The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-12-18
GEORGE !. GOULD.

that serves the business of maintaining
great properties.
George Gould was a lad of II when his
father began his instruction in the science
of the money and the railway markets.
He was an apt student and he had tie best
of instruction, ana at time when almost
all youths who live in luxury are either in
college or are looking for amusement, this
boy was mastering the details of the rail-
way business. Heiiked the work. and that
revealed to his father that he had capacity
for it. II think George is going 20 be 3
great help to me-" said Mr.. Could 60 his
old friend Gen. Eckheit. and that wss said
was Mr.. Gould's purpose to teach by ex-
ample rather than by speech. Two
bad rock principles were all in
the way of didactic instruction
he gave the boy, close friend
of Mr.. Gould's has said. One was that in
Garrett emptor was not only Mr.. Gpuld's
motto, but he believed that it was neces-
sarily-that of every business man. LET
the man you are dealing with look oslt for
himself. you look out for YOURSELF" and it
was also Mr.. Gould's theory that selfish
ness pure and simple was the essence of
success in business. He did not mean by
that stingyness or miserlyness or the mig
gardly quality was essential. On the con-
trary, he despised that and warned George
against it. But ne insisted that self-in-
terest first of ali was to be considered and
served, or else philanthropy or the school
and pulpit was the place for young man.
His second bad rock principle was that
credit should be maintained at any cost.
He did not mean esteem or faith ib his
word or predictions, but business credit
bankers credit. 1t has been said since
Mr.. GOuld's death that he was so dis
trusted that thousands of capitalists
would not invest dollar in any OF his
stocks. and that is probably true. That,
however, was not the kind of credit he
referred to. 1t was the credit of having
the ability and purpose of keeping his
financial obligation. Ca italists might
not trust him by investing in his com
panies or specializing in his securities. but
they never doubted his credit, using the
word in the technical sense. He never re-
pudated obligations as Fisk did, or sought
to compound with his personal creditors
when caught in a corner.
These two principles he instilled into
Georges mind and all the rest was mat
ter of experience. He took George into
one of his directories soon after the young
man was q years old, and there for a year
or two the son was initiated into the rnys-
teries of the board room. For long sine
the young man was only silent specta-
tor, listening we'll, and voting With his
father.
Responsibilities were placed gradually
upon the young iinancier. He gave much
of his time to the Missouri Pacific system,
mastering its details until he knew ,hat
system as well as his father. Mr.. Gould
has said that his son never failed to raeet
in exactly the right way every responsI bil-
ity, and that there had not been a sisgle
act of George done on his own judgment
which was not precisely the right thing
to do.
Trifing tests were followed by greater
ones. The younger Gould became an
executive officer in many corporations,
and before he was 80 was an executive
waited, Western Union and a number of
minor corporations. His ambition was
kindled so that be desired to win reputs as
q fnancier. 1t was the opinion of those
who have watched young Gould closely
that lie wanted to be known not merely as
Jay Gould's son, but as George Gould, who
could handle a fortune as impressively as
his father had made one.
Recently George Gould has done sopae-
thing that has convinced the greater capt.
talists that he has some OF his fathers
fervor of resource in great emergencies.
Mr.. Gould was in the far West sick. A
secret movement had been under way for
some time TO secure sufficient anoGnt
of the stock of the Union Pacific To cast
the Gould party from control. George
heard of it, and at a moment when time
pressed. His own repute was involved.
To be beaten was TO be IN q measure els
credited, He had the odds of great for
eign interest against him. Time was in
their favor, NOT his. Powerful and hostile
Wall street influences had been in secret
working to undermine him. For thgee
days the young man displayed such
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