Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-02-22
Don't Trnst too Much to Others.

Plutarch tells US Of kings groom who
said that nothing made the horse grow so
fat, as the king 5 eve. The king looked
after his subalterns and of course they did
their duty. 1t was his habit of looking
after the men whom he employed in differ
ent departments, domestic, cI.il and mill
tary, that was largely the secret of the
1 first Napoeon's success. Every body in
his employ felt that the Emperors eye was
upon him. 1t was very likely that the
present NapOle0n's adversity was the re-
suit, to great extent, of trusting too
much to Others When he came to need
his army be found that everywhere he had
broken reeds to rest upon. For years
there had been fair show, but the re-
turns had been false There had been
false accounts, sham work, defective drill,
deceptive appearances. The shock of war
revealed the hollow reality. The French
horse pronounced 80 fat and warlike, was
lean and weak, his neck clothed with any
thing but thunder,
The kings eye IS the magic power
that gives success to mercantile estab-
shmcnt. There IS system and order, ac-
cording to plan which embraces all parts
Of the work, every subordinate having his
precise place and duty assigned him. But
the proprietor does not stop here. He
does not wind up his establishment like a
watch. and leave it to take care Of itself.
His eve Is everywhere, and hence his busi-
ness goes on with the precision of a clock.
On the other hand, many a business con-
Germ, many a bank or other institution has
gone wrong and come to grief because the
kings eve gave but an occasional and
hasty look. Subordinates felt that they
were safe in their carelessness or dishones-
ty. The horse gradually grew thin. be-
gan to excite suspicion, and finally dropped
down dead. The concern was bankrupt
The obituary notice of many defunct es-
tablishment should be-DIed for lack of
the kings eye
Our religious and benevolent societies
flourish only when there is a kings eye
looking through all the branches and de-
partments Of the work. Lean and empty
treasures are not always traceable to a
want of iberality among the people.
There Is poor management at head-quar-
ters. The king Is asleep or old-fogyish,
and lets matters take their own course
when he ought to be wide-awake, with his
eyes all about him Public confidence is
weakened and money is with
held We do not mean that a Secretary
or Agent of a society Is set up to be king
or pope, and to have things all his own
way but that he should seek to be perfect
" informed as to the whole field of opera
tjoas covered by the organization which he
represents as to the precise work TO be
done; and as to the character and conduct
Of the men employed to do that work.
Nor do we mean that one man, however
nigh his official position, should interfere
with another mans appropriate work, and
make himself disagreeably oficious. But
here must be head, king, in every
work, be it that Of a kingdom, a store or
3 society. There must be unity of opera
ions. a systematic division of labor under
)ne acknowledged head, who is authorized
10 superintend and energize every separate
department.. If he abuse his trust by
ording it over bis brethren, why, the
,emedy Is at hand when the anniversary
.Omes round.
The application to a church, of the
,room's sage remark, is also obvious The
'astors eve goes a great way to make a
hurch prosperous. Nothing in its ar
and administrations should es-
ape his notice. 1t will not do for him to
ecIude himself in his study and expect
hat by splendid sermons he can carry the
hurch on to prosperity. He must know
7hat Is going on, whether right or wrong,
nd must be everywhere felt as an inspir-
ng, guiding genius, yet without his ap-
earring to dictate or to intermeddIe. The
ing's eye makes the horse grow fat
'HriStiazl Era.