Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-06-16

OIllSSlOH VI d SlHSIC SNCil VI dhS Aii'
portance."
Stuart glanced through the book with
amazement.
How did you come into possession
of such facts?"
mo trouble at ALL" was the easy an.
swer. TT only requires little mon
ey and little patience and little care
in selecting the right men for the right
job. Any man in the business world
who thinks he can do as he pleases ir
this town will wake some morning
with a decided jolt. The war for A.
nancial supremacy has developed g
secret service which approaches per-
fection. The secret service of armies
is child's play compared to 1t.
Not only do I systematically watch
my employees until know every crook
and turn of their lives, but I watch
with even greater care the heads oi
every rival firm in every department
of the industrial world where my in
terests touch theirs.
'T not only watch the heads Of firms
l watch their trusted assistants and
confidential men. In that big safe g
thousand secrets lie locked whose rev.
elation would furnish matter enough
to run the yellow journals for the next
five years.
Every man who holds a position OF
trust and puts his hands on money
has his shadow. It's a question OF
business. The wholesaler must know
the character of the retailer to whom
he extends credit. A trust must
know what it's remaining independent
rivals are doing, what business they
are developing, what big orders they
seek. l must know, and I must know
accurately and fully what every enemy
is doing, what he is thinking, with
whom he drinks, where he spends his
time and how he lives.
Modern business is war, the fierc-
est and most cruel the world has ever
known. 1t is of greater Importance to
a modern captain of industry to know
the plans of his enemy than it ever
was to the commanding general of ar
opposing army"
II see," Stuart responded. thought
fully.
There are men down there in the
street now," Bivens went on dreamily
who are wearing silk hats today fol
whom the prison tailor is cutting g
suit. have their records in that silent
little steel-clad room. It's a pitifu
thing, hut it's life. And, believe me
the realities of our everyday life
here are more wonderful than the
widest romance the novelist can spin
Last year l had a man of genius
at the head of one of my corporations
Not the slightest suspicion had evel
been directed against him. But my
men reported to me that he was sup.
porting two establishments, beside!
the one he kept for his family, an6
that in those two secret orchards
which he tended he was making pres
ents of fine jewelry. An examination
of his office by experts revealed the fac
that he was wrong. He was bounced
He would have gone no matter wha
his accounts showed. 1t is only
question of time and a very short time
when such a man goes wrong.
The scarcest thing in New York to-
day, Jim, is the man who can't b'
bought and sold. The thing that''
beyond price in the business world II
haracter-combined with brains
That's why l made you the offer l die
once upon a time to come in with me
There are positions today in New
York with q salary Of half million
year waiting for men who can fl
them. II I could find one man of th'
highest order Of creative and executive
ability who would stand by me in m!
enterprises I could be the richest maj
in the world in ten years"
Stuart lifted his eyes from the rec
ord ne was casually scanning AM
smiled into Bivenss dark, serious
face.
The look silenced the speaker. TIL
| little man knew instinctively that Stu
art was at that moment weighing hi
own life and character by the merci
less standard he had set up for Others
Judged by conventional laws he hat
nothing TO fear, He was n faithfu
member of his church. He gave liber
ally to its work and gave generousl,
to hundred worthy charities. II
loved his wife with old-fashioned 10y
atty and tenderness and grieved tha
she was childless. He stood by hi
friends and fought his enemies, askin
no quarter and giving none.
| Yet in his. heart of hearts he kneN
that, judged In the great white iigh
of the Eternal when all things hidde
shall be revealed. he could not stan
blameless. He knew that while he ha
kept within the letter of the law, hi
genius consisted in the skill with whic
he had learned to divert other men
earnings into his own Golfers.
And deep down in the depths of hi
memory there lay one particular dee
which lent color to all that followed
He knew that however loftily he Nigh
discourse at present about "charac
ter" honor" Integrity" and "fai
dealing" he had stolen the formul
from his big-hearted employer wit
which he had laid the foundation 4
his fortune. 1t was the first half-mi'
lion that came hard. 1t was the firs
half million that bore the stain
shame. He had justified it with fin
sophistry until he counted himself
benefactOr Of Woodman, hut the grir
fact stood out in his memory wit
growing clearness as his millions pile
up with each succeeding year.
His other questionable acts on whic
the fate of millions had often hung
had no difficulty I'm justifying. Bust
ness was war. In war it was fair t
| deceive. to march in the night, to at
tack when least suspected to strike t
kill to destroy and lay waste the fair
|