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rent for twenty-five years, and take it to him with my best wishes; say also that an annual stipend will be given him for the care of Casper, whom I wish well-but he must not let him roam around and do mischief. And Henry," he added, "instruct Schluersberg, your nephew who is to succeed you. Have him discover Waldemar or learn his fate. If anything is known tell Rudolph when he is married-that is after he is one week with his bride. Rudolph will come into Koenigsfeld should Waldemar be dead."

Then as the Grand Duke rode toward his home, he found his mind still reverting to the name on the kerchief and he brushed his brow impatiently.

"I am a fool," he said bitterly, "to lend such an ear to idle words; to let that name worry me for months and then ask for that resurrection of threats against my family

that I had not heard since I was a child, and moreover, to look at that mill and tremble at its frown, when I should have sat me down and dreamed of Rudolph."

Then his thoughts took a happier turn. "Married love is to right the wrong and all will go well. Rudolph, I judge, is to be the favored one. Sweet Rudie, how Frederick of Denmark loves him-but who could avoid loving my royal boy. He is the hope of the house of Verleinstern, the last of the line, and he is trying to throw his life away on the field of battle-ah, Rudolph, I greatly fear we are never more to meet again."

And old Henry and Trooper Schluersburg riding behind him, marveled that the Grand Duke of such magnificent territory should have any occasion for such sighs as were then welling thick and fast from his sturdy old heart.

(To be Continued)

What Makes a Successful Railroad Man. Honesty, Thoroughness, a Grasp of Systematic Methods and Success in Selecting Assistants, Elements that Count Materially. Assistant to the President, W. J. Harahan, Discusses the Phases of an Intricate Problem.

FROM "THE ERIE RAILROAD EMPLOYES' MAGAZINE."

It is not intended by the writer of this paper to convey the idea that he is the oracle of success, the intention being to simply review what seems to be some of the principal essentials required for success so that we may take a mental inventory, as it were. Most of the essentials herein detailed are, no doubt, familiar to all, but, even so, it is well to occasionally determine by a review how, and where, we stand.

To derive the most substantial good from the consideration of the subject it is necessary that we approach it in a proper spirit. If we, like the Pharisee of old, exclaim: “O Lord, I am thankful that thou hast not made me like unto other men," thus attempting to extol our own perfections, we are more likely to exercise our ingenuity in seeking to justify in our own mind our acts of the past rather than endeavor to use the light of experience as a guide for the future. Let us, therefore, rather give

heed to the memorable words of the Scotch poet:

"O wad some power the giftie gie us, To see oursels as ithers see us," so that by contemplating our imperfections we may draw light from the lessons of the past. Let us also seek to profit by the experience of those who have gone before. Yet, let us not forget, however, that while experience is a great teacher, observation is its necessary accompaniment to make it as effective as success requires. Observation may be either a natural gift, or an acquired one. If one is not gifted with observation, naturally, he must acquire it, else he does but exist to fill out the quota of humanity. Experience, therefore, is incomplete without observation, and both are in vain unless a practical application can be made of the lessons to be learned from them.

What may be designated as the first ele

ment, or rather, essential, of success, is common honesty. To state the old maxim: "Honesty is the best policy" is but to reiterate a truism, and to repeat parrot-like the principle that has stood the test of ages. There is, however, a broader honesty than that apparent on the surface that is a requirement. This consists not entirely in the application of the Commandment, "Thou shalt not steal," but seeks also for its guiding principle the "Golden Rule." In other words, a studious and persistent effort to render just and fair treatment to all alike whether he or it be great or small. I regard this principle a most important one, and one the observance or non-observance of which surely tends to advance, or otherwise, a man's career. Temporary advantage may sometimes be obtained by some other course, but it is not lasting, as a day of reckoning inevitably comes. Recall to your memory those officers successful in railway work. You may remember some who have seemed a very martinet in discipline, who may have been sour of disposition, stern and exacting, hard to approach, yet, eminently successful, because always just. Men know and appreciate this quality, and it commands their respect and ensures to the officer exercising it their earnest work, which means his success.

