Washington State journal and Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1906-1907, 1907-07-31


Captain Italian was in no fiber of
his being Il miser but he acted always
upon those cold blooded prudential
principles that had brought him
wealth. 1t was not money that this
great captain of commerce woishiped.
but success. Success was the one god
of his i;!oatry outside of his bust
ness he was liberal in the extreme.
Even in his business operations he
never hesitated at lavish expenditure
where such expenditure promised good
results. But he regarded all unneces-
sary spending as waste, of the kind
that imperil, success.
In his cynical moments, indeed, he
sometimes said that IF you lave
valuable II IN in your employ you must
keep him poor: otherwise you'll lose
him." But in SO saying he perhaps did
himself an injustice. He was apt to
feign h'artless selfishness that lie
did not fec.
Little by little Guilford Duncan had
learned ali this as he had learned bust
ness methods. He had ut frs, modest
in the way Of achievement than to
make himself q valuable subordinate.
a private or at most Il corporal OF n
sergeant-in the ranks Of the great ar
my Of work. But before many months
had passed his modesty was compelled
to yield somewhat to an increas .ngly
clear understanding Of conditions and
| Co. ,t.,t 30 his,
surprise he began to suspect himself
Of possessing capacities superior to-
those of the men about him and even
superior to those of many men who
had risen to high place in commerce
and finance.
more to rely upon the sagacity and
character of this his most trusted man,
he more and more brought young Dun
can into those confidential conferences
with the leading men of affairs which
were frequently necessary in the PLAN
ming and execution of important enter
prises or In the meeting OF difficulties
and obstacles In that way Duncan
was brought into personal contact with
|
with railroad presidents. financiers.
bankers, capitalists and other men
whose positions were In a greater or
less degree commanding.
At first he mOdestly held himself az
nothing more than the tool and servitor
of these great men. but presently lie
began to suspect that they were not
very great men after alto see that II
was usually he himself who devised
and suggested the enterprises that
these men undertook, and he who saved
them from mistakes In the execution
OF those enterprises.
Guilford duncan had never In his
life kept n diary. He regarded that
practice rs Il useless puerility and usu-
ally IN Indulgence In morbid self com-
muning and unwhOlesOme self con-
seriousness, but It was his practice
sometimes late at night to set down
upon paper such thoughts as had In
terested him during the day for the
sole sake Of formulating them In his
own mind. Often he would in this way
discuss with himself questions con-
corning which he had not yet matured
his opinion.
1--WE been In conference this day."
he wrote one night, with half doz-
en- nabObs-nOt great nabObs. but sec
Ond rate ones. All this has put . new
thought into my mind. Why should
not l, GuilfOrd Duncan. make myself n
leader. a captain or even command
Ing general Of affairs? But the man
who would do things Of any conse-
quence In business ways must have
money. The bank account IL his tool
chest
II suggested some combinations to-
night to those nabobs, and they are
going to carry them out. They would
lions but for my suggestion. But they
can and will carry them out. with
great credit and profit to themselves.
because they have command Of money.
I could not even think Of conducting
such Affairs, simply because have no
command Of money.
every well. then. I shall proceed to
get money. Just as ! should study to
acquire skill In profession or Just as
I should read up the law pertaining to
Q matter with which must DEAL"
Duncan was greatly admired but lit
tie understood by his fellows In the
service Of the Hallam firm or BY the
similar people who thronged the town.
His fellows In and out Of the once
were commonplace young men. all
looking to the main chance alone and
pursuing 1t with only such honesty Of
conduct a. business prudence requir-
ed. They felt no further interest in
their work than such a. was necessary
to enable them to retain their places
and their salaries.
Therefore they did not understand
Guilford Duncan. Neither could they.
They regarded with amusement and
almost with incredulity his manifesta-
lions Of sensitive honor and Of I'M
selfish loyalty to duty. They thought
| Of him 40 Q sort Of freak o. what We
should nowadays call crank.
OF course they could not fail to rec
| oGniSe his ability, but they thought him