The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-11-19

great manager who will succeed in
making millions is not a specialist, ex
cepting SO far as it is his special func
ton to understand the human machine.
YOU may find men who will become fa-
Wous 40 specialists in many branches
OF life, especially in professions. Great
Talents ID one line will atone for the
lack OF many other qualities. But in
the business career there must, think,
be an allToundness to secure success.
The decisions a business man is called
upon 20 make every day, sometimes
every hour, are momentous and involve
many interests. His judgment needs
to be sure upon a wide range Of sub
jects"
You do not share the belief that So
ciety is about to be delivered over to
the tender mercies of the man who has
made special study of one subject,
and is ignorant of all others?"
mo, l do not. There must be divi-
sion of labor, Of course. 1t is said it
takes nineteen men to make a pin. 1t
is quite true that the mechanic and the
workingman may only have one thing
to do but when it comes to directing
the operations Of 10000 or 10000 people,
providing them with work, deciding all
questions as to market, Inventions
supply and demand, l think that is too
wide a field to be controlled by the
specialist. AS l said before, the great
manager needs an all-round knowledge
of affairs and especially of men,"
NO ONE-MAN BUSINESSES.
SIS the most successful business one
in which one directs and many serve?'
mo, I should not put it that way. 1
think the successful concerns are those
which interest the largest number,
making them all of one rank, partners.
No one really serves; that is not the
right way of looking at it. Every one
contributes some special quality to the
general whole They naturally serve
each other. I do not believe any one
man can make great success of a bust
ness nowadays. 1 am sure 1 never
could have done so without my part
ners, of whom 1 had thirty-two, the
brightest and cleVerest young fellows
in the world l have often said that
if l had to lose all the capital l had in
the works or lose my partners, l should
let all my capital go and start again
without a dollar, but with the organiza-
ton intact. No, no; it is absurd to
think that power is going into the
require many first-class men. All are
equal to each other. The chief must
only be first among equals. 1 know
that every one Of my partners would
smile at the idea of my being their sup
erior, although the principal stock
holder. The way they differed from
me many time was delightful to be-
hold. l never enjoyed anything more
than to get sound thrashing in an ar
gument at the hands of these young
geniuses. No man will make a great
business who wants to do it all him
self, or to get all the credit of doing it,
That spirit is fatal, and the sure proof
of small mind"
GENEROSITY THE BEST POLICY.
when the poor lad without a penny
has become the great captain of indus
try, with millions at his command
what are the duties to the community
at large?"
AS long as he remains captain of in
dustry, his business must be conducted
on business lines. But the wisest pol
icy that an employer can pursue to-
ward his men is to show by his actions
that he has a heart. In cases of ar
cident distress or any trouble, the firm
should show that it's heart has been
touched, and that it can be generous
and benevolent The firm that has a
reputation for taking the best care of
Its men. has the best chance of sue
cess, because the best men, which is
the same thing as the wisest men, who
again are the ablest, will gravitate to
that firm and stay with it. Nothing
pays so we'll in business as generous
treatment. Indeed, the firm which sees
that its men make the highest earnings
is certain to be the most successful"
WHEN TO GO INTO BUSINESS.
What education would you advise a
boy to have who wished to go into
business?"
1T depends wholly upon his bent.
Had been able to have chosen my
own education I should have preferred
a classical for l have no great taste
for scientific subjects. Business is
neither classics nor science. The study
of human nature, / think, is the best
education for any business man. But
whether young man chooses a scien-
tific or a classical education, if he l
wishes to pursue business career, he
should not remain long at college and
university"
AT what age should he go into bust
ness?"
Well, all my brilliant partners have
begun hard practical work in their
teens. l think a course at modern
university from 10 to "a will not teach
a young fellow to be as successful a
business man as if he had been sent
into business in subordinate capacity.
This is not disparaging university ed
ucation, for l limit the observation to
the business career"
YOUTH AS EXECUTIVE AGENTS.
will you place men in responsible
positions in early life?"
Yes, earlier than is customary in
any part of the world. l believe firmly
in youth as executive agents. Older
heads should be reserved for counsel.
1t is astonishing what a young man
can do if he is only trusted"
But does not this encouragement of
the young cut the ground from under
the feet of the middle-aged? What
about the men who are too old at 4O?' -
"a man at 40 who Is in search of
something to do has prima facie case
against him, Long before he is 40 he
should have shown himself to be indis-
pensable and received either a very
high salary or an interest in the bust |
ness. OF course, there are exceptional
cases where a worthy man is suddenly
deprived Of work at 40 His is a sad
case, indeed. 1 am satisfied that sue
cess in business is to be achieved by
adhering to a strict civil service sys-
TEN. There should be no promotion of
outsiders over the heads of aspiring
young men. If the employer is indis-
pensable to the young man the young
man can soon make himself indispen-
sable to his employer
WHEN TO RETIRE FROM BUSI-
NESS.
How long, Mr.. Carnegie, do you
think man should remain in business?
At what age should he cease to accu-
mulate millions?
just at the right age. At or about 60.
In professions, perhaps, they can re-