The day book. [volume], March 14, 1914, NOON EDITION, Image 14

About The day book. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1911-1917

Image provided by: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library, Urbana, IL

                
Washington that he "had crossed it
in a boat."
His whole life was keyed by an ac
quisitiveness that knew no bounds.
And yet he watched the staples on
his fences with as much care as he
devoted to betterinjthe strain of his
beef Stock. "Fortunes are made by
looking after the little things," he
says.
Despite his gruffness, this unedu
cated Teuton had a remarkable in
sight into human nature. He was
friendly with his neighbors because
"they are a valuable asset to a man's
success." His very leniency with
cattle rustlers saved his herds from
their rapacity, rather than invited
further theft.
Once he was held up in the
Pacheco pass while returning to his
home ranch, and relieved of all his
money by a Mexican bandit. Plead
ing dire need, Miller asked him for a
"loan" of a small part of the loot
A few months later the ranch king
met the outlaw again, and true to his
promise, returned the "loan."
The Mexican became his staunch
friend, and Miller Chalked the ex
perience up as profit.
Hoboes have been made overseers
and managers on his ranches be
cause their assertiveness appealed to
the "Big Boss." In one case a new
comer was promojcl because he
knocked Miller down when the latter
tried to override the orders of a
straw-boss.
Often he baited his employes with
statements intended to rouse their
ire. When his words struck fire he
was pleased, for "a man who will not
fight for himself cannot properly look
after my interests," he maintained.
In this keen knowledge of the men
with whom he surrounded himself, to
a large extent, lay the secret of his
success.
Those who were square with him
he never forgot in time of need.
Faithful old retainers who had served
their time were pensioned and taken
care of with patriarchal solicitude.
Henry Miller discovered that
every time his cow-punchers
threw a steer in the violent man-
ner approved under the old round-
up methods, it resulted in a 20-
pound loss of beef. Jle at once
stopped rope-throwing, thus es-
tablishing a precedent which has
resulted in the practical abolish-
ment of this picturesque feature
of range life in the West. It is in-
dicative of his close watch on
profit andrtoss.
More than any of the great land
lords of the West, Miller exemplifies
the- transplanting of European feu
dalism upon the American frontier,
with the substitution of ceaseless toil
and hardship willingly borne in.place
of the sybarite splendor and luxur
ious ease of the old world barons.
Henry Miller amassed what he got
by working harder than any of the
thousands who called him "Boss."
o o
STAR BOARDER SAYS
"Ah, 'I am greatly indebted to that
dear lady!"
"Why? Is she is-your mother?"
"No. She's my landlady!"