The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-04-13

WRITTEN FOR THD u1DAY REPUBLIC
A spectator OF the game of life and thu
men who play IT. on being asked his Inn
preston Of Howard MHott, replied, H
Is . man who IL honest with himself and
therefore has the full courage Of his con-
victions."
C~uriously enough, Mr.. E1liots placed Just
when. o. the eve Of htD rstiremAnt from
the management Of the BurtinStons Mis-
sour Lines to step into the operative COM
mand Of tho entire systsm. he said:
Honesty IN the broad sense Of the term
1, the only DAD to success In the raiiway
or m other business. In these days. when
It In demanded Of workers that they shall
know thoroughly the calling in which they
ind themselves, the safeguard against TAU
ure Is to exhaust the subject which has
been made your special task before you
ever dare to dismiss it"
Exhaust the subject" Il typical Of the
man who has been elevated. at the age OF
q years. to the most powerful position in
one of the greatest railway systems Of the
world. A generous application OF common
sense, always an honest sense, q wholly
responsible for the recognition that has
como to Mr.. Elliott after years Of painstak-
ing work through which he has risen in the
service Of the same road.
There is no legerdemain In railroadins,"
Mr.. Elliott tells one. ut IL nothing but
plain, hard work. ~ploddtns. uphill work.
mastery of infinite detail. There IL nothing
remarkable In the promotion Of a man who
concentrates his energies on what has fallen
to his lot in life. 1t II Just the rule Of sue-
~oession. The secret II not new: 1t IL, IN
fact, as old as the hills through which the
railway cuts its way. Put the best you
have got into your task. In the very ma
ture Of things you are bound to go up when
the demand IL created"
Modest Bearing a
Strong Characteristic.
It II this innate modesty Of bearing.
which recalls the moral and social atti-
Jude of Mr.. Elliott In many Of tho delibera-
lions Of the Executive COMMITTEES Of the
Worlds Fair. where his cool judgment has
impelled him to differ from every other
member, until often the entire committee
has been arrayed against his mental stand.
At such . crucial moment has Mr.. Elliott
arisen to apologize to his confreres BE-
cause of his inability to see the issue
through the spectacles Of the majority.
Such shades Of fine consideration for the
feelings Of others, suggest that the man
who has become second, vice president OF
the Chicago. Burlington and Quincy Rail-
way stands in rather a distinctive posi-
ton as a type Of the college bred man who
has achieved something in one Of the fore
most Of the modern fields Of endeavor. yet
he does not attribute this attainment to
scholastic advantages. He admits the good
fortune Of. one who can realize the lever
age afforded by an academic or scientific
course, but. after all. he believes it Ia moro
the man than the school.
Any theory Of l.fe tinctured with predes-
tination has no place in his philosophy. He
IL quite certain that the average man. with
fair education, brains and the determine
ton to use them nationally. can succeed IN
whatsoever the calling. That would be Mr..
EIliott's advice to the young man who
wants to 60 to the top In the railway busj-