A. Barton Hepburn, Banker, Writer, Sportsman, Young at Seventy, Returns from His Rocky Mountain Hunting Trip Ready to Work

Sun (Christchurch), Volume II, Issue 617, 1 February 1916, Page 3

A. Barton Hepburn, Banker, Writer, Sportsman, Young at Seventy, Returns from His Rocky Mountain Hunting Trip Ready to Work

7 K A I!AKTON hkprijrn.chairra^j9i^, man of tin- Hoard of Directors of Hie Chase National Bank, U knowii in Wall street for his abilftf£s i '3s<l '•>' ( " I',•inillc big financial deals. %IfsL '" literature he has gained roerwVlil^J.\\Sll "> ; " i!i ' > " ;ls ;l writer ~n financial i( '^ww^m\\'! '"" ,u>wil<ls,>; " l,u ' ,!, " !; .v m>' ! ">- i;iin- ami Iho jungles of Africa he achieved a reputation for skill and marksmanship as a shooter of big game. Mr. Hepburn returned lo -New York a lew days n-.. from a six weeks' shoot in the Kooky Mountains, lie bagged considerable same, including grouse, ducks mi.l ilcer, hut was disappointed because a grizzly hear failed lo keep an appointment with him. Mr. Hepburn explained that he thought the bear rather discourteous, as he wanted the grizzly's poll to hang between the skins of the two lions he shot In Africa. "Kilt." said Mr. Hepburn hopefully, '•another lime will do just as well." Mr. Hepburn learned to shoot--and shoot straightlong before he knew anything about banking or had any thought of writing hooks, and although ho will celebrate his seventieth birthday next July the love of outdoor life, die desire whenever opportunity offers to got in close touch with nature, is as strong wiih him to-day as ever. Loves Contact with Nature. In 'The Story of an Oif.ing." in which he relates some of. his experiences while pursuing big game, Mr. Hepburn says:--"All hall every wholesome influence that lures from the feted artificiality of modern life to the pure air, the bright sunshine, the detonating thunder, the storm with iis Uwy of swish and drifts, to glorious contact with (he forces of nature, bo they of gentler or sterner mood, where wc may recreate and oxelaini will) the greatest of pools: " 'And thus our life,.exempt, from public haunt. Finds tongues in trees books, in the running brooks, Sermons in stones and good in every thing.' "The outdoor life sweetens all existence: it cultivates the pure and wholesome In one's life and aspirations; it lures from the man-made attractions. (hat pander to sensation, to Hod-made attractions, that sustain the source of being; in advancing years . it enables one to exclaim: — " Though I look old, yet am I strong and lusty; For in my youth I never did apply Hot and rebellious liquors to my blood, Nor did not with unbashfiil forehead Woo the means of weakness and debility.' " Mr. Hepburn was born at Cdton, N. X, where he passed his youth and early manhood. Collon is situated in the foothills of the Adirondack*, on the banks of the Itaquetto Kiver, a beautiful stream and the largest in New York State with the exception of the Hudson. !n the short distance of a quarter of n mile in the village of Colton the river fulls ninety-two feet i;i a succession of cascades and roaring eludes, producing a scenic effect of wonderful beauty and impressive [lower. The hitler is now being converted Into electricity and wired to distant points. But Ihe Story of those happy days of his youth is best, told in Mr. Hepburn's own language. Lived as a "Regular Roy." "Skating and swimming, boating and sledding, became a second nature to me," he >ays. "Fishing; rendered captivating by the abundant supply in various lakes and streams; shooting, inspired by the manifold bird life, aquatic and land lived, local and migratory, as well as mammals, best represented by the deer and occasional moose, and earuivora, including the lynx, wolf, bear and cougar, naturally inclined every boy to become a disciple of Izaak Walton and Daidel Boone. Masculine ambition found expression in these channels and prowess with rod and gun was a generally coveted attainment. "At the age of seven I was the proud owner of a three and a half pound muzzle loading shotgun, and chipmunk and red squirrel filled the measure of my ambition. However, I soon coveted bigger game, black and gray squirrel, grouse anil pigeon. Then it was my happiest fortune lo possess a rifle, wilh its wider range and greater effectiveness. The lowly chipmunk was regarded with scorn and deer and dangerous animals thenceforth furnished the imagery of my dreams, and they alone could satisfy my big game aspirations. My big game was very difficult, was just beyond tin; skyline and changed in character, keeping step with trowing age, increasing strength and more efficient

