Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-02-02
KILLING PACE IN
BUSINESS IS
DEPL0RED
"SIaves to Industry" Better OFF
Seeking "ReaI" Things in
Life, Says Forbes.
BY 3. c. FORBES.

l asked the veteran eX-comptroller
of an important railroad system who
laid down his business burdens 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
feVerish daily struggling long enough
to let down plummet into their souls
and take their bearings.
''Well-it-it-"
There was an uneasy pause, 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
ITS like this: Our rule was to take
as much as we could get-all we
could get off within every case. II
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 / have had lots of
leisure to think things over, when
| look back upon our policy. | have been
wondering n lct--well--well I've been
| wondering whether II was just-well
whether 1t was just right, you
know"
I 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,
his life, raised disturbing question
| iugs.
As the ray-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 / 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-raiI.
scheming. grating politicians and
franchise mongers. He had fair
dowry of brains, and a moderate
amount OF educ alton. 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, rank
CRATER the creature of despicable
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 memoir 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-carry, 1t seems to me, 4
lesson that 1t might be worth while
bordering 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 all 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 whittier we are going and
the whyfor of It all?
Then one dav 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
ings: "Whither?" "Why?" "What
shall the end be-" What OUGHT
the reward to be?"
Is this too sentimental slush for
business column? Shall be accused
Of encroaching upon the Salvation
Army's preserves? Maybe.
But ! nave lived long enough to
stand sneers and scorn from the
thoughtless. I have seen enough done
in the name of business" and known
enough of toolate regrets. Of soul
torture in the twilight of life, to stay
my pen IL by using it may happily
lead even but a few men neck deep
in the struggle for existence to stop
and plumb their souls NOW. to pause
and ask themselves what 1t shall
nrolt them though thew gain much
If they thereby lose that peace of
mind without which all else is worse
than dross
1t is. believe me, a sound business
proposal.