The Washington herald., 1912-10-20

- AySatOus NOT IAr Ir01l O0SIOlI.
Union Pacific. in course Of building, ad
vertised for men. wrote out an applica
tisn a. an experiment and was ordere<
to Omaha by telegraph. They sent m.
to Big Springs. SO miles to the west
: where I found men walking around viii
guns on their shoulders a. . protectioE
against Indians perpetually on the war
path. didn't care to have . ride across
my knees while sending messages. nor e
carry . revolver in one hand while un.
loading freight with the other. 80 ]
returned to Michigan. refusing . transfer
to depot and . water tank near Chey.
enne. Since then. I might say. have
worked for the same employer. became
a division superintendent on the Lake
Shore. then general superintendent OF
the whole road. and later the general
manager. Fourteen years ago. at the
suggestion Of william Henry Vanderbilt
was elected president Of the Nickel
Plate.
] The Secret Of His Success.
4 In all the years of my service" Mr..
Cannin continued. Il have never been
tired of nor dissatisfied with any Of the
posts have held. My work has always
been pleasant and I have performed my
duties without looking into the future and
hoping for q better Job. Promotions came
ons after another. My first good position
was as a road master on q western divi-
sion Of the Lake Shore. could have been
a train dispatcher. but I wisely chose
the more active service out of doors.
Then. unexpectedly. I was put In charge
| Of the Lansing division. By and by
was asked to report at Cleveland, not
| knowing when the order was received
that was to be appointed assistant gen.
eral superintendent and enter upon q
| training for the highest ofiices with the
L - kaS,
i for the position Just ahead. but happy
in the work right at hand. my days.
consequently. have been peaceful and
sleeplessness has never bothered me at
night / was glad to be watchman.
back in 1863. I meet the daily duties OF
| 1872. 1t seems to me. with undiminished
energy and ZEAL
WAS the public unfriendly to railroads
forty years ago." I asked.
'On the contrary the people thought
that railroads were the finest institution
on earth. They had been riding in stages
and hauling their produce and merchan-
disc in wagons through the mud. Crops
that were practically without value could.
when there was a railroad near by. be
easily sent to market and sold for cash
at good prices. Since my boyhood. 2s50oo
miles Of railroads have been built in the
United States. Nearly 100000 men are
now engaged in transporting the products
Of our farms. mines. forests. mills, and
factories. Nothing like 1t. in the way
Of quick and amazingly prosperous de-
velopment. can be found in all activities
Of mankind.
Where building Is carried on in q hurry
and In gigantic proportions there IL bound
to be confusion and also. at the same
time, perhaps. some violence against the
natural and right order Of events. No
skyscraper. even can be erected without
falling beams and flying bricks. Money
Is not the only cost Of great improve
ments. We have been Tremendously busy
in the United States during the past
generation. The rush and roar and the
labor and excitement of the years of
construction caused US to forget some
OF the ethics that always are remember
ed by more quiet and leisurely civiliza-
ton.
Then one should take due account
of human nature in all Of its relations
to society and to business. Buckle. in
the first great volume Of his History Of
Civilization says that the love Of exercis-
ing power has been found to be 50 uni
versal that no class Of men who have
possessed authority have been able to
avoid abusing 1t. His statement il ap-
plicable to managers OF railroads as well
as to politicians and other folk
He Blames the Politicians.
Therefore. the railroads, greeted SO
Hospitality and treated 80 handsomely. |
probably overstepped the line Of fair |
dealing on occasions and not only asked |
lie sentiment. accordingly, underwent |
some change and the politicians noting |
the change hastened to make the situa- |
tion worse. i have spoken Of Buckle be- |
cause he has done me more good than any |
author / ever read. Well, he also says |
that no great political Improvement, no |
great reform. either legislative or execu-
by its rulers. Reform only comes |
because Of outside pressure. The people
grow in knowledge and the politicians.
percievfng the drift Of public opinion, has
ten to move with 1t and. II they are rash
or demagogic. to become extremists and
probably dangerous men.
Tho practice Of railroads, where they
were wrong. would have been ended with
the diffusion Of knowledge and ratio0Al
legislation. Instead. We have had laws
that were almost conflscatory and an in
furious meddling with the orderly opera
lions OF commerce and trade. The railroads
have been checked. Unfortunately the po-
liticians have not. 1t should always be
that the railroads are the
largest employers Of labor in the United
States and the largest purchasers Of steel
and timber.
What we need in this country is q
better understanding OF human nature.
the primal elements Of which are change
less. Political economy is not SO i'm
portant as a study As 10 human charac-
ter. We rely too much on legislation.
forgetting that Thomas Jefferson said
he country which Ii governed the least
. governed the best. Riches do not trans
'orm q good man into q scamp. Virtue
an be found elsewhere than among the
Door. We see the log-cabin turn Into q
and the ox-cart become freight
rain or a steamboat and IMAGINE that
nan himself has been transformed during
he process. 1t IL not 20 internally; II ,
. only 30 externally. He has shaved
If his beard and wears better clothes.
he IL. in his elements, q dupli-
ate Of his grandfather. I grant you,
however. that he knows more-and knowl- ,
.dge il civilization and civilization Jus I
ice. ,
How to Reduce Glass Feeling. |,
Il have drifted away" Mr.. CanniR !
vent on to say. Into . subject that I
ave attempted to study all my life. / 4
m fond Of talking about man because II
ave been dealing with men ever since I 9
tarted in the railroad business Buckle,
nd apologize for referring to him
gain, asserts, in writing about natious q
hat when you increase their contact. =
on remove their Ignorance and thus you I
iminish the hatred between the peop,o :
different countriea It 10, exactly 20 {