The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1913-04-18

the wealthiest men in virginia But
Virginian wealth was not to be count
ed till crops were harvested and got
to market. The current price of to-
bacco might leave you with or with.
out balance to your credit in Lon
don, your only clearinghouse, as it
CHANGED 1pur principal purchases.
too. must n made over sea and
through factors. Both what you sold
and what you bought must take the
hazards Of the sea voyage. the whims
OF sea captains, the chances of a for
eign market.
To be farmer and merchant at once
manage your own negroes and yous
own overseers, and conduct an inter.
| national correspondence; to keep the
run Of prices current. duties, port dues,
and commission. and know the fiuct-
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,
steady attention to detail, a saga
city in farming and a shrewdness in
trade, such as made great property
a burden to idle or inefficient men
Successful Business Man.
But Washington took pains to sue
coed. He had a great zest for bust.
ness. The practical genius which had
shown in him almost prematurely as
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 ae-
counting with which he intrusted
them, or else look 10 lose his lucra-
tive patronage
He was not many years in learning
how to make the best tobacco in Vir-
ginia, and to get ity~ecognized 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 so efficient a
man to his satisfaction: worth while
or not, he would not be served other
wise.
Washington had emerged. as 1t
were, after a tense and troubled youth.
upon 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 superintendent 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; a planning viii 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 'unfagging
discipline; huge capacity for being
useful and for understanding how to
be so, which he suffered his neigh
bors, his parish, his county. the col
ony itself, to employ when there was
need
Competent Ail-Round Man.
To young man, bred these ten
years in the forests and in the strug-
gle Of warfare upon far frontier. II
had been intolerable to live tamely.
without executive tasks big and yari-
Gus enough TO keep his energy from
rust. The clerical side of business he
had learned very thoroughly in camp,
as well as the exceeding stir and
strain OF individual effort--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; the scrutiny of individual
men, too, which is so critical a part
of management. and the slow organi-
cation Of effort, He had been in a
fine school for these things all his
youth, and would have thought shame
to himself not to have learned tenn
peranee, 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 a devotion he
could preside over household all his
own. His home got strong hold upon
him. His estates gave him scope OF
command and life of action
Twas no wonder he kept his fac
tors busy, and shipped goods authenti-
Gated by the brand
me-