Of rail
way management, che must be restrained and
tutorcd, and by and by he will become one Of Us"
II he Is man Of strong WILL enterprise and money,
he can carry on the war for while with success,
but in the erd he will have to succomb. This has
been the experience of the past ten fifteen years,
and would have been for the xt ten fifteen years
had not our railways turned out badly as invest.
ments Of q dividend paying character. Now many
railway directors should be chosen the score Of
merit and practical talent. IL Is now thought that
experience in the details of railway management is
worth something, and worthy to be considered in
the choice of men. This idea, as yet however, Is
not the popular one among Shareholders but 1t
will be- and then VIC shall find railway property
worth something in dividends. We want railway
directors who know how TO reduce the operating
expenses per mile; who are capable OF point
ing out the methods Of doing this, and then gu
perintendlng the details Of the work No sagacous
man chooses any but thorough bred lawyer to do
his nportant legal business any but thorough bred
physician to treat his maladies, any but expe
rienoed mechanic TO repair his watch. Does the
mere fact that a man brought up a merchant, ia
respectable and rich and past the active business
age, make il certain that he can repair watch "a
Well as one who has served an apprenticeship TO the
business OF watch making or rcpairingf Is not this
appre nticeship to the business yon have in hand
worth something in practical point of vewl There
is but one answer to this among sane men, and
yet in the choice Of railway directors this principle
is daily violated, aud men are elected to fill these
important Offices who have served no apprentice
ship, had 10 experience, and have shown particu
lar natural fitness for the duties they ought to fulfil
m fhp Dnf uapSt Ia no
asked with regard to the fitness Of men for being
railway directors are, lis he rich and Is he respe TIA
bley' II he has these qualifications, and Is pretty
stupid witha, he IL pretty certain to be in the fair
line Of promotion or election.
We tell our railway readers that, If they desire to
make their property valuable and rescue Il from be
coming byword and reproach. they have got to
elect men OF an entirely different character. They
have got to choose men Of practical experience, in
the very best sense OF the term, men who know the
details Of railway management, and who have intel
ligence enough TO know and rgidly apply all those
vital reforms upon which depend the future vaue of
the property. The men Of the workshop the track
and the locomotive have got to institute those re-
forms which are 80 much needed, and we shall yet
find the more intelligent Of them taking the place
in the directors board of the retired merchants,
tlemen. who now only lend their names and their re-
spectability to perpetuate system o. folly that
has reduced our railway management below con-
tempt. With this change in the men Of the man
every man employed In the operation aud repair Of
the road pecuniariy aud personally interested 10
the success Of the enterprise. With this interest
comes the responsibility for the result and IT l. only
when these feel this interest and responsibility
that we can hope Tor any results that diner from
the unfortunate change of affairs that has come upon
railway property during the past three years. We
wish that we could impress upon readers the
conviction that is so absolutely our own that no
permanent good will take place In railway manage
nent until the managers are really interested in
and responsible for the property Of their different
roads. IL directors salaries were in proportion 10
the per centage Of earnings ON the capital 1t would
make material difference In their views Of their
duty. And here We feel that II Is no more than jus
tce for TO say that we believe every director should
he paid for his services and for the pay received he
shosld give his time and talents as in every
other employment. As at present constituted, our
boards Of directors are, on the wlgaa very snowy
hut useless piece OF mechanism. Ile members at
tend to meetings when they feel pst HE a. and sign
their names 10 documents and statomcrts that have
been prepared for them by others, wIthrt much
knowledge OF what the contents - InSs other
duties are mostly riding over their own or connect
ing roads, free Of charge There are exceptions 70
this, we know but every one who Is familiar with
our system Of management knows that the great
majority Of directors do not work and labor for the
success Of the road. There are some other bad
features showing out just row, and one particularly.
hat bah teen and IL now considerably talked
about. We allude 10 the fact that many OF the d.
rectors do not own but very small amount Of stock
in their own roads. Many OF them only own
but Just stock enough 10 qualify them for election.
Either they should show faith enough In their own
TO put fair proportion Of their pro
perry In the stock Of the roads they mango or they
should resign. Shareholder are invited to look into
this matter and zee the. application Of the remark.
You cannot expect. Messrs. shareholders, that men
Of leisure will work very hard for other people with
out pay. Yoa will not do IL, and you must no. ex-
rect others will Pay your directors, but don't pay
Them without they work. rather do not elect drec.
Wi hautf he Wi
TO pay them handsomely. The quail fcatlon OF rail.
way director should be looked 10 just a. much a.
that Of clerk. physician or lawyer. 4 competent,
practical working railway director IL valuable and
profitable 20 his employers, while one who does not
possess these qualifications should be regarded just
what he ia quaok or humbug, and a charlatan,
and should be dlscountenanced by all sensible
people.
FpHr BETWEEN Ex-Gov. SMITH oy VIRGINIA.
AND AN EpIroR.-The Washington Organ Of Satur.
day sayH Yesterday afternoon, about O'Clock,
soon after The adjournment Of Congress, the Hon.
Vim smith NJ q from Virginia met Mr. WaIach.