The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-07-27
MANAGEMENT OF
MINING PLANTS
Skill in Organizing Forces and
Classifying Work Is
What Counts.


assume that its system of operation is
either all right or all wrong, says Mines
and Minerals for July. Do not express
opinions. but investigate. Question every
established order. Demand its reason for
existence, if there be any. Do not be mis-
led into spasmodic actions, or to the
making of snap judgments. Maintain a
strictly judicial attitude; collect and test
your evidence, and then decide upon the
best thing to do Classify, systematize
organize. Your success in the long run
Will depend upon your skill in organizing
and systematiZing. Your science will not
save the situation if you have not also
these qualities Of industrial generalship.
But back of these lies the ability to clas-
sify, without which you cannot system
atiZe nor organize the human agents of
your command into an effective mechan-
ism for. making your system vitality oper-
alive. Here you should possess an adj
vantage over any but the very extraor-
binary empirical competitor.
Classification of the work in and
around a mining plant depends. as does
all classification. upon your knowledge
of relationships. in this case the relation
ships of the multitudinous duties to be
performed. You cannot evolve this out of
your inner consciousness, and you can
not systematic the work until you have
classified it. In the average plant there
is eternal friction between the various de-
partments. The amalgamator is squab-
bling with the concentration man, the cy-
anide foreman has grievances against
both of these. the master mechanic is at
war with every other departmental head,
and everybody wants the scalp of the
store clerk. There is, of course, a GER
tain amount of conflict due to the i'm
projections of human nature. but one
group of men in Amador county. for ex-
ample will be very similar to another
group at Congress. AriZ They will work
very we'll if they have proper leadership,
and il constant conflict occurs. ii is be-
cause their duties have not been prop
erly systematiZed. No matter how pretty
the system may appear on paper. If it
does not operate well il is because ii is
not founded on a true classification OF
duties The friction is symptomatc.
bad system develops the bad character
istics in a body of workmen because it
discourages some. and II offers an oppor-
tunity TO the more aggressive to overstep
their authority In an effort 10 Keep Things
from going to smash at critical moments.
The management of men is partly sci
ence and partly art. The science of it lies
in what has just been explained-the abil-
ity to classify. systematic organize. and
this you can learn. The art of it consists
in tact.
Set an example of industry. accuracy.
honesty. responsibility. Never get angry
and never swear, Seek to make yourseli
understood by clear incisive speech, not
TO make yourself impressive with bold
had language. nor with caustic humor
Be courteous and agreeable but not too
1 a
was worthy in many ways but VINO erreo
on the side of excessive affability- AS ne
passed out of the shop one day work
man remarked: Mice little doggie: see
how he wags his tan. ana everypoI1y
laughed. and in fact this man ultimately
failed Just because he could not com
mand respect. Do not seek to ESTABLISH
a reputation for being charitable or kind
Nothing is more certain to be misunder-
stood. Your dependents will set it down
as weakness of character. and viii take
advantage of you. Instead OF this. ann
at being lust. Justice is comprehensive.
because il is logical. 1t has the force or
that necessity which inheres in the rela-
ton between an effect and its cause
manager is the representative or What
we like to call a soulless corporation. IL
is in reality a monev-making instrument.
IT was created for that. and for nothing
else and as such II must be administered
In YOUR personal unofficial relations you
NAV give play TO your finer feelings, put
in YOUR managerial capacity, be the cool
calculating Judge and dispense justice.
In YOUR effort to do this you VIII CON
front the perplexities or the lapor proo-
lem. 1t is only when you meet It's organ
lied front that you realize it Is problem.
1t would not be so very difficult II the
problem were all on one side. You think
you understand the attitude or the or
ganiZa ton; you present what seems 10
be solution, based upon the data you
had to start with: when 10, you find that
YOU have missed the point utterly. Given
certain factors and their supposed rela-
tionShips, why can you not state you.
equation and solve it? Because you put
only one unknown quantity into your
EQUATION. and that is the attitude OF the
union. whereas you are an unknown
quantity to them. and as eacn party II
dealing with a different unknown guam
tity YOU never get the problem stated In
mutually satisfactory terms. Every con-
ceivable expedient has been resorted 10 III
dealing with this vexatious di1hcully
| hos hoo, milo
must depend mainly upon tact
II pavs to dress up after work. even
| in the wilderness. j have seen camps
completely reformed In character by tnis
| simple expedient. If lou 40 1t your star
will soon follow the example. II you hold
| their respect Their subordinates Will
take the hint. and so IL will spread inns
! makes for decency. anu respectapility, anu
all the better things that belong In their
In conclusion. allow me to advert to the
| managers relations to his employers. AS
you gain experience you VIII come 10 ie ,a
| that nearly all virtues are necessary IN
| a man to make him loyal. and YOU VIII
| prize II as jewel of superior worth be
| come that Jewel for your own comDany
That is quality which seldom . ia,is .h o,
| appreciation SO identify yourself with the
company's interests that no division can
| be drawn between the two. Get the pest
| results YOU can. and stand or fall WITH
them. Be absolutely frank: anSoiuleIS
| news will keep, bad news will not III you
have anything disagreeable or unfortun.
ate to tell. hit the psychological moment
for telling it. and that moment Is the
first one in which you can find time Ior
writing II. II YOU postpone the right mo-
ment never comes: the delay adds to
voIr embarrassment; gives you another
difficulty to explain: and in the end VIII
in tho evident position of having for a
time tried TO deceive. repeat. the psy-
Geological moment for telling the truth.
| II II he a disagreeable truth. Is the first
chance you can get. If you doubt this'
try it once and see.