Loyalty is a predominating characteristic of railroad officers, and it is a necessity to perfectly weld the links of the chain of organization and system. The railroad company should have the first and preferential call upon our loyalty, but this follows as a natural sequence to loyalty to one's superiors, such attribute rarely conflicting with loyalty to the company, and in the degree that a man is loyal to his superiors so does he engender that feeling towards himself on the part of his subordinates, correspondingly.

An element requiring the exercise of a peculiar and really great ability is the gift of creating harmony. It is the keystone of the arch of success without which the structure will not sustain itself. True harmony, when carried to a finality, familiarly known as team-work, engenders enthusiasm on the part of the individuals forming the organization. An organization without harmony disintegrates and soon becomes utterly de

moralized so that a disturber should be ejected from it with little ceremony or he will prove its undoing. Departmental lines should vanish before the company's welfare. If, by sustaining an expense, another department can be helped sufficiently to justify the expense assumed, there should be not only no hesitancy, but an eagerness to do so, bearing in mind that the ultimate result to the company as a whole is what should govern. Where possible to do so, however, it will be found that the introduction of a friendly rivalry between officers of the same relative grade will, if properly handled, produce far reaching results, without in any manner affecting harmony, because of the incentive thus given them to use their intelligence and ability to accomplish at least as much, and, if possible, more than their fellows.

It may seem that it should not be necessary to cite the necessity for industry. Much, however, should be said on this important element. It does not merely consist in being prompt at the place of work and remaining the full time required by the letter of the law-but it requires much more to lead to the highest success. It means the earnest, painstaking, patient and persevering effort to accomplish everything well; the putting in of whatever time is necessary to perform those duties which are assigned to the individual officer, and it may even be necessary at times to do something that someone else should have done. It requires, particularly, the doing of these things cheerfully. A man who is truly industrious is busy in any position, whether it be high or low. He who is thus busy in the lower position will always render such high grade service that he will be called to the higher. It will be found that he who concentrates his efforts and is the steadiest in his work, accomplishes the most. As exemplified in the fable of the Tortoise and the Hare, the brilliant men who are only sporadic in the application of their brilliancy do not accomplish as much as their less brilliant fellows who are continually applying what abilities they possess.

Thoroughness is an important adjunct and it is requisite to the fullest extent. Affairs should be closely analyzed. A "touch and go" method of handling matters is not

conducive to success because it invariably leads to neglect. Correspondence should not be shifted around simply to relieve desks of the presence of papers, but it should be thoroughly gone into, all questions answered, and, if an answer naturally develops another question it should also be answered. It is exasperating to receive returned papers in which all questions are not answered, in an effort evidently to easily get rid of the correspondence, and such methods are insensibly treasured against those performing such indifferent service. It should be the pride of a man conducting correspondence to feel that his superior officer did not have to return it for additional facts, if such additional facts could have been reported on in the first instance by a conclusive investigation. Where possible and consistent, definite recommendations should always be made, otherwise a man's office becomes but a clearing house for correspondence, and such clearing houses are not essential or even desirable. When difficulties arise they should always be discussed to as absolute and as satisfactory a conclusion as the conditions will allow, otherwise half-baked measures result, causing frequently, unwarranted expense, and always embarrassment. In arriving at a conclusion it should always be assured that the root of the difficulty is reached, otherwise no permanent relief is effected, as cure only is applied instead of prevention. Thoroughness is one of the cardinal virtues of a successful practical business man.

As is true in all lines of work, one of the prime essentials is what I may call love of the work. There can be no success without it, as indifference is sure to result. There is no line of work more exacting than railroad work and there is no character of work requiring a greater sustained interest. There is no line of work either in which indifference is more easily, or more quickly manifested. The results of such indifference immediately appear; they cannot be concealed. For the benefit of those who are really struggling with might and main to achieve success it is well that this is true, as it serves to brush out of the path those who falter or linger by the wayside. A great deal of railroad work has to be done

upon honor, that is, officers are always by themselves, and not under the direct observance of their superiors. A man is therefore necessarily judged by the results he produces. Love of the work is a great incentive to spur him on in producing these results, not merely for his present, but also for his future benefit.

