The Portland daily press., 1888-01-06
Daniel kianning's Hard Work and
Methods
Correspondent Philadelphia Times.l

Correspondent Philadelphia Times.l
Mr. Daniel Manning wasted in the last five
years the strength which should have carried
hln through the next twenty. Seven or eight
years ago spent long evening with him,
and he looked ten years younger than his
age. When he went to Washington two
years ago he looked ten older than his years.
He was large, full and solid, q bigger man
than his newspaper portraits indicate, and
for years he had that pulpy, cushiony hand
which in man nearing fifty means variety
of things-none of them agreeable to him or
encouraging to his friends. He moved slow
ly; his mind was not Of the rapid or facile
order, and he did not converse, but talked in
a steady continuous stream on any subject in
which he was interested. Ten years ago he
was good deal of a Protectionist and be-
lieyed In higher duties than he advocated la
ter. He early had in politics the conserva-
tism which comes from growing wealth, and
when he was still only an Albany magnate
his nearest political friend summed him
up to me as about the best kind of city
boss there is going"
Most successful men have their theory,
conscious or unconscious, to account for
their success in life, and Mr.. Manning had
his. He began early to save money. / do
not mean that this was all he had to account
for his rise, but when he came in leisurely,
unrestrained way to review his life and look
for the first fact which pulled him out of the
crowd about him, his mind went back to the
circumstances that when he had adjusted his
household expenses to the level of a printers
ay,werking by the week at his case, he kept
them there and saved the increase of salary
of every promotion. AS he became foreman,
then correspondent of the Associated Press
from Albany, and later reporter of legisa-
tive proceedings, with his services for the
Associated Press, the difference was consd-
cradle. and it was all rigidly saved. For
| years his checks from the Associated Press
| were all deposited as fast as he got them,
| and he treated every bit of extra earnings as
| savings.
This is Benjamain Franklin's rule, and Mr..
| Daniel Manning was in many points, more
| than most would imagine. a man after Ben
| jamain,s own heart. He did not eschew the
| lighter side Of life and he was very, very far
| from being an anch0rite, but he held an iron
hand over his expenditures until he was full
| forty and by that time he had secured a
| competence, and was well on the road to
| wealth. The rule which he urged as wise
| Ito take the first salary which man earns,
| and on which he perforco lives, and make no
| charge in personal expenditure as wages in
| crease-may not always make man Secre-
| tary of the Treasury before he dies, but ii
| will greatly add 10 his usefulness, his per-
| sonal comfort in after years and his peace of
mind. 1t is possible also that it will play
/ its share in leaving man broken down
when he should be in the full plentitude OF
| his powers. With Mr.. Manning, too, as with
| most men who have followed this maxim of
| Poor Richard, an early and a happy mar
| riage had rendered possible economies and
sacrifices which no resolution might have
| otherwise accomplished,
| The steadness and resolution with which
he adhered to his early purpose in his per
sonal affairs was carried into politics. He
was not facile and quick ia conventions,
| State or national, and in 1880, at Cincinnati,
| many men thought he had sacrificed great
| opportunities by not taking quick advantage
| after the first ballot. But this 1as not his
method, and he had lived long enough and
| had been often under fire to know that quite
as much is often lost as won by jumping too
| quick in politics.