Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-02-02
KILLING PACE IN
BUSINESS IS
DEPLORED
"SIaves to Industry" Better Off
Seeking "ReaI" Things in
Life, Says Forbes.
BY 8, c. FORBES.

laid down his business burdens a year
or more ago.
"Fine-it gives one time to think"
he replied
Then you enjoy it?"
His answer is worth recording. 1t
may cause some men to stop in their
teverish daily struggling long enough
to let down plummet into their souls
and take their bearings.
"Well-it-it-'
There was an uneasy pause, a mo-
ment of doubt and hesitation. Would
he lay bare the secret that was press
Ing on his mind? or would he pass
the question off with brief evasive
remark?
He decided to tell.
IT'S like this: Our rule was to take
as much as we could get-all we
could get off within every case. If
we could get more than our share for
handling a shipment we took it. We
didn't bother about the other road or
the other fellow that might get the
short end of the stick We regarded
that as their lookout. We thought
our lookout for number one meth
DDS all right
But since I have had lots Of
leisure to think things over, when
look back upon our policy. have been
wondering a lot-well--well, I've been
wondering whether 1t was just-well
whether it was Just right. you
know"
could see that the old mans con-
science was troubling him. What
appeared to be fair enough when he
was in the thick OF the business fray
now, in the quiet of the eventide of
his life, raised disturbing question
iugs.
AS the gray headed old man, now
past the allotted span of three score
years and ten, stood in front of me-
there flashed into my mind another
case that I had often meant to tell
you about foc it always struck me as
a beacon of warning to others who
might be tempted to tread a similar
path.
In this case a young man, humble
of origin, but consumed with ambi-
ton, seized opportunities to work
himself in with a set of saloon rail
scheming, grating politicians and
franchise mongers. He had a fair
dowry of brains. and moderate
amount Of education. At first he car
ried a fair cargo of conscience, but in
order to do the bidding of his elders
he began to jettisOn it. AS he threw
overheard his honesty he was able to
add to his riches. In return for many
years services his confreres, to feed
his ambition elevated" him to the
bench.
Then he found time for mental
stock taking. Here was he, a rank
CRATER, the creature of despicahle
politicians. a dispenser of law, the
holder Of the scale of justice that no
such unclean hands should besmirch
His conscience smote him. He chang
ed entirely. He first became severe,
morose and religious" then a tyrant
toward his own and other people.
None carried a higher head or OBJ
served the outward forms of religion
more rigidly.
But all the while the memory Of his
early misdeeds gnawed at the very
vitals of his soul And it is so gnaw-
ing at this moment.
Now. these two cases-real. not i'm
aginary ones-carrv. IT seems TO me. a
lesson that it might be worth while
pondering. When we are young,
when we are pushing and struggling
and elbowing to get our feet on the
ladder, when our god is the dollar,
when ambition drives us forward,
when fame" sings siren songs in our
ears, and when al our hours are
crowded with duties or pleasures. are
we not apt to drown the still small
voice OF conscience. TO so crowd our
DAYS and nights with distractions
that We have not one hour for serious
reflection, scarce a moment to ask
ourselves whther we are going and
the whyfor Of It al?
Then one DAY the mad race ends.
Nature cries. Halt" We are called
to give an accounting We seek to
put it off We would fain flee from
ourselves We rebel against letting
memory dwell upon the record. We
refuse to answer the inner question:
ings; WHITTIER" WHY" What
shall the end be-" What OUGHT
the reward to be?'
Is this too sentimental slush for a
business column? Shall l be accused
of encroachirc upon the Salvation
Army's preserves? Maybe.
But I nave lived long enough to
stand sneers and scorn from the
thouehtless.N have seen enough done
in the name Of business" and known
enough Of too-late regrets. OF soul
torture in the twilight Of life, to stay
my pen il by using it ! may happily