The Washington herald., 1914-11-16
HISTORY BUILDERS.
A Man Qualified for Leadership.
Written kIpressly for The Herald.J
BY DR.. r. J. EDWARDS.

when ! was in the army in the civil
war days !. Of course. entertained fol
Gen. Grant that respect which was ac.
corded to him by all soldiers. l saw
him occasionally in the latter part OF
the war. but l did not have the op-
portunity 10 know him well until after
its close and. in fact, some time after
AppomattoN"
This remark was made to me by Nor
man 3. Ream at a time when he had
established a national reputation as one
OF the great business forces OF his time.
He was speaking to me OF the personal
and distinguishing characteristics OF
some of the men who were truly great
with whom he had been brought in con-
tact in the course OF his long business
life
Il have observed" continued Mr.
Ream. that the men who are entitled
to high consideration as leaders are for
the most part men distinguished for a
sort OF taciturnity. They are men Of
few words. don't mean that they are
men who never talk-sOme OF them were
delightful in conversation, some OF them
bad the gift OF most entertaining an
ecdotal narrative. some Of them could
talk like blue streak, as the saying Is.
This was true OF one of these men in
particular. and yet when matters OF
business were under consideration or
when important matters were to be de-
cided at a directors meeting he remained
silent. having the gift of listening
patiently until at last he would in a
single remark. always spoken in a gen.
tie and suggestive manner, sum up the
entire situation and in a few words give
the wisest counsel
Now the public during war days and
afterward regarded Gen. Grant as a
man Of almost unique taCiturnity. He
was often spoken OF as the silent man
On the many occasions when I had OPP
pOrtunity to meet and chat with him,
he was. found. capable of most enter
tanning and often instructive conversa-
tiOn. He was by no means a taciturn
man when he was with a group OF
friends who met in social way and
whose conversation was confined to the
ordinary topics OF the day. But upon
other occasions when the matters under
discussion related to some important sub
jeCt-especially when he was President
he could be and was in truth the silent
man. He had a wonderful capacity for
faithful. patient listening. He was glad
to hear what any person had to say about
matter. provided. Of course. the man
was qualified to speak on the subject.
He would turn from one to another with
perfect difference. without a symptom Of
annoyance and yet his face was mask.
No one could read what was passing in
his mind as he listened to one after an
other.
But at last. after all were through.
Gen. Grant would sum up in a few
words and with singular lucidity Of state
ment the various arguments and then
express his own view. So far as |
know. this was always found to be the
sound view. This is what constitutes real
leadership among men. | have often OBJ
served It in men of influence in business
and commercial affairs. but Gen. Grant
Is the only one in public life with whom
II has been my good fortune in life TO
associate who possessed in an unusual
degree the qualification for truly great
Copyright. 1914. BY Z. ]. Edwards. All rights re-
scrTedD
Tomorrow DR.. Edwards will tell OF IAN
Railroad Magnate."