firearms." Hero Mr. Hepburn pauses in his story to philosophize in this wise:—■ "The same evolution cliaratari7.es life. 'Man never is but always to be blest.' '.('lie criterion of success, .tjie measure of .our ambitions, changes with advancement; each succeeding height scaled broadens tilie horizon and brings within the range of vision greater possibilities and the unattainable of yesterday becomes the indispensable of to-morrow." Shoots Lions in the Open. II was undoubtedly Mr. Hepburn Hie banker who made that observation, but the passage derives additional significance from the experiences of Mr. Hopburn the sportsman, who sighted two lions on the horizon of an African plain about three years ago find after an exciting chase of two miles bad the good fortune to bring both animals to the ground. In this encounter bis youthful ambitions to shoot '"big game" Were fully realized. The first lion no sooner fell doa,;l with a bullel in his brain than Mr. Hepburn her.rd the second lion roar and saw the beast ready to spring. Again the banker's aim was true and the second lion was slain. Mr. Hepburn describes his feeling on this occasion as follows: "J had two lions, and I got them in the most approved manner. I did not shoot them at a kill from a boma nor shoot them from a tree. I got them in the great wide open after the most exciting horseback ride 1 ever experienced. It was great luck, availed of with good judgment and good execution, and 1 was satisfied. "Satisfied? Every fibre in my system tingled with delight, every sportsmanlike impulse, every mental process revelled in serene happiness." Mr. Hepburn admils that an African big game shoot costs money, time and hard work; it costs inconvenience and annoyance from inseetivora and ex- ; cessivo heat and involves exposures to possible locai and climatic disease, but the experience, the pleasure and the general satisfaction of the trip, he says, surpass all rest and all risk. It is Mr. Hepburn's belief I that a mention consists in "going away somewhere and getting another kind of a tire"—a tire which enables you to return and appreciate the comforts of j? your home, the society of your friends, the nobility of your calling and resume your functions as a useful factor In the economy of life with energy and Confidence. From Legislator to Financier. v; Mr. Hepburn began his career as a banker in 1880, . when he was appointed Superintendent of the Banking Department of the Stale of New York, an office which he held for three years. He had practised law and served five years in the Legislature. In IBSB he f Was made United Stales Bank Examiner for .New :• York and served in I hat capacity until 1802, when he became Controller of I he Currency under the Harrison administration. The following year lie accepted the presidency of the Third National Bank, and he held tjiat position until 1897, leaving it to accept the vice presidency of the iNaltonal City Bank, which he held until 1809. In 10U0 he was chosen president of the ' Chase National Bank, and in I'.H 1 he was elevated to the chairmanship of the Board of Directors, ji Mr. Hepburn also occupies a place on the directorates of a number of other large financial institutions and some of the largest industrial concerns in the country. He has been president of the New Vork Clearing House and also of the New York Chamber of Commerce. During all the years In- has been actively engaged in the banking business Mr. Hepburn has been i diligent student of the ureal financial and economic

