The Washington herald., 1922-01-22

neIt door in New Jersey, and the youthful
Gerry, from tiny Rhode Island, to be so
brilliantly outshone. 1t was q reflection
Upon the yellow metal as q symbol of wealth,
for du Pont can buy and sell Nicholson, Of
Colorado, and Oddie, of Nevada, both Of
whom own their own gold mines and dig Il
out Of the ground. Likewise does 1t reflect
upon such sources of production as the backs
of sheep, for Gooding. of Idaho, and War
rem, Of Wyoming, both have uncounted
nocks. William B. Mckinley, with his net
work of interurban railways that spider web
Illinois; MedilI Mccormick nor Arthur Cap
per, with their printing presses, could more
than furnish hobby money for this man
from Delaware.
And du .Pont overtowers all Senators
physically as he does financially. He is the
biggest man in the upper house since Ollie
James. He stands 6 feet in his stocking
feet and tips the scales at PIP. He looks
lard and it and still plays tennis at fifty
eight. When 1 asked him If he went in for
golf his reply was, Not yet" he is too
young.
When went out to look for the Senator
be was not on the floor of the upper house,
white building that Congress built for its
exclusive branch. Neither was he in his
hotel, which, by the way, he owns and which
is the biggest one in the national capital,
Somebody suggested the Office of Senator
Ball, his associate from Delaware, of the
Committee on the District of Columbia. and
there found him, the center of an animated
circle.
How did you get from where you were
to where you are?" I asked him, splitting
the stock query.
After he had made the customary declara-
ton in nearly the identical words In which
had had it recited to me by nearly every
body in public life about not caring a hang
whether he ever saw his name in print or
not, be told the story. He told It a bit
arrosantly, for very rich men are likely to
become somewhat high handed and auto
cratic, but withal genially, for this blue eyed
giant Is q sociable creature, smackinr of the
old days when the lord Of the manor beat
with bis fagons upon the board and dis
pensed hospitality.
"VOU see there had gotten to be too many
L young du Points in Delaware for the
powder business" be said, at not being as
large then as 1t is now, so my father went
West in search of opportunity and settled In
Louisville, KY, where / was born. 1 was
sent by my father to Urbana University in
Ohio, Chauncey Hall School in Boston, and
Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
then came back to Kentucky ready for work
in the fall Of 1888 and was sent to the coal
fields In Kentucky. There worked as a
mining engineer, as a mule driver, black
smith and learned every phase Of the physical
and clerical work there was to do at the
mines.
The technical education that I had
received, coupled with hard work, was
responsible for most Of my success At the
end Of ten years found myself occupying
the position Of manager and vice president
of the coal company at salary of $1,000
O year, and 1t seemed that had advanced
about a. far as ! could 60 in the coal Geld
ut that time, 30 I concluded to look for
position elsewhere.
II hold that the young man Is wise who
deliberately looks about him and makes
measure of the opportunities for success IN
the various callings. In selecting line Of
activity he should select that line which II
he Is successful in it viii offer greatest
rewards.