The labor world., 1913-04-12

own overseers, and conduct an inter.
national correspondence: to keep the
run Of prices current, duties. port dues,
and commission, and know the fluct.
uating rates of exchange. to under.
stand and meet all changes, whether
in merchants or in. markets, three
thousand miles away, required an
amount OF Information, an alertness.
a steady attention to detail, a saga
city in farming and a shrewdness in
trade, such as made a great property
q burden to idle or inefficient men.
Successful Business Man.
But Washington took pains to sue.
ceed. He had a great zest for bust.
ness. The practical genius which had
shown in him almost prematurely as
a boy now grew heartily In him as .
man Of fortune. Messrs. Robert Cary
& Co., his factors in London, must
soon have learned to recognize his
letters, in the mere handling, by their
bulk. No detail escaped him when
once he had gotten into the swing Of
the work. They must be as punctil.
ltous as he was, they found, In seeing
to every part Of the trade and &C
counting with which he intrusted
them, or else look to lose his lucra-
tive patronage.
He was not many years in learning
how to make the best tobacco In Vir-
ginia, and to get it recognized as such
in England. Barrels of flour marked
George Washington, Mount Vernon"
were ere long suffered to pass the in
spectors at the ports of the British
West Indies without scrutiny. 1t was
worth while to serve 80 ef1cient a
man to his satisfaction; worth while
or not, he would not be served other
wise.
Washington had emerged, as it
were, after tense and troubled youth,
upon a peaceful tract of time, where
his powers could stretch and form
themselves without strain or hurry.
He had robust health, to which he
gave leave in unstinted work, athletic
strength, and an an unsuitable relish
for being much afoot and in the open;
which he satisfied with early rounds
of superintendence in the fields where
the men were at their tasks, with
many tireless ride after the hounds,
or steadfast wait at the haunts Of the
deer: . planning will that craved
some practical achievement every day,
which he INDUCED by finding tasks Of
betterment about the estate and keep.
ing his men at them with undagging
discipline; huge capacity for being
useful and for understanding how to
be 50, which he suffered his neigh.
bors, his parish, his county, the col.
ony itself. to employ when there was
need.
A Competent AlI.Round Man.
To young man, bred these ten
years In the forests and In the strug-
gle Of warfare upon a far frontier, II
had been intolerable to live tamely,,
without executive tasks big and vari.
Gus enough to keep his energy from
rust. The clerical side OF business he
had learned very thoroughly in camp,
as we'll as the exceeding stir and
strain Of individual eftort-the inces.
SAINT letter writing necessary to keep
promised performance afoot, the reck-
oning Of men and Of stores, the nice
calculations Of time and ways and
means: tho scrutiny OF individual
men, too, which is 10 critical a part
Of management, and the slow organi-
cation Of effort He had been in q
fine school for these things all his
youth, and would lave thought shame
to himself not to have learned tenn
perance, sagacity, thrift, and patience
wherewith to use his energy.
A Model Family Man.
His happy marriage did him the
service to keep him from restlessness.
His love took his allegiance, and held
him to his home as to a post Of honor
and reward. He had never before
had leave to be tender with children.
or show with what 4 devotion he
could preside over a household all his
own. His home got strong hold upon
him. His estates gave him scope Of
command and a life Of action.
Twas no wonder he kept his fac
tors busy, and shipped goods authenti.
Gated by the brand.
. The soldterly young planter gave
those who knew him best. as we'll az
those who met him but to pass, the
impression Of a singular restraint and
self-eommand. which lent a peculiaf
dignity and charm to his. speech and
carriage. They deemed him deeply
passionate, and yet could never re-
member to have seen him in pas-
sion. The impression was often q
wholesome check upon strangers, and
even upon friends and nefghbors. who
would have sought to impose upon
him.
Terrible In His Wratt.
No doubt he had given way to
bursts Of passion often enough in
camp and upon the march. when IN
efficiency, disobedience, or cowardice
angered him hotly and of a sudden
There were stories to be heard 81