my memories of eighty years-第44节

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represented　by　Mr。　Pierpont　Morgan。

By　the　reorganization　and　consolidation　of　the　two　companies　the　New　York　Central　began　gradually　to　establish　its　efficiency　and　to　work　on　necessary　improvements。　　As　evidence　of　the　growth　of　the　railway　business　of　the　country；　the　New　York　Central　proper　has　added　since　the　reorganization　an　enormous　amount　of　increased　trackage；　and　has　practically　rebuilt；　as　a　necessary　second　line；　the　West　Shore　and　used　fully　its　very　large　terminal　facilities　on　the　Jersey　side　of　the　Hudson。

During　his　active　life　Mr。　Vanderbilt　was　very　often　importuned　to　buy　a　New　York　daily　newspaper。　　He　was　personally　bitterly　assailed　and　his　property　put　in　peril　by　attacks　in　the　press。　He　always　rejected　the　proposition　to　buy　one。　　〃If；〃　he　said；　〃I　owned　a　newspaper；　I　would　have　all　the　others　united　in　attacking　me；　and　they　would　ruin　me；　but　by　being　utterly　out　of　the　journalistic　field；　I　find　that　taking　the　press　as　a　whole　I　am　fairly　well　treated。　　I　do　not　believe　any　great　interest　dealing　with　the　public　can　afford　to　have　an　organ。〃

Colonel　Scott；　of　the　Pennsylvania；　thought　otherwise；　but　the　result　of　his　experiment　demonstrated　the　accuracy　of　Mr。　Vanderbilt's　judgment。　　Scott　selected　as　editor　of　the　New　York　World　one　of　the　most　brilliant　journalistic　writers　of　his　time；　William　H。　Hurlburt。　When　it　became　known；　however；　that　the　World　belonged　to　Colonel　Scott；　Hurlburt's　genius　could　not　save　it。　　The　circulation　ran　down　to　a　minimum；　the　advertising　followed　suit；　and　the　paper　was　losing　enormously　every　month。　　Mr。　Joseph　Pulitzer；　with　the　rare　insight　and　foresight　which　distinguished　him；　saw　what　could　be　made　of　the　World；　with　its　privileges　in　the　Associated　Press；　and　so　he　paid　Scott　the　amount　he　had　originally　invested；　and　took　over　and　made　a　phenomenal　success　of　this　bankrupt　and　apparently　hopeless　enterprise。

I　tried　during　my　presidency　to　make　the　New　York　Central　popular　with　the　public　without　impairing　its　efficiency。　　The　proof　of　the　success　of　this　was　that　without　any　effort　on　my　part　and　against　my　published　wishes　the　New　York　delegation　in　the　national　Republican　convention　in　1888；　with　unprecedented　unanimity　presented　me　as　New　York's　candidate　for　president。　　I　retired　from　the　contest　because　of　the　intense　hostility　to　railroad　men　in　the　Western　States。　　Those　States　could　not　understand　how　this　hostility；　which　they　had　to　railroads　and　everybody　connected　with　them；　had　disappeared　in　the　great　State　of　New　York。

During　my　presidency　the　labor　question　was　very　acute　and　strikes；　one　after　another；　common。　　The　universal　method　of　meeting　the　demands　of　labor　at　that　time　was　to　have　a　committee　of　employees　or　a　leader　present　the　grievances　to　the　division　superintendent　or　the　superintendent　of　motive　power。　　These　officers　were　arbitrary　and　hostile；　as　the　demands；　if　acceded　to；　led　to　an　increase　of　expenses　which　would　make　them　unpopular　with　the　management。　　They　had　a　difficult　position。　　The　employees　often　came　to　the　conclusion　that　the　only　way　for　them　to　compel　the　attention　of　the　higher　officers　and　directors　was　to　strike。

Against　the　judgment　of　my　associates　in　the　railway　management　I　decided　to　open　my　doors　to　any　individual　or　committee　of　the　company。　　At　first　I　was　overwhelmed　with　petty　grievances；　but　when　the　men　understood　that　their　cases　would　be　immediately　heard　and　acted　upon；　they　decided　among　themselves　not　to　bring　to　me　any　matters　unless　they　regarded　them　of　vital　importance。　　In　this　way　many　of　the　former　irritations；　which　led　ultimately　to　serious　results；　no　longer　appeared。

I　had　no　trouble　with　labor　unions；　and　found　their　representatives　in　heart…to…heart　talks　very　generally　reasonable。　　Mr。　Arthur；　chief　of　the　Brotherhood　of　Locomotive　Engineers；　had　many　of　the　qualities　of　a　statesman。　　He　built　up　his　organization　to　be　the　strongest　of　its　kind　among　the　labor　unions。　　I　enjoyed　his　confidence　and　friendship　for　many　years。

There　never　was　but　one　strike　on　the　New　York　Central　during　my　administration；　and　that　one　occurred　while　I　was　absent　in　Europe。　　Its　origin　and　sequel　were　somewhat　dramatic。　　I　had　nearly　broken　down　by　overwork；　and　the　directors　advised　me　to　take　an　absolute　rest　and　a　trip　abroad。

I　sent　word　over　the　line　that　I　wanted　everything　settled　before　leaving；　and　to　go　without　care。　　A　large　committee　appeared　in　my　office　a　few　mornings　after。　　To　my　surprise　there　was　a　representative　from　every　branch　of　the　service；　passenger　and　freight　conductors；　brakemen；　shopmen；　yardmen；　switchmen；　and　so　forth。　　These　had　always　come　through　their　local　unions。　I　rapidly　took　up　and　adjusted　what　each　one　of　the　representatives　of　his　order　claimed；　and　then　a　man　said：　　〃I　represent　the　locomotive　engineers。〃

