MR CARNEGIE'S MAXIMS

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXII, Issue LXII, 22 January 1912, Page 5

MR CARNEGIE'S MAXIMS

Mr Andrew Carnegie celebrated on November 25 his. 75th birthday, and kept "open house" ail day •in his beautiful home on East 91st street,New York, where dozens of friends went to congratulate him. Mr Carnegie was in the best of spirits, and received with great friendliness a deputation of newspaper reporters who called upon him. The retired ironmaster expounded a few of the rules he has observed throughout his life, and gave the reporters much good advice. He informed them that if they wished to "get on in the world" they should neither drink nor smoke, and, above all things, they must live within their income. "Merely doing your duty," said Mr Carnegie, "is not sufficient; you must work with your head, and in addition to obeying orders work out projects of your own. If you know you are right jour employer's objections should not hinder you, for you may know your business better than he does. He is sure to come to your way of thinking when you have' proved that you, are right."

One of the journalists asked him what chance a poor employee had of becoming a partner. Mr Carnegie replied: "Some clay the employer may be ill, and the employee sent to the house on business. While there he may meet the wife and daughter. There is his chance, for no man should be prejudiced against a girl because she is rich. A poor man can make a rich man's daughter happier sometimes than a millionaire can."

Asked who the world's 20 greatest men were, Mr Carnegie said that he thought the 20 men to whom the world was most indebted were Shakespeare,, Milton, Jenner, Neilson, Lincoln, Gutenberg, Edison, Siemens, Columbus, Watt, Bessemer, Bell, Arkwright, Franklin, Murdoch, Hargreaves, Kaye, Stephenson, Symington, and Burns. "These men were none of them financial, geniuses,, but the making,of money is one of the most mediocre forms of genius. It is far easier to make it than to spend it wisely. I am getting rid of mine as fast as I can."