The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-04-02
Mr.. Cages Method Of Con-
duCting Business.
There is No Fuss or Feathers
About the Secretary.
Advises Business Men and Disc0ur-
ages Running in Debt.

expected. Mr.. Cages business training
has been OF the best, and for many years
he had been in charge of large affairs.
He has been in the habit of having people
call upon him for fayors. He has been
sought He has had TO bow the knee to no
one. He has never been trained in the
ways OF politicians. He has never been
taught that men who can lead state ma.
chimes and control committees and that
sort of thing arc OF prime Importance.
There are indications that Mr. Cages edu.
cation as to the dignity of members and
congress and the Difference due senator's
has been somewhat neglected. AT any rate
Mr. Gage goes ut his work in business
like fashion, There Is no fuss or feathers
about him, none OF that half deceptive ca
Joling method with which politicians Of
high and low degree are only too familiar.
Mr.. Gage is simple, Straightforward, di
rect He runs no circumlocution Office.
He says what he means and means what
he says. He is democratic enough TO suit
all comers. No red tape is required to gain
an audience with him. He transaots bust
ness with great rapidity. When his days
work is done at 4 o'clock, he goes away
home to take good rest
Applicants For Office.
More than one applicant for Office under
Mr.. Gage has been convinced by the secre-
tary that he did not want Office. A case of
this sort happened only a few days ago. A
young man engaged in business had dab
bled IN politics In his state. He had been
of some service to the party. Naturally he
looked for reward. What he asked for was
reasonable and II he had not met Mr..
Gage he might have received the appoint
ment on which he had set his heart. But
the secretary asked the young man some
questions He wanted TO know what busi-
ness he was engaged in, how long he had
been at it, how he was doing, what his
prospects were, and all that. If there is
anything Mr.. Gage does know, it is busi-
ness. He is noted all through the western
country for his ability quickly to under
stand business situations, for his wisdom,
for his good advice.
Well the result of this interview was
that Mr.. Gage told the young man that If
he were In his place he would not think of
taking an Office under the government. He
not only told him this, but explained the
reasons. He pointed out to the young man
that his business was paying him a small
profit over and above his living expenses.
If you take this Office said the secretary,
land come down 20 Washington to live,
1t will tax all your ingenuity To keep with
In your salary You will not be able to
save cent. You will make some friends
and learn something about government
methods, but of what use will these be to
you in the iuturey Practically none at ALL
AT the end of four years you will have lost
touch with your people at home. Your
rivals will have the business away from
you. III you go back and try to start up
again, you will find yourself at a terrible
disadvantages You say your business will
go on just the same in the hands of part.
nerS You may think SO, but il will not.
If man wants his business run right, he
must run it himself Mr.. Gage talked
in this strain, and even went into the do
tails of the business and gave the young
man SO many hints as to how he might do
better and in good time make himself
rich man that the applicant for Office be-
came quite enthusiastic and decided then
and there TO withdraw his application and
60 back home to his business. The chances
are that in "a year or two he will thank his
lucky stars that he took the secretarys
advice.
Philanthropic In Advice.
As the head of the biggest banking
house in Chicago Mr.. Gage has been doing
this sort of thing for many years. 1t is no
new experience for him To give advice to
business men. neutrality-suspicious. thou
sands--of men in Chicago can look back
to talk with Lyman J. Gage about their
own affairs rs the turning point in their
careers. The advice which he gave them,
the encouragement, the practical lesson in
business and fnancering saved them from
mistake and i'm many cases from ruin. In
Chicago Mr.. Gage has the reputation of
being the wsest man in town. IL knot
ty point arises, if complications in some
business affairs appear, il some one gets
into trouble and wants an adviser, nine
chances out of ten he will be told to "see
Gage"
Changed His Mind.
There is told the story of the manufac-
turer I'm the suburbs of Chicago who called
AZ the First National bank and asked for a
loan Of S., 600. He had good security, but
was referred 10 Mr.. Gage They sat down
10 talk il over. In ten minutes the banker
know all about his callers affairs. More
aver, ne CdlltU nlnl tndflty anu RoO OH bne
best sort of terms with him. Then he
,alkcd business He talked prudence and
wisdom. He mndo suggestions. In an
,ther quarter OF an hour the manufactures
eft the bank with 81 800, and perfectly
iatisfled that he could get along without
jhe other 81, 500 just as well as not. After
hat the manufacturer got into some trou-
be IN his business. and said that II no had
borrowed the S., 600 which ho thought he
wanted he should have been ruined.
The politicians do not quite know what 20
make of this smooth spoken, wise, thought
'ul business man. lie is so gentle, so far
ieping understands human nature SO per
ectly, has 50 little sympathy with prac-
.ical politics, Is possessed of such a hobby
or having everything done in business
ike manner, and OF making appointments
1n merit without much regard To politics,
md withal H. - pleasant and plausible
md fascinating that they scarcely know
where they are 0t, as the congressman
rom Alabama put 10. AS congressman
who visited Mr.. Gage several times to get
Job for one of his constituents expressed
h.
"TIe is smooth. lie talks the push all
n. L.. n.