The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1916-03-20
Dead Railroad Genius Show
ed no Partially to Employ
es but Boosted Good Men
to the Front.
Showed True Civic Love by
Working for His City and
Encouraging Her Young
Men.

ueOTSe -. COnTdu, one Ol SOl y. r.
Miller's proteges, apropos Of his
eghty-fourth birthday, wrote the fol-
lowing tribute, which is reproduced
today as fit appreciation OF Mr..
Miller's sterling qualities:
Mr.. Miller's life as a beneficial and
worthy citizen and capable railroad
man, If published in volume, would
prove highly interesting to the am
bilious young American anxious to
make the most of his life.
Although deprived in old age Of the
companionship of the one whose SYM
pathies went out to him in his early
struggles and successes, his mind still
remains active, cheerful and hopeful,
and no man ever visits him and listens
TO the story OF his life as a practical
railroad man without becoming inspir-
ed and feeling that no man has
right to say that the world Is against
him." and that he hasn't chance to
make the best of his opportunities.
Mr.. Miller Is an optimist in all that
the word implies, and has the great
est contempt for the man who goes
through life whining and complaining
Of the lack of opportunities afforded
MIN. Tie uOeS HOt DtIleNe III WdlLlHS
for something to turn up but that the
individual by his character and ability
should create his own opportunity.
Some Of His Maxms.
Some of the virtues characteristic of
Mr.. Miller's life and for which he has
always contended are: Honesty. sobri-
ETY., truthfulness, faithfulness, loyalty
and self-control. He always urged upon
his subordinates the necessity of living
up to their promises: in other words,
never make a promise and not live up
to it even though it afterward re-
bounds to ones disadvantage.
After all, the afore-named virtues
are a poor mans asset. II he forfeits
any one of them he sacrifices his
character.
Mr.. Miller's ability to Judge mems
character correctly was remarkable.
He rarely failed in this respect. The
writer has known of cases where men
have entered his office in search of
employment, and would be loaded
down. so to speak. with letters of rec
ommendation, but Mr. Miller would
pay no attention to these, contending
that after he talked to a man and
looked him in the face he could in
variably Judge as to his character and
fitness for the position which he was
seeking.
Popular as Railroader.
The extremely cordial and friendly
relations existing between Mr. Miller
and his subordinates greatly endeared
him to them, and no request for SER
vice on his part was ever denied him
by them. He was unusually popular
throughout the railroad service, and it
is not infrequent to hear railroad men.
old in the service, still refer in the
most cordial and affectionate manner
TO some act of kindness they at one
time or another received at his hands.
Mr. Miller's high sense of justice
and fair dealing to the men employed
under him merited the highest COM
mendation. He always insisted upon
fitness and real ability above every
thing else, and every man felt that
his cause would be justly dealt with
If brought to Mr. Miller's attention.
This was done even though those
nearest to him were concerned, as
the writer recalls an instance where
he threatened to discharge his own
brother from the railroad service on
account of his desire to mete out fair
play to one Of the other employees. 1t
was the interior Of the man that al
ways impressed him, and this quality
more than anything else endeared him
TO the army of men under his employ
ment.
Trains Great Men.
Some Of Americas greatest railroad
men look back with pride to the ca
reers they had under Mr.. Miller, and it
is with pardonable pride that he re-
fers to these men as having begun
their careers during his regime.
Mr.. Miller enjoyes the acquaintance
of more men in public life than posi-
bly, any other railroad man. He was
a personal friend of President McKin-
ley and Senator Mark Hanna. His
private car, the "3S." which was a !
veritable palace on wheels, was ever
at the disposal Of President Mckinley. |
No man ever exhibited a greater
interest in his home town than Mr.. !
Miller. Long before the advant of
the c. & o. railway when the Penn
sylvania was without any railroad COM
petition in Richmond, the latter city
was given preference over other cities |
usb or, tboro va CON 10 hi q cprnoti-