The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-09-02
(By OTTO H. KAHN.)
Can Address Delivered Before the FL
nance Forum in New York on
January rs, 1917

nance Forum in New York on
January rs, 1917
Mr.. Hartman had reached the age
of nearly fifty years without attract
ing any general attention. In later
life, when in reminiscent moods, he
used to say that the fact that he had
been born and bred in New York, and
had done his work right here in the
midst of people many of whom had
known him a great number of years,
had initiated considerably against his
recognition. He thought if he had
blown" into New York from the West
his rise would have been good deal
more rapid. 1t was the old story of
the prophet having little honor in his
own country. Even after he had start
ed on his course of achievements in
the United Pacific railroad those of us
who then began to speak about the
mans marvellous capacities used to be
met frequently with remarks such as:
Ned Hartman! Why | knew him
years ago as a little two dollar
broker What should he know about
practical railroading? How could he
suddenly be developing these wonder
full qualities you speak of? You can't
make me believe that man can have
lived in this community for nearly fiji
ty years, have been known to lots OF
people, have made a fairly successful
career, and then all of sudden turn
out to be a genius"
1t was in 1894 that l first met Mr..
Hartman, who was then in his forty
seventh year, but my first vivid i'm
preston of Mr.. Hartman dates back
to a hot summer afternoon in 1897
when, looking Lale, weary, and tired
out, he came to my firms office to in
duce us to take an interest with him
in a certain business. We did not par
ticularly care for it, and told him that
we preferred not to join in the trans
action. He argued to convince us OF
its merits, and, finally, not having
made any Roadway, he desisted.
thought he had accepted our declina
ton. He got up to go, but turned
around at the door and said: Il am
any more. l have been on this jot
uninterruptedly all day, taking no time
even for luncheon. I'll tackle you
again tomorrow, when | am fresh
I'm bound to convince you, and to get
you to come along" He did. He
came again the next day, and finally
we yielded to the sheer persistency OF
the man, and to the lucidity of his
arguments. 1t is worth mentioning, by
the way, that his judgment was right;
the business turned out very well.
The incident has impressed Itself
upon my mind because though of small
importance in itself it was so charac
teristic of the man. There was frs
of all the correct judgment as to the
merits of a proposition and as to Its
OulNOillG d JuuBllChI maj 'S'SNnAJ
clear and sure, almost infallible. There
was, secondly, the iron determination
so conspicuously in contrast to hi'
frail aLpearance-the logged per
sistency in pursuing and carrying ou
his purpose. He did not know thu
meaning of the word defeat"
He positively loved obstacles, ant
the harder to surmount, the more the,
allured him. Difficulties, risks, dan
gers were not only no deterrents, blu
rather induce~-nuts to undertake
task When there was an easy way t.
accomplish a thing, and also a dill
ficult way, Mr. Harriman's inclination
would be to take the latter.
over and over again did I obsery
him bending men and events to hi
determination, by the exercise of tn