A BUILDER OF EMPIRE.

Colonist, Volume LII, Issue 12720, 16 February 1910, Page 4

A BUILDER OF EMPIRE.

Forty years ago Tain Shaughnessy, a poor lad in Wisconsin, joined a railway- in St. J/aul, starting at the bottom of the ladder. .Nature liad given Jiini parents to be pioud of and good righting Irish blood in Ids veins — not a bad beginning in luc 'JL'o-day lie possesses more actual power than many a king. He is head 01 the greatest railway iv the world. JMghty thousand picked men gladly do his bidding. The line over which he presides is the veritable back-bone of the premier of the British over-seas dominions. Tiie Canadian Pacific Ataiiway stretches from the waters of th© Atlantic to the Pacific ; its steamers do their business from Antwerp %o Hongkong and from Liverpool to Shanghai. For a man to be born in the West is, for those able to seize their opportunities, to be a favourite of fortune. -Thomas Shaughncssy started when the West was _in the beginning of its making. He rose rapidly trora post to post on the fSt. Paul system, and 13 years later lie was invited to join the Canadian Pacific .Railway. How lias Sir Thomas Shaughnessy succeeded ? How, above all, has he managed to retain the vigour, the strength, and the buoyancy which to-day display themselves in his bearing and incisive speech, despite his tremendous duties? First, he works on system. He is a ruler, and, as every great railroad president must be, lie is largely an autocrat. Ho is an untiring student of detail, and nothing is too small for his attention. He plans, but he leaves the execution, to others, while keeping in constant touch with all sides of tho work. He is master of his work, and is a strong believer in the theory that he works best who remembers that work is not all. During office hours he is a machine, mastering, directing, controlling. "When he leaves office he leaves business cares behind. "1 never want to see my secretary when business hours are over," he declares. "Tho busiest man should be" able to end his work in business hours, and should have evenings clear for home and family and friends." Ib is not given to many men to see within a few years such evidences of success mark their work. As the railway king contemplates tho 14,000 miles of track under his control, the main Canadian telegraph system in his hands, the lines of hotels under him, examples to any in the world, and the great communities created by the deliberate activities of his emigration agencies, he may well feel pride. The development of tho Canadian Pacific Railway has brought not merely wealth, titles and great power to its creators. It has brought new empire to Great Britain and prosperity to millions.