The Washington herald., 1913-10-11
THE CONFIDENCE THAT
BUILDS NATIONS

tCoryTlsht. 1913 by C. N. Keys. New York;
Nearly seventy years ago a young
American named John Murray Forbes
went on a visit to China. Amongst other
people whom he met were two Chinese
merchants, men OF great wealth and in
fluence in their own kingdom and men
apparently with progressive ideas Both
these men. who were great friends, took
a strong liking to young Forbes. They
talked TO him a great deal about America
and about the wonderful opportunities of
new lands, lying to the west of the Allie
gheny Mountains, for practically all OF
the United States at that time west of
these mountains was new and only par
TALLY developed country. He told them
OF the opportunities that seemed to exist
and they listened with deep and abiding
interest.
After quite a lengthy friendship these
two merchants of China made a proposal
to the young American that he take for
them a large sum Of money and use it
in carrying on some plans which he had
for the development of railroads and
other enterprises in the new country. He
asked for very explicit instructions be-
fore accepting such a trust and he got
them. In joint letter written to him
in Boston, they instructed him to look
second to the rate of income and then
to put into any enterprise that he might
choose as much OF their money as he
put in OF his own and that they would
be content with the results whatever
they might be.
On that basis he went ahead. He was
a quiet conservative man with a large
vision and with a good deal OF courage.
Backed by this capital and by very large
~, Of aHHffiAraI nit hot ii
to him as time went on, and as his
business venture proved successful, he
pushed forward and became perhaps the
foremost railroad builder of his day. He
was largely instrumental in building the
Lake Shore and Michigan Southern. the
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy, and
several other railroads that today are
amongst our greatest railroad systems
The inception of this great enterprise. as
well as the foundation of the great for
tune of John Murray Forbes, and the
basis upon which his lasting reputation
was built, was the confidence OF these
two Oriental merchants in the integrity
OF the man.
This story is told to illustrate the
power of confidence. II cuts both ways.
Not only did this confidence thus be-
slowed help very greatly in the making
of a great American, but it helped the
men who gave the confidence quite as
much. 1t brought them great wealth
from a wise investment and gave them
also the sense of something accom-
plished. some real work done in the world
and something for posterity besides mere
money.
In past generations. such confidence has
been quite the usual thing in the rela-
between banker and client A
dozen instances could be adduced OF
great houses built up in London. Glas-
gov. Paris, Boston. and Philadelphia as
a result of the bestowal of such conf
dence. As a matter OF fact the three
great underwriting houses Of New York,
all of which have broad international
connection were created by just such con-
fidence as this. In every instance they
proved worthy of the confidence, and,
therefore they have held il generation
after generation. When. the time comes
as occasionally happens, that the men
or institutions in whom a large number
OF people shave placed their faith in
money matters become too avaricious,
too speculative, or too dishonest to be
trusted further, the disintegration that
results is a pitiful thing to see. Usually
the process is a slow one; but an illu-
stration could be cited, il il were neces-
sary, OF great house that took half a |
century to grow from a small beginning
into a financial power exercising its |
wealth in half the lands under the sun !
md that then, in the brief space often |
Years or so, led practically all its clients |
nto sweeping and disastrous losses and |
has lost very large part both of its |
prestige and its power These loses were |
lot due to dishonesty but merely to bad |
Judgment and to desire to gain profits |
'ery quickly rather than to bU1fd up by !
processes great weaIth-pro- |
iucing properties.
These Illustrations provide a guide to |
he fundamental factors of confidence. |
4. in investment and finance, you ara |
soing to give your confidence to any man /
,r any firm, you will be exceedingly for |
unate IL by chance you intrust yourself |
o the hands of men who possess not only /
but also great ability; for |
character without ability is apt to be ex-
negative and to leave you
,retty much where you were before:
whereas ability without character IL a.