problems tihat have confronted the nation and he has contributed in an important way to the discussion of these subjects. He was one of the leaders behind the campaign for "sound money" which was launched during the McKinley administration and helped to found the Academy of Political Science at Columbia University, which now has a membership of between four thousand and five thousand. As secretary and treasurer of the Sound Money League, organized by Mr. Henry Villard to conduct an educational campaign through the newspapers, the colleges and universities and various business associations, lie learned that the people of this country generally had only a hazy conception of the workings of their banking, and currency systems and knew even less about those of other countries. His Book on Finance. . "Every week." said Mr. Hepburn, "1 would receive thousands of letters from all parts of the United States asking for information on the subject. People would write in for some of the simplest facts regard ing our financial history. II soon became evident. that, (here wasn't any literature in existence that would enable (he student to find what he was looking for without doing a lot of unnecessary digging around, and that a book giving access to general information of that, character would supply a. public demand." Accordingly; Mr. Hepburn gathered up the facts

which he ha', collected and published them iu book form under the title of "The Contest for Sound Money." This volume was given a wide distribution, more than ten thousand copies being sent out to all the libraries in the country and the various colleges and universities. It carried the history of the country's currency down to the defeat of the free silver movement. Within the last year Mr. Hepburn has rewritleu that earlier work and supplemented it so that as now issued it covers the period from the adoption of the United States constitution down to the present time. The book came from the publishers a few weeks ago under the tiilo, "A History of Currency in the United States." It furnishes interesting ami instructive reading. The opening chapter tells how wampuincage, tobacco warehouse receipts and other queer instruments were used as currency during the Colonial period. Subsequent chapters deal fully and explicitly ivilh our coinage laws anil coinage by our mints. The book gives (he complete history of the national banking system and contrasts and compares the banking systems of the various Slates; >'l relates the history of legal tender notes and discusses them as a substitute for taxation, touching upon Ihe political history of the. period, these, notes having been made a political issue; the history of the silver controversy is fully told, especially from the so-calhtl '•crime of 1873." when the silver dollar was demonetized, down to the gold standard ad of 11)00. In the prefnee to his work Mr. Hepburn says:— "Fortunately, all schemes of dishonest finance have been signally defeated by the people, and

now we a*e reaping our reward. We stand forth pre-eminently as a nation whose credit, firmly based on a gold standard, is unimpaired; whose exchange is at a premium the world over, presaging a period of worldwide financial growth and development. The story of our financial history, from the early beginnings to the very superior Federal Reserve system upon which we have just entered, has the quality and charm of romance, alike interesting and instruc- • tive. This experience should be of great value a« a guiding influence in aiding us to fortify our present commercial standing and banking power." A gonoral review of the conditions which have developed since the European war broke out concludes with this statement: — '"The opportunity is golden. With improved banking facilities we can assert onrsefves as a nation, and the war necessities of other countries give us a great opportunity to become a creditor nation." ' That is the viewpoint of the banker and student who has shot "big game:" who has scaled the walls of the counting room and gaiued a vision of greater possibilities on the broadening horizon of the future. How He Writes Books. "How have you managed to find lime, between fulfilling your calling as a banker and your Quests for big game, to do as much writing as you. have?" Mr. „ Hepburn was asked.. "J! is all accomplished by the help of a system which I have employed for a number of years," he said. "Always when I do any work I do it so that it can. be preserved. Then it" the time comes when I may have occasion jo make use of facts and figures v.liich have been gathered for any purpose I can always turn back to them. In the course of his aetivtlies almost every man acquires a great deal of information. The great thing is to have ii in such form that it can be utilized when wanted. "Then, in the summer time I usually stay pretty dose t" home, as the saying goes. When the shootiug season is dosed and the fish are not biting there is not much to draw one away from the city. Almost everybody else g"e< out into the country, so that for about four mouths there are no social responsibilities to distract your attention, and [n that time you can do a great deal of quiet. SH*disturi;>ed thinking—eaa z9 home in the evening, put on your pajamas and get down to real serious work. "Some bright chap has remarked tLiat genius is liii.ety-five per cent perspiration aud five per cent inspiration. Well. 1 can d»i a g>H>d deal of work, when I perspire freely."