I regard common sense as one of the very greatest of the elements. I believe that we often fail to realize how much is expressed in these two words. It is the foundation upon which all the professions are laid. Its application is absolutely essential to the proper carrying on of business as it is the rudder of business existence. The most gifted man but drifts upon the turbulent sea of trouble if he is not governed by its precepts, which cannot be specifically laid down, yet are as plain as the A B C of our childhood. On account of its evident necessity it may seem superfluous to discuss this essential to any great length, but too often there are examples which prove that it is necessary to call attention to this principle in a discussion of this subject. When in doubt, we should ask ourselves: "Are we proceeding along common-sense lines?" The application of its test will invariably open a way towards the proper solution of our difficulties.

One of the elements seriously lacking in many men is originality, evidenced by their easily succumbing to difficulties, or in their inability to keep pace with progress. This is a most important attribute, and without it failure is certain. To do something a certain way because it has always been done that way is not always a good reason for so doing. A thing should be done the way best suited to the present requirements. There is, of course, a great value in precedent, if properly applied, and it would be just as much of an error to cast it to the wind as to always slavishly follow precedent. The proper mean between the two is true conservatism, avoiding, however, the type of conservatism that stagnates, and stops the circulation as it were, making the body inert. Ability to adopt the proper course constitutes the successful man. This applies to very large and also very small affairs in railroad work. So far as the lack of originality is con

cerned the principal way in which it is manifested is that when difficulties present themselves enough effort is not made to surmount them. Situations are accepted where originality may change them to advantage, or may overcome them altogether, or probably a substitute can be made just as effective, or, at least, not as bad as total alteration. We should always ask ourselves before accepting a situation which appears to be bad, whether it is really and undoubtedly the best thing that can be done, devoting conscientious and hard thought to its proper solution. Originality is also vitally necessary to keep abreast of the times and to make the proper expansion so as to keep step with or outstrip our competitors as business necessities may dictate.

A great deal is accomplished by an intimate knowledge of the work which can only come from experience in the harness, that is, practical experience. Men respect this sort of knowledge and their best efforts are obtained when they feel that an officer possesses it. If one is not in full possession of knowledge on any particular detail, however, it is the greatest mistake not to ask questions so as to become so. It is not a lowering of dignity, nor an indication of incompetency to have to ask for such information; in fact, much can often be learned from even the men of the lowest grade by intelligent questioning. Any other principle of conduct usually results in an ostrich act on the part of him who attempts it, his ignorance being easily apparent.

The great Chinese philosopher, Confucius, said: "When you know a thing, to hold that you know it, and when you do not know a thing to allow that you do not know it; that is knowledge."

Good organization, and its resulting element, system, are among the greatest of all the requirements, for without them no large business can be properly conducted. When good organization is attained, system naturally follows, and system is essential because no one officer, beyond a certain grade, is able to physically keep up with the infinite details occurring in the handling of a large property. The amount of detail is, necessarily, in proportion to the position occupied, the work of the minor officer being practically all detail. Let me remark, how

