262 WILLIAM D. ENNIS 



change of departmental services. Extraordinary revenues or 

 expense (all outside of the purchase of supplies and the sale 

 of product) should be justified by complete analytical figures 

 and data, showing the causes and consequences, not only for 

 memorandum, but as a possible factor in affecting the value 

 of the plant and good will as an asset in trade. These methods 

 of successful management are not dependent upon unusual 

 talents or abilities, but rather upon high and rigidly-adhered- 

 to ideals of conduct and usefulness. They involve a patience 

 with and command of details; the ability to grasp salient 

 points, to analyze and classify data; readiness for emergen- 

 cies and unfamiliar conditions; a progressive spirit; resource- 

 fulness, of self and in subordinates; and, more than all, the 

 faculty (and desire) to use men of ability by gaining their 

 interest and co-operation, and, having ascertained their most 

 efficient field, by trusting them without interference. 



As an employer of labor, the engineer takes neither the 

 cold and heartless attitude of the old-school manufacturers, 

 nor the more modern and sometimes (on paper at least) ex- 

 cessive altruism of the theorist. He looks upon these sub- 

 jects with common sense. To him, his subordinates are 

 human, and interest him. He is frank and courteous among 

 them, but he measures their value, in the ultimate, as he 

 would that of a steam engine, by their efficiency. If they fail 

 to meet that test, his duty impels him to see that they step 

 down and out for more efficient and deserving men who will 

 add to the sum total of human wealth and happiness instead 

 of decreasing it. He rapidly learns, and never forgets, to 

 separate his business wholly from all relations — social or 

 otherwise — that interfere with or hamper him in its conduct. 



One of the most striking of recent industrial developments 

 is that of the interchange of information. In this, the engi- 

 neer has been a leader. For many years his societies and insti- 

 tutes have formed meeting places for men who, while possibly 

 keen competitors in commercial life, have yet found it to their 

 mutual advantage to exchange views, records, and opinions. 

 No other profession has been so quick to overcome personal 

 and selfish motives in this respect. Manufacturing compa- 

 nies are beginning to share the same blessing. For many years, 



