New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-10-25

n.y. NY - less . b." book S az
who was his agent in the undertaking. After
three o'clock in the afternoons OF those
stormy times it was ne who called up the
heads Of other banks and trust companies,
and in a few succinct words gave them IN
strttctions as to the amount OF cash tney
must send over to deposit with the as
trcssed institutions whose life blood was be-
ING drained through the withdrawal OIL
money bv frightened public. No one ever
painsaid him; for behind the smile was a
clear voice, with a certain metallic ring,
which brookcd no remonstrance from the
banker who might wish to plead that ne
had no more cash in his vaults at that
irving time than he needed for his own pro-
lection.
rs there bv the way, a conventional ladder
1 of promotion by which man climbs up
TO the trusted post Of handling other people S
money? In other words, how do men rise
to be bank Presidents -
Sixteen years ago there came to New YORK
a yourg fellow who deliberately pulled some
shingles off the roof of the financial dome
and climbed in at the top OF the banking
business. He had more smiling confidence III
himself and greater pent-up energy than any
other man | ever met. He had been a pen
niess book agent, had taken a whack at the
newspaper game. and worked in a real estate
office. He got job in building and loan
association, discovered some malverSatlon IN
its management, exposed the breach OF trust
and was made head of the institution. In
less than seven years he had established a
bank for discount, founded savings instl-
tuition By getting hold of a charter the day
before it expired at Albany, took over u
chain of other banks, and was about to
merge them into a great international cor
poration. with branches in Europe, when he
landed in the penitentiary. He finished his
term and came out Just the other day. He
had been in too great hurry. That race
is not TO the swift.
But how do men become bank preSi-
dents3 | nave asked some of them, and
they have told me of this mans ability,
of that MAJ 5 wealth, and of another's pro-
motion through affiliations and influences.
But one and all agreed that the impelling
factor was personality, optimistic force,
all given their most potent expression
through the smile.
HERE is the story of a man, still young,
IL who smiled his way from an obscure
cashiers Job to the vice presidency of one
of the strongest banks in Wall Street, po-
sition in which he is the associate OF great
authority in the banking world.
\ friend of his, the head of another lnSt-
tuition said to me- You want to know how
Sam got there? Did YOU ever see him smile
Well. that characteristic Of his is what first
attracted me to him, and | may say that |
helped him along the path that has landed
him where he is today.
when | was treasurer of the SuSque-
hanna Railroad, not so very many years
ago, ne was cashier in the South River Ma
tional Bank He was well posted on bank
ing matters, and he called to see me at my
office one day, just as | was engaged IN
figuring out plan by which | could pay the
roads employees by check, instead OF send
ing l paycar along the line. Other cashiers
had played the high and mighty with me
because OF my suggestion. From their attl-
tudc one would have thought that | was