The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-12-28

Re Can Care For Himself.
From the Louisville C0urter-yournal.
NEW YoR6. Dec. Tt is Larder To keep a
great fortune than il is TO make one" Thus
Commodore Vanderbilt warned his son, Will
lam H.. that his tesk would be a more difficult
enc, if he preserved and increased the great
wealth that he was 30 inherit, than vas that
involved in creating it. II Commodore Wander
bits Judgment is true, then George J. Gould
has before him supremer tests of ability to neet
than were entailed in the creation Of Jay Gould's
fortune. There may be no dramatic battles with
the great inanciers; no startling exhibitions
of strategy and display Of splendid audacity
end courage, such as characterized Jay Gouid's
creative career. for conversation depends upon
other qualities than these, but watchfulness,
caution, foresight, knowledge OF men, of ma
tionai resources. of political tendencies and
material development, as well as a keen, intui-
tive perception OF the hidden purposes OF men
will necessarily be exercised every day if George
Gould and his brothers are to preserve what
their father made.
In one respect the position these young men
are now compelled to take in the world of
finance and business energy is peculiar. They
sre the only inheritorS OF one of those colossal
fortunes made since the close of the civil war
who have received il from the creator of il and
who are expected 20 do with it as he would have
done. The Venderbilts Of the present dey are
Of the third generation. They are not the sons,
but the grandsonS of the maker of that
enormous property. Their father, William H.
Vanderbilt, had the same relation TO the
Vanderbilt fortune that the sons of Gould now
bear to that which he created. william II.
Vanderbilt when he received his lnher. tence was
as old as Jay Gould was when he died. The
second Vanderbilt had his fortune some ten
years. and so well did he manage it that the
greater financiers looked upon him as having
done almost as great things as his father. and
some OF his achievements were almost as
draTnafic Ha NraSerVal. not tho
but as the freat capitalist should do by devel-
opment, and he gave to his sons nearly doubts
the fortune that the commodore made.
William H. Vanderbilt a man past so when
he received his wealth, is the only person to
whom the Gould boys can point as having had
the same experience as that upon which they
are, now entering. TIE Astors OF this genera
tion are the greaC-grandsons of the founder of
toe Astor wealth. The mon who since the war
have anasSed colossal fortunes in the far west,
either by mines or railway development, cannot
Gould fortune will he maintained and devel
oped. Senator Stantord's son is common
GRATED in great university; Mr. Huntington
has no one on whom he can lean as Gould did
upon his son George; the Hopkins and Croker
millions are already scattered to some ex-
TENT Flood and O'Brisn- and ex-senator
Fair and their fortunes were of influence that is
now q tradition and cannot be rene we'd in their
heirs. and Mr.. Mackey's son as yet gives no
hint OF sucn pre-eminent ability as is necessary
10 make his name as potent as his fathers mas
been and now is Sidney Dillon is a name that
IS now of the past. Russell Sage has no emil
drens and perhaps the greatest constructive
genius of al Of the giants developed since the
war, John d. Rockefeller, can not hope that
his achievement will be sug gested by anything
lis heirs may do. Therefore, the sons of jay
Gould, on the threshold Of life as they are, are
really the FIRST William H. vanderbilt excepted,
20 show what may b. done in the way of main
taining one Of the hair dozen colossal fortunes
created since the war.
The impression among other fnanciers Of
EAu- York Is that (1ANrOe (1nui3 will iuStifU
fathers confidence. Certainly he ami his
brothers are to te numbered among the great
est powers IN the financial world. and some
things can now be told of them which will fur
nisn some hint of their caracity TO meet ire
enormous responsibilities that have now come
upon them. IL has been said by those who
know the two older sons, George aud Edwin,
that together they would make the Jay
Gould That Wall street knew. Ger
tanly not physically, however. They
are larger men than their father was. George
Gould is but little taller than Jay Gould was
hut is of Inucl stouter figure, suggesting far
greater physical strength. He is esteemed
handsome young man; for MS FEATURES are
regular, his motions and habits taose of grace.
and his expression pleasing. He possesses that
rich olive complexion whicl is associated with
those born in semitropical climates. a ID his
eyes are AS black and at times quite as Won
derful in their glauces as were his fathers
Edwin Gould Is tall, perhaps feet TO- Of more
Singular figure and lighter complexoned than
mis- brother. whom he resembles neith5r in coun.
tenance, figure nor manneriems. Eacn is fond
of fresh air. of athletic sports; George of
yacht, Edwin of spirited horses. fencing and
hurdle riding The habits of the young men
have been correct since they went out into the
worli. They cannot be trapped, and their in
heritauces cannot be threatened by any Of the
weaknesses OF hghroiling city life, since
are no i1nocents, have contemplation such
VursUiis. Neither Is of literary taste. al
though Edwin Is college-b ed George s fond
OF the theater, and has some ideas respecting
it which may be developed by and by; Edwin
delights in the cavalry branch OF the state
militia. and last summer rode in Troop a
through the streets OF Buffalo to protect lie
and PROPERTY. Neither is what is called club
man, and their social iafinacies not with
the Clue set. Thus, in few words the personal
and social characierlstics OF thes young men
may be set forth. They are of the kind that
serves the business Il maintaining gre prop.
critics .-...-.
George Gould was g lad of Il when his father
beg An his instruction in the science OF the money
anu railway marx ia, He was an apt. student
and he had the best of IN Instruction, and at the
time when almost all youths who live in luxury
are either in college or are looking for smuse-
ment. this boy was mastering the details of the
railway business, He liked the work and that
revealed TO his father that he had capacity for
1t. II think George is going TO be great help
TO me, said Mr., Gould to his old FREUD. Gen.
Eckert, and that was before the youth was
20 years of age. 1t was Mr.. Gould's pur.
pose to teach by example rather than
by speech Two bed rock principles
he gave the boy. a close friend of Mr.. Gould 8
has SAID. One was that in business thres must
be no sentiment. Cavest emptor was not only
Nh Gould's motto but he believed that it was
necessarily thai of every business man. Let
the man you are uealing With look 0ut for him
self. you look out for YOURSELF; and it was also
Mr.. Goulds the ~ that selfshness pure and
simple was the essence of success In business.
He did not mean by that that stingIness or
rniserlyness, or the niggardly quality was
essential. On the contrary, he despised that
and warned George against it. But he insisted
that self-interest first OF all was to be con
sidered and served, or else philanthropy or the
school and pulpit was the place for young
man.
His second bed rock principle was that credit
should be n aintaiped at any cost. He did not
mean esteem or faith in his word for pre-
dictions. but business credit, bankers credit
II has been said sincS Mr.. Gould's death that he
was SO distrusted that thousands of capitalist
would not invest doltar in any of his stocks,
and that is probably true. That. however, was
not the kind Of credit referred u. 1t was tue
credit of having the ability and purpose of
keeping his financial obligations. Capitalists
might not trust him by investing in his conpa
MES or Specializing IN his securities, but they
never doubted his credit, using the
word in the technical sense. He never
regulated obligations as Fisk did. or
sought TO compound with his personal
creditors when eau ght in a corner. These two
principles he instiled into Georges mind and
all the rest was matter Of experience. He
TOOK George into one of his directories soon