The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-12-03
WEIGHT OF TRUST DIRECTION.
An ExplanatIon OF the Breaking Down
OF Schwab's Health.


OF Schwab's Health.
Recent reports from Italy concern
i:.S the condition OF Mr.. Charles VI.
Schwab. President OF the Steel Corpor'
ntiOn. have revived de ON or the
question whether the responsibilities
weighing upon the chief officer or one
OF our great industrial combinations
are not so heavy that no man can saie'
ly carry them. Doubtless the reports
10 which we refer are exaggerated.
We presume that Mr.. Schwab Is seek.
in. In his own way the rest and change
that ha needs. and We hope that he
will return few months hence In per.
feet health. The question. however.
whether a robust. young and we'll
equipped mar. thoroughly familiar
with all branches OF some important
industry, must succamb 20 the weight
of the responsibilities Of direction.
when placed ut the head OF great
combination of corporations engaged
In that industry. Is one OF much i'm
portance in the United States at this
time. and therefore there should he
pointed ont the evidence tending 10
show that these responsibilities were
not tie cause of the breaking down.
be 1t temporary or permanent. In this
instance.
Mr.. Schwab had risen rapidly and by
sheer merit 30 the high position he &C.
cupicd when the corporation was
formed. At eighteen lie was poor
young man. working for 81 a day: ut
twenty-five lie had become chief ensn'
neer of the great Edgar Thomson
Works; seven years later he was Pres
ident Of the Carnegie Company. ana
had shown great ability as an admin
istrator rs well as an expert engineer
and constructor Eut he was still liV-
Ing i'm n simple way. devoting his atten.
ton to his business. The purchase or
the Carnegie Company and the forma-
ton OF the corporation served TO ma
ter!alize the great fortune that had ex.
listed for him In the Carnegie concern.
At the same time his election to the
presidency of the corporation. with the
accompanying extraordinary salary.
brought him prominently before the
world. He gave up his simple ways OF
living ard availed himself OF some.
what exciting. but otherwise unobtec'
tionable. forms of amusement. His in
tercourse abroad with eminent person
ares, and ut home with wealthy men
who had long been accustomed to the
excitin: life to which he was compare.
tiveiy stranger. tended to cause
revolution In his ways. His environ
ment had suddenly undergone great
change. and he was not prepared Tor
II. He began to interest himself IN
numerous projects outside OF the busi'
ress Of which he was q master. Tn.
plan of palace OH Riverside Drive. to
cost s3.OOO.OOO or $4OOO.O00: the pur.
chase OF a large piece Of shore front On
Staten Island. with the purpose or es-
tablishing there 4 large charitable IT.
stitution: the acquisition OF tract on
the shore of the Sound for country
sent; the purchase OF the Iethlehem
Iron Works: his interest In the Steel
Foundries Company. and other similar
orcaniza zations-thcse and other ven
lures of the kind required his atten'
tlon. Taken together with his now so.
cIal duties and amusements. and with
the WORK appertainins to his ONCE.
they were heavier burden than he
could carry. In protest against the
overweight his fine physical and rer.
vous organization broke down. de-
marding relief and rest. This appears
to be the true explanation Of the Illness
of the head Of the worlds greatest cor
noration. We presume that II he had
remained ut his home In Western Penn.
sylvania. pursuing the comparatively
simple ways Of living TO which he had
been accustomed. and avoiding the
many outside business projects In
which he has recently been engaged.
he would now be as we'll ard strong as
ever.
The responsibilities attaching to the
, management Of our great Industrial
combinations are heavy and highly I'M
portant. but they do not Of necessity
crush the man who assumes them.
The organization Of directing forces
Is so complete. and the division OF In.
bor Is so carefully made that the
weight upon any one man Is rarely too
heavy IL he adjusts himself to It,.
Proof OF this Is abundant in the condi.
ton of many OF our captains OF indu-
/ try.-New York Independent.