New-York tribune., 1911-12-24
This Article Tells of Methods
They Adopted for Earn
ing Their Daily Bread.

The first four Virginia statesmen who
became Presidents of this country-Wash-
ingtou. jefferson. Madison and Monroe
were not breadwinners from necessity. All
Of them were sons of rich mep-planters
who had turned the fertile soil Of Virginia
IN great personal advantage and were land
Cd p~onrietors who, had their estates been
located I'm the mother country, would have
been entitled to rank as squires of COM
marding influence As IL was, they were
the landed aristocracy Of the colonies, and
tbeir children were not taught to believe
int they would have 20 hustle in order TO
keep the wolf from the door.
Had hc been so inclined. George Wash
irrton might have made the journey Of life
without strenuous personal effort. At the
age Of eleven his father died, leaving an
estate which was ample TO provide literally
for the needs Of his entire family Lau-
renee. his eldest son by a former marriage,
who was an oxford man and the husband
OF the daughter Of the rich William Fair
fax inherited the noble domain on the
Potomac, which he named Mount Vernon
IN honor OF the admiral under whom he
had served a while in the West Indies.
From the first II was arranged that George
should become pOssessor Of the old home
stead on the Rappahannock and should be
brought up as a planter with that end in
view.
But II was ordered otherwise The young
man was not 70 devote himself exclusively
70 the management of that fertile estate
on the Rappahannock. He inherited Mount
Nerrrr. f1G he rio Martha (llG-
Us who brought him another fortune of
$1,000 and settled down TO live the life
o. a Virginia country gentleman. He was
an excellent man Of business. and had he
been compelled 10 depend on his own ex-
eriions for his daily bread would have
made a great success of II. Although he
vas so well provided against want, ne
never hesitated 10 accept fees for HIS ser
vices ss a surveyor, and actually came into
Possession Of considerable sums of money
IN that way. Lord Fairfax. for whom he
surveyed an immense landed estate in the
Shenandoah region, was a liberal patron.
Afterward washington was appointed pub
nc surveyor, and he never neglected 10
oemand the fee 10 which he was entitled.
Had he so elected. the life Of Thomas JEFF
.fe-son might have been one Of compare
i've ease and freedom from exhausting Of
Tort instead. he made It record of pro-
egous labor and wonderful accomplish
ment- At his majority he came into pos
session of one Of the finest landed estates
N Virginia. He knew nothing Of farming,
having been college bred. and. later. law
student At Shadwen he applied himself
60 diligently 10 the study of agriculture
mat he soon became tho model successful
PAINTER OF the district.
lhere was something almost uncanny
ABOUT the industry Of the builder of Monti-
cello He rose at o'clock in the morning.
WINTER and summer, and began at once to
set In motion the business OF the day. He
was master OF the details OF his large es-
tate, and nothing escaped his vigilance.
an the time. too, he was fitting himself
1or admission 20 the bar, was an inveterate
reader Of everything TO be found in the
ti1efary market. and kept up Greek. Latin
"hd French. IL tithe Of his blographers'
accounts Of his activity IS fact the author
VI the Declaration must have earned his
NaIly bread before he ate IL.
throughout his entire public career JEFF
'eISon was breadwnner of the most sue
,essiu type. Before he became engTossed
s'dte ana national affairs he had entered
'iW the active practice of his profession,
elo Id seven years his clients had been so
many that he had more than doubled his
ate There was much litigation in Vir-
n'd III those days, and the keen-witted
''V'er prohted largely from it.
lime came when he needed even more
N'@h AL his cleVerness could secure. No
'AsS ne ever received for his public SER