New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-12-25
CHAPTERS OF UNION PACIFIC.
IT'S EMBARRASSMENTS NOT DUE TO COLI
LEGE GRADUATES.
Boston. December 81.

Boston. December 81
The breakdown of Mr. Adams's administration
e Union Pacific and his retirement from thc
.rexidency of the company have been interpreted
NV people whose mental processes never cuiuiha~
in a theory on any subject as the failure Oh al
ATTEMPT TO run a railroad on theories pS coHVso
graduates They are wide of the marx Douo'-
less college graduates have great deal TO answer
for As a rule they are at their irruption into
The world of affairs heady, bumpuous anu COLI
cei,ed but it does not take long to cuff the non
sanse ont of them and settle them into their
,roner relations When Mr.. Greeley SAID, "Oi
oil horned cattle deliver me from college grad
! nate be meant the fresh graduate who came
a. him in considerable force every year to show
rim how 70 edit The Tribune They get over 1t alter
n little Indeed there is no reason why they should
mot make as competent railroad officers, after
snitable apprenticeship, as the practlca nlch
who begin life as brakemcn ana SWITCH UhueIe'
and don't know nor care whether ftolehlN IHu"-
delnbus built the Pyramids or was Governor oil
Pennsylvania. .,.
1, lannon's in the present case that MI Adams
.,oos ali m;scarred through the incompctency OF
the practical" men whom he was conpcicu' III
tho absence of any other MATERIAL TO pace Ill 'nc
most important places in the operating department.
The much.abused college graduate was not respoh-
iii As matter of fact. Mr.. Adams has sent
comnaratiyey few college graduates INTO lhe ser
vice of the Union Pacific. and THESE nave al
entered the ranks like anybody else ana oech
obliged TO work their way up. In perhaps U"o
instances only have there been UNUSUAL io"'
ON account of superior merit, anu loI "c'o WI
,dar,s has becn charged with .favOritism. as might
be expected In the Boston olhces theIe WIZ '"V
- tbreo college graduates, one of whom is Second
a..
a gentleman whose rapid promotion has been soeH
due 10 the remarkable capacity lie Has ueNcl'p'"
for conducting important negotiations ana MANU-
g.: roa, Affairs His conduct OF the hnanceS
f tho companv during the recent crisis was such
ne IN cnttle him to the highest praise, not Only oil
,be old board of directors, who refused To acctPV
mis- resignation when offered with Mr.. ADAMS >
INT of the new Gould management, WHO recognize"
n, once the necessity of retaining nm III 'ne
office for which he had shown such htnesS.
Whatever may be said of college graduates III
general and their unfitness for practlcl business
Mr Adams's administration of the Lhon IaciHo
cannot be discredited on that score. lie h'u pre-
affections for educated men IN the lalIFoau scr
vice; theories. to be sure. but theories oil SOL,
that fortunately are taking daily stronger Ho'N
nm the business social and political lie oil '"e
country: theories based upon the luhudm'u'"l
principle that lnteLectual TRAINING - 49,
practical instead of merely ornamental ana 'h''
,bsre i no walk in life in which it is not OF the
highest advantage lie had talked and written 50
much on this subject. and his uttcrances ma" "S
usual been so widely read and commented upon
that his advent to the actual administration u
Great railroad company was supposed TO pfesase
general discharge of the practical men VINO lid"
crown M in the service and the instament oil col
loce Graduates in their places. 30 when MS au-
ADMINISTRATION came to grief people SAD con-
6dentlv: This comes of the wild notion Nia'
railroads can be managed by college graduates
+ That experiment having failed. we snail now re-
,urn 10 the safe and profitable plan OF railroad
MANAGEMENT by brought up to the business
who know it all from spike 10 locomotive ana
,,row no-hing else" Unfortunately for tins as
.nmpt,on. il is not warranted by facts Al the
noipts where the management broke down prac-
ficalD men. brought up TO the business, not COL
rye graduates, were in charge.