My　response　was：　　〃You　have　no　business　here；　and　I　will　have　nothing　to　do　with　you。　　I　will　see　no　one　of　the　locomotive　engineers；　except　their　accredited　chief　officer。〃

〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃Mr。　President；　there　is　a　new　condition　on　the　road；　a　new　order　of　labor　called　the　Knights　of　Labor。　　We　are　going　to　absorb　all　the　other　unions　and　have　only　one。　　The　only　obstacle　in　the　way　is　the　locomotive　engineers；　who　refuse　to　give　up　their　brotherhood　and　come　in　with　us；　but　if　you　will　recognize　us　only；　that　will　force　them　to　join。　　Now；　the　Brotherhood　intends　to　present　a　demand　very　soon；　and　if　you　will　recognize　our　order；　the　Knights　of　Labor；　and　not　the　Brotherhood　of　Locomotive　Engineers；　we　will　take　care　of　what　they　demand　and　all　others　from　every　department　for　two　years；　and　you　can　take　your　trip　to　Europe　in　perfect　peace　of　mind。　　If　you　do　not　do　this　there　will　be　trouble。〃

I　declined　to　deal　with　them　as　representatives　of　the　Brotherhood　of　Locomotive　Engineers。　　Then　their　spokesman　said：　　〃As　this　is　so　serious　to　you；　we　will　give　you　to…night　to　think　it　over　and　come　back　in　the　morning。〃

I　immediately　sent　for　the　superintendent　of　motive　power　and　directed　him　to　have　posted　by　telegraph　in　every　roundhouse　that　the　request　of　the　Brotherhood　of　Locomotive　Engineers；　of　which　this　committee　had　told　me；　had　been　granted。　　The　next　morning　the　committee　returned；　and　their　leader　said：　　〃Well；　Mr。　President；　you　have　beaten　us　and　we　are　going　home。〃

Then　I　appealed　to　them；　saying：　　〃I　am　a　pretty　badly　broken…up　man。　　The　doctors　tell　me　that　if　I　can　have　three　months　without　care　I　will　be　as　good　as　ever。　　You　must　admit　that　I　have　at　all　times　been　absolutely　square　with　you　and　tried　to　adjust　fairly　the　matters　you　have　brought　to　me。　　Now；　will　you　take　care　of　me　while　I　am　absent？〃

They　answered　unanimously：　　〃Mr。　President；　we　will；　and　you　can　be　confident　there　will　be　no　trouble　on　the　New　York　Central　while　you　are　away。〃

I　sailed　with　my　mind　free　from　anxiety；　hopeful　and　happy；　leaving　word　to　send　me　no　cables　or　letters。　　After　a　visit　to　the　Passion　Play　at　Ober…Ammergau　in　Upper　Bavaria；　I　went　into　the　Austrian　Tyrol。　　One　night；　at　a　hotel　in　Innsbruck；　Mr。　Graves；　a　very　enterprising　reporter　of　a　New　York　paper；　suddenly　burst　into　my　room　and　said：　　〃I　have　been　chasing　you　all　over　Europe　for　an　interview　on　the　strike　on　the　New　York　Central。〃　　This　was　my　first　information　of　the　strike。

As　soon　as　I　had　left　New　York　and　was　on　the　ocean；　the　young　and　ambitious　officers　who　were　at　the　head　of　the　operations　of　the　railroad　and　disapproved　of　my　method　of　dealing　with　the　employees；　discharged　every　member　of　the　committee　who　had　called　upon　me。　　Of　course；　this　was　immediately　followed　by　a　sympathetic　outburst　in　their　behalf；　and　the　sympathizers　were　also　discharged。　　Then　the　whole　road　was　tied　up　by　a　universal　strike。　　After　millions　had　been　lost　in　revenue　by　the　railroad　and　in　wages　by　the　men；　the　strike　was　settled；　as　usual；　by　a　compromise；　but　it　gave　to　the　Knights　of　Labor　the　control；　except　as　to　the　Brotherhood　of　Locomotive　Engineers。　　The　early　settlement　of　the　strike　was　largely　due　to　the　loyalty　and　courage　of　the　Brotherhood。

During　my　presidency　I　was　much　criticised　by　the　public；　but　never　by　the　directors　of　the　company；　because　of　my　activities　in　politics　and　on　the　platform。　　For　some　time；　when　the　duties　of　my　office　became　most　onerous；　and　I　was　in　the　habit　of　working　all　day　and　far　into　the　night；　I　discovered　that　this　concentrated　attention　to　my　railroad　problems　and　intense　and　continuous　application　to　their　solution　was　not　only　impairing　my　efficiency　but　my　health。　　As　I　was　not　a　sport；　and　never　had　time　for　games　or　horses；　I　decided　to　try　a　theory；　which　was　that　one's　daily　duties　occupied　certain　cells　of　the　brain　while　the　others　remained　idle；　that　the　active　cells　became　tired　by　overwork　while　others　lost　their　power　in　a　measure　by　idleness；　that　if；　after　a　reasonable　use　of　the　working　cells；　you　would　engage　in　some　other　intellectual　occupation；　it　would　furnish　as　much　relief　or　recreation　as　outdoor　exercise　of　any　kind。　　I　had　a　natural　facility　for　quick　and　easy　preparation　for　public　speaking；　and　so　adopted　that　as　my　recreation。　　The　result　proved　entirely　success