ever, that there are a great many officers who make the mistake of not knowing enough of detail, although it is true that many attempt too much. It is impossible to lay down any definite rules governing the amount of detail which should be handled, but a man should know enough to be intimately familiar with his work. The necessity for the most perfect system should be uppermost in man's mind as he goes upward. He should surround himself with the most capable men he can find for the respective positions under him. Some men, by their actions, seem to feel that brilliant subordinates may detract from them. There can be no more mistaken idea, nor can there be a more short-sighted policy. A man of moderate capacity, can, in a relatively high position, be successful with good and capable subordinates-but a brilliant man cannot be successful with incompetent subordinates because of the very physical impossibility aforementioned of one individual knowing the details of a large business. The ability to select capable subordinates is a most important art and most necessary to success. To do so properly requires that a man shall be somewhat of a student of human nature and an analyst of the human character; it also requires a close and careful supervision of the work of those under him to know their capability because there should always be understudies who can be promoted to the various positions, otherwise the organization will become weak. Organization and system therefore are most vital elements, in fact, they are the very life-blood of a large corporation. Every man should be entrusted with whatever responsiblity the duties of his position and the general organization of the company will allow. To deny officers' authority is to dwarf and stunt them and thus thwart their efforts. My personal opinion is, a great deal should be entrusted to the divisional organization so that the man on the ground could accomplish, more, the idea being that the men selected for such positions should be capable of carrying out such an organization rather than to attempt to centralize, because such a localized authority means a more intimate intercourse between the men on the ground and the public, and, I believe, tends to a better un

derstanding between the railroad company and the public because the railroad is more literally and intimately personified in the person of such a representative.

Those having to do with the line of the road should be acquainted with it from personal knowledge, that is, by getting out on the road as often as is necessary to obtain a full understanding of the characteristics producing or affecting local conditions. This brings them in contact with the public and the employes, and they ascertain many an important fact which is either not communicable in correspondence or mayhap the correspondent does not appreciate their importance to the same extent that the officer does. Oftentimes complaints from the public are thus intercepted at their root preventing their attaining the stage of the festering sore that time and often inatten tion produces. In bringing the officer and his men closer together there is also developed the best means of fostering proper relations because of the knowledge each obtains of the other's difficulties from personal contact. Such personal contact also serves somewhat to rob the company of its inani mate character so far as the men are concerned.

An important detail, in the proper carrying on of a large business, is the careful following up of instructions. The issuance of instructions is but the preparatory stage of the process. They must be followed up to see that not only are they put in effect, but carried out in the future. Man is prone to follow along the lines of least resistance, therefore, if it is easier to do something else he is likely to do it. For this reason instructions should be closely analyzed before issuing them and a determination made as to whether the proper thing is being done and especially to determine whether the course that is being taken to accomplish the purpose required is along the most natural lines possible under the conditions, as when once issued, they should be rigidly insisted upon. Conferences of division staff officers, to which the men should, upon appropriate occasions, be invited, should be held at stated intervals as they are a most effective method of obtaining a complete understanding of instructions as well as obtaining the benefit derived from the interchange of

views at such conferences at which difficulties surrounding the operation of a division should be fully discussed, and the proceedings should be written up. When putting into effect instructions vitally affecting a system, which are a radical departure, it will be found that the best results will ensue when a general conference is called and the whole subject exhaustively explained.

He who would seek to develop his capabilities to the fullest extent and keep that proper pace with progress absolutely required for the continuation of success should read carefully the literature of the profession. It is as necessary for the successful railroad officer to follow the changed conditions surrounding railway practices, and to know the new and advanced ideas and physical improvements as it is for the lawyer or doctor to do so in his profession. The Railway and Engineering periodicals and certain books on railroad subjects are the most valuable aid to him and should be freely used. They contain everything that is current, and information pertaining to all departments so that a man may inform himself fully as to not only the work of his own department but as to that of other departments.

Without being an officious busybody it should be the aim of the railroad officer to acquaint himself with the duties of other higher positions and even conditions in other departments besides his own. should feel that some day he will be called upon to exercise those duties, at which time he should at least have an elementary knowledge of them.

He

Membership in such clubs as this, and kindred associations, is also a most fruitful method of obtaining information as to the progress of the profession not only from participation in the formal proceedings, but in the chance to meet his colleagues, discuss his difficulties and take advantage of their ideas and impart his to them. The human mind is so constituted that often what may be a serious stumbling block for one individual will be readily solved by another of equal or even inferior capacity.

One of the most important duties of an officer entrusted with it is the employment of men, and it is one which he should weigh

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