The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-10-14

has accepted the situation by placing
corporations under proper governmental
and control. Admiration for
self-made men of great riches has turned
to deep distrust of accumulated wealth,
and yet the number of such people is
now so large that it would be impossible
for any one to WELD the power for good
or evil which was common generation
ago. The agitator ignores the resistless
strength of universal suffrage and for
gets or denies the experience of the past.
The same sense of justice and capacity
for government which has impelled the
people to minimize the dangers and in
crease the benefits of corporations will
seize and solve in the best interests of
the country the problem of combina-
tons and trusts.
THE lifelong battle with the world
makes most successful men harsh. I'M
sympathetic, cruel and narrow. Attack
and defense have become habit, and
such men are as wary. as isolated and
suspicious as a North American Indian
on the warpath. Their associates and
followers complain that points are not
given nor opportunities shared for max
ing money. Experience teaches great
operators the dangers of revealing their
plans to any one. a sovereign Will not
share his prerogatives with subject
and man of great wealth intensely dis
likes to have his friends grow rich. 1t
may lose him their services or his I'M
portance may he diminished by dividing
the prestige. If, from suggestion an
other reaps rich harvest, 1t is very
difficult for him not to feel that the
money made was loan from him, to be
repaid with interest. One of the most
powerful men of his time once said to
me: i have done my best to keep those
about me from getting much money, but
if they had not got rich in spite OF me
they could not have stayed with me-,
These common qualities OF the rich had
many notifications with self-reliant
and original genius like Commodore
Vanderbilt. AS the railway system IN
der his control expanded he sought the
assistance and association OF strong
men from many departments OF activity.
He drew into his various companies Il
remarkable body of able and successful
directors and managers. he was a
keen judge of human nature. and his
cold brilliant black eyes looked over
and through me as they did horses. He
was merciless to incompetence or ineth-
cheney and tested to the utmost the
powers of those who showed capacity.
But larger trusts, compensation ana po-
sition followed demonstrated ability.
He never complimented or apparently
saw the officer who was more than dong
his duty. but suddenly lifted him over
the heads of the plain plodders. lie
gave the largest liberty to the presi-
dent or manager. and paid little atten..
tion to details or the inner working OF
the organization If the results Were
satisfactory the gossip and anonymous
attacks which are always seeking 10
undermine and destroy an executive ON
cor had no other influence with MI.
Vanderbilt than to strengthen that OH
cial. 1t can not be said of any one that
his services are Indispensable ii sucn
were the case the mechanism OF DUST
ness might stop. But in the manage
ment of great corporations whose IN
come. gross and net. is dependent upon
popularity. harmonious relations with
nublic, officials and bodies. the friend
shin of connecting lines. the avoidance
of hostilities with competitive cohlpa
MES and the adjustment OF expenses 70
the most rigid economy compatible WIN
the highest efficiency. there is easii!
difference of millions OF dollars Ill inc
YEARLY results rs between an ordinary
official and one of frst-class executive
mind. Though previous experience nhu
accustomed him to low-salalled oincilis'
he was the first to grasp the lact tna'
conversation. however great, was con-
paratively small if it drew into lne
service the men capaDie vi "iseis """
ding his railroads
"Only an iron constitution could nave
survived the ceaselcss activity ana steep,
loss work of the commodore until ne haI
won his fortune. Only an equip0lseu anu
sclfmastered philosopher could nave
afterwards adjusted to such rlgld rules'
Labor and refrcshmcnt. business ana rec
rention. Almost all who have beeh
spared to the Dsalmist'ss limit OF lnrt &c
score and ten retire and vegeta!e' OF, IL
they embark in new ventures ma 'rril
judgments. impaired ana soon ,,, nUse o, ,ne
denominations of Il lifetime. Inc cohl-
modore discovered that only those VINO
have resources in many hclds OF easy
and congcnial occupation ca" sa,H!
change the habits of lifetime, ne
most extraordinary thing connected WIN
the career of this remarkable man IL
that his best work and greatest nchlHNe,,
ments were accomplished a1ter ne 'lhu
nussed seventy. He was worth ABOUT
twenty millions when he had rounded me
life line of the Scripture ana ne aodeu
over eighty millions to il in the next
twelve wears. His day began mt cocK
among the horses he loved, and then
until . that active brain and unerring
Judgment were formulating plans cover
ing the continent. He left business tm-
hind i'm the office at and neither PROM
or loss cOUU leuII'l hiih '" ."', .,.n
until the next morning Al . ne VIZ
spinning along behind his trotters' sees
ing the excitement 81. Spurl o Sp'o"
with rival team. The rhythmic move
ments of these intelligent and hlghly
trained thoroughbrcds as they seemen 10
tread on ether and fly through the ar
gave him exquisite pleasure. AS 'neg
mn ssed and distanccd horses 1nmeh ior
triumphs on many courses ana Drought
ON TO beat him. this strikingly handsome
and apparently stoid old man was RetrniE
ENJOYING that victory in compcti'ioh
which had been the handspring OF me-
career. The lghtning-likc evoluti9ns OF
his mind worked in harmony WIN ana
excited to action by both the speed ana
dangers of the race brought to pcrfec-
ton. before he dropped the relns upon
these painting partners OF MS thotghts'
many scheme which routed ms enc
mics or revolutionzed Wall street.
.'He received daily a bushel OF begglhg
letters. The man whose invention conlh
be bought and millions made with rev
thousands. the farmer whose mortgage
was past due and who. if the. mortgage
were lifted could pay the principal to ms
rescuer though he could not meet me
interest on it to the MORTGAGE. the
woman whose husband was straying
away, but who could hold him to n happy
home if she could buy the vine clad
cottage around the corner. the old man
whose sands of life had nearly run ont.
and the young one who needed only lit
lie capital to become capitalist, the
church or college h0pelessly in debt. the
girl whose future happiness would he