Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-05-08
Editorial Comment
On v alter Wyman
ca. G.. :. III Lewiston journal

a. G.. :. III Lewiston JournaD
\ great many people think that
Walter :. Wyma.' moving spirit of
the Central Maine Power Co, is an
ogre; Il wild man: grasping
monoDolst: Il loud voiced, assertive
and cagcr money gctter.
never had any business dealings
with Walter Wyman and when |
first saw this quiet, modest, retiring
man leaning against a post in the
Augusta House not so long ago, l
was surprised. THAT the man.
No, ! never had any sort of bust
ness association with Mr.. Wyman
and can speak of him only as he i'm
presses me. | have talked with him
about the future of Maine. in which
he is deeply concerned: that is all.
What man, Insight; moderation;
kindness: vision: courage; COM
prchcnsiveness; pcrtinacity; Faith.
] either like a person or | do not.
One can hardly come within the
presence Of this plain speaking,
quiet, somewhat taciturn man, with
low pitched voice and smile of
kindness that is always tempered
with what seems TO be overwork, I'M
less he feels that he is carrying bur-
dens and doing q mans work, hope
fully and patiently. One cannot help
hoping that nothing,befalls him in his
great program of development of the
resources and the industries of the
State. He was born to work. So |
am told. lie had no money as lad.
He inherited none; never was given
any. All he is, he has made himself
by longer hours than the eight hour
day. He hired his money to pay his
way through college from man who
said he never would lend it. He
went it alone. He sold himself to
his hacker; he sold his services to his
first job: he financed his first pur-
chase of water power-a small
power in Kennebec county-on the
tail of an expiring option by the most
dramatic example of persistence and
final good-luck that ever happened
in the financial history of Maine or
any otl.er place. 1t will make a
good stor or some dramatist. 1t is
known in certain relations as the
story Of the false teeth"
I don't know thing about Mr.. Wy
mans business. | only know him as
q casual acqua- lance the same as I
know a thousand other men in
Maine-but no one can talk with him
without being impressed by his
singleneS5 of purpose-to succeed in
his great enterprises; to make good
with then to treat the public fairly;
to gouge nobody: to get nothing
from the State of Maine that he does
not pay for and to get nothing except
in the open, above board and indie
pendent Of any misconceptions or
misunderstanding
He is a d.camer Of big things. He
is a doer of big things. He talks but
little. He is unafraid of all things.
He has great confidence in himself
and in his work. He works all of the
time. He never takes any pleasure.
No toiler in the mines works y he
does. His capacity to analyze and
understand is colossal. He is Of the
{ rade of the great Captains of Indus
try. l don't know anything about his
personal traits of loyalty to friends
and so cannot discuss them. But he
has many fricnds-few enemies.
We talked the other day about
Railroads and he said certain things
about transportation that were sol
that 7 went ont greatly
disturbed and concerned. His notion
Of the solution Of our difficulties lies
in tie reconstruction Of the Boston