The Washington times., 1922-09-16

As head toward New York this
experience keeps bobbing into ny
mind.
/ In every city and town and com.
! munity l visited l always asked.
/ who Is the best-informed man
here? Who is the man who can give
me the best information about local
business conditions?"
! Time and time and time again I
noted that the persons asked hadn't
the slightest hesitation In naming
the man. Occasionally. two names
would be given, with some such cx.
PLANTATION as "Mr. So-and.So can give
YOU the best information about fins n
, clai matters and Mr.. So-and.So is the
best-posted man about business con-
ditions."
| The curious thing was that no
matter how many persons l asked
, their minds, as a rule. at once
Jumped to the same man, or, at the
most, two men.
And I don't believe that I was
once steered to the wrong man!
How is 1t, would you say. that
some men succeed in earning such
a reputation, a reputation for being
the best posted authority in the
whole community on what's what
businesswise?
The compliment paid them was
even broader than this: 1t implied
| that these men were truthful, hon
est. trustworthy; men whose word
could be accepted implicitly; men
who would present the facts fairly.
impartially.
I remember that John D. Rookie
feller once remarked to me that the
most important thing for a young
man anxious to make headway in
the world was, first Of all. to earn
what Mr.. Rockefeller termed "a
credit" meaning a reputation for
dependability.
Perhaps 1t may interest you to
know some of the qualities and
characteristics which / found com.
mon to the men acknowledged by
fellow citizens as the best.informed
leaders in the community.
should here explain, however,
that in certain OF the smaller COM
munitiee I was directed to the sec.
/ retary of the local commercial
chamber or association, not to any
banking or business figure. What
follows applies to the latter class.
One outstanding thing about most
Of these men was their breadth.
They weren't immersed solely in
| their own affairs.
They apparently took a genuine
interest in the activities, the we'll
being. the ups and downs Of other
men Of affairs in their community.
Another thing: found that most
Of them contrived to find time to
read great deal. Very often they
would quote or refer to statements
made by other. people and to items
or editorials appearing in financial
or trade publications. Evidently
they considered such reading a use
ful investment Of a good partly Of
their time.
In quite a few instances this also
was true: These men had the repu-
tation OF being always ready to be
helpful to others, particularly in the
way of giving counsel on difficult
business problems-and Of giving
more substantial assistance on occa.
sion.
One other point impressed me par.
ticularly, namely. that in almost
every case l found that these men
didn't sit chained to their own desks
or their own plants all through the
year. but that they moved around a
good deal locally and also paid fairly
fro at %
Guiding, usually, Chicago and New
York.
Although / didn't always check up
on this point, ] have the impression
that most of these men, although
tremendously active and industrious.
make a point Of going in for play.
This was especially noticeable among
the leading men Of the Pacific coast
cities. where, of course, the climate
invites men out-of-doors for recrea-
ton and sport.
In few places. usually small
towns, the leading parsonage seemed
to take himself ponderously seriously
and to be constantly on guard lest
he might say a word or make a mo-
ton that would not comport with his
dignity.
But, most often, the financial and
business leaders, I found, were bully
fellows. congenial, human, cheerful,
full Of vitality. attractive, magnetic.
-
Now, don't propose to do any
moralizing-I don't even know
whether these random jottings pos
sess any interest. Only, these ex-
periences have convinced me more
than ever that there's more to be
gotten out Of the game of life by
playing 1t in a human, humane, live
andiet-live, happy spirit than by
being pent solely on looking out for
No. l and letting the devil take the
hindmost.
Hhfro m 4 iva C<nnk