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As an illustration of the
care one should take in attempting to help others of whom we know
nothing, I cite a recent experience of mine. At the request of a man who
was offered parole if I would promise to employ him, I went to San
Ouentin Prison to see him. The warden said he could not recommend me to
help him. hut he had a real bright prisoner about to be released, who
had charge of the office, and whom he could recommend me to help. I went
to see this man on two different occasions, and found all the warden
said of him to be correct, there being no question as to the possibility
of Ins becoming a fit member of society.
On Ins release I sent him
to China so as to give him every opportunity of starting life a new, and
did not let any one know where he came from. He arrived in Shanghai, but
instead of reporting at our office he turned up in what is known as the
"tenderloin," got on a drunk, signed my son's name to a check for $50,
which he attempted to cash. As the check was drawn on a bank with which
we had no account, payment was refused and he was arrested.
While awaiting his trial,
he got so well in the graces of the jailer that he obtained possession
of the keys and late one evening headed the other jail-birds to the
tenderloin resorts. A policeman became suspicious of him and on general
principles arrested him and delivered him to the jailer; this was the
first intimation the latter had that his prisoners had fled. Finally he
was tried and sentenced to San Ouentin for five years. A deputy marshal
was sent with him to Nagasaki with instructions to put him on a
transport. Just before the arrival of the transport at Nagasaki, he got
the marshal so drunk that he had to go to bed. Then he got a Norwegian
sailor so drunk he did not know what he was doing, and, taking the
commitment papers out of the marshal's pocket, and incidentally his
money, took the Norwegian on board the transport, produced the court
order and reported, "here is your man," got the paper receipted by the
captain for the correct delivery of the prisoner, who was promptly
locked up aboard the transport and sailed for San Francisco.
He returned to the
marshal, and put the receipt in his pocket. When the latter awoke from
his drunken sleep and found the receipt, he thought he had put the
prisoner on board the transport, but had no recollection of it. On
arrival of the transport in San Francisco the Norwegian was promptly
turned over to the warden at San Quentin. The man protested that he was
innocent, but that is so common in prisons, no one took it seriously.
On return to our friend.
He left Nagasaki for Yokohama, where he put up at the Grand Hotel. But
the marshal's money did not last long, and he again got into the hands
of the police, was tried and sentenced to two months in a Japanese jail.
When he got out a deputy sheriff was waiting to escort him to Shangha;
where he was placed in the same cell with the deputy marshal whom he had
last seen in Nagasaki. The marshal had been arrested on complaint from
San Quentin that he had delivered the wrong man to the transport, as the
Norwegian finally convinced his consul that he had committed no crime,
and he was released. The marshal got a term in prison, and our friend
was sentenced this time to Bilibib prison, Manila.
A short time ago in
looking over the books of a bank in Manila, I saw where he had borrowed
$5000 and had gone into business. I wanted to give him another
opportunity and did not tell the bank manager that I had been acquainted
with him, but cautioned him to get the money back as soon as he could. I
have not heard from him since, but I feel sure he is busy doing
something, whether it is good or bad remains to be seen. What a pity it
is, that a fellow with such ability should not turn it to good instead
of to bad account.
In August I received an
urgent appeal to address a meeting of merchants and manufacturers in
Calgary, Alberta Province, B. C., on Foreign Trade, a subject that they
did not know much about, situated as they are in the interior of Canada.
About six hundred
listened to my talk. From Calgary I went to Edmonton where I addressed a
crowded house. They were much impressed with the necessity for foreign
trade, as most of them had thought, before hearing me, since they were
in the interior of the country it was immaterial to them whether they
bad foreign trade or not; but, when it was explained to them that they
were producing more than they could consume and that the surplus must be
sold foreign or their product would be a glut om the market and lower
prices would prevail, they became fully aware of its importance, and
inquiries came from all directions as to what they must do to get more
of it. While there, I was the guest of the Government and the Canadian
Pacific Railway. I had a very enthusiastic reception at all of the
meetings, and although it was considerable of a tax on my time, I was
well repaid by the results.
COMMENTS OF TI1E CALGARY
PRESS
"One of the most forceful
addresses came from Captain Robert Dollar, president of the Dollar
Steamship Lines, on 'The Necessity of Foreign Trade and Canada's
Opportunity in the Far East.' He spoke out of a ripe experience
regarding trade in the Orient, especially in China, and gave Canada some
very splendid advice. Then with the naturalness of a pulpit orator he
said:
"II believe there is
better opportunity for trade in China than in any other part of the
globe. We business men deserve no credit in securing this foreign trade.
It is the missionaries who deserve the credit. They preceded us and made
it possible for us to trade in China and other foreign countries.' It
was a deserving tribute to the efforts of the Christian Church, that
this large audience of business men loudly applauded the statement.
"It is only of recent
years, since means of travel have become so rapid and comfortable. that
business men touring the world in search of foreign trade, have come to
see the wonderful work of the church in its missionary propaganda. They
have met it on every hand and marvelled at the religious, educational
and social work done by the representatives of the church in foreign
lands. They have come to admire the courage, faith and self-sacrifice of
men and women who did real pioneer work, facing hostile peoples,
persecuting governments, alien religions, tropical diseases and untold
hardships. They have been compelled to admit that the heroes of the
battlefield have never excelled the heroes of the mission field; that
the missionaries have been the pathfinders in the dark places of the
earth, to be followed by the trader, the capitalist, and the organizer,
who have explored and developed the countries.'"
On the first of September
the American Fleet came into San Francisco Bay. It was a holiday and we
went to Sausalito, but the crowd of automobiles was so great we could
not get near the town so we went to Fort Barry near Point Bonita from
which we had a good view. It was an inspiring sight and convinced us,
who had so long been advocating the importance of the commerce of the
Pacific Ocean, that at last, after so long a wait, our Government had
its eyes opened to the fact that in a very few years the center of the
world's commerce would be on this ocean. But even yet it is impossible
for Europeans and our people living in Eastern States to realize that
this is rapidly coming to pass. When you consider that only eighty years
ago the Pacific Coast had only a scattered population of white men; less
than fifty years ago the first steamship crossed the ocean from America
to China; that the entrances and clearances at Pacific Coast ports,
twenty years ago were 5,825,293 tons; ten years ago 6,384,800 tons; and
for the year 1920 amounted to 12,127,886 gross tons. If the same ratio
of increase continues, you can see how soon the Pacific will exceed in
tonnage that of the Atlantic; but we cannot hope for this rapid growth
to continue.
But, with the development
of China going on as rapidly as it is, we can see clearly whence the
great increase is to come. The Philippine Islands have made remarkable
progress as evidenced by their trade returns of last year, 467,587,387
as compared with five years ago 206,250,375, and ten years ago
180,695,648. The tonnage of the ships has changed very much. Twenty
years ago the lumber to China was all carried in small sailing vessels,
eighteen years ago the first of our steamers carried a full cargo of
lumber at rates much lower than sailing vessels were getting; in fact we
had great difficulty in persuading anyone to give us a steamer cargo, so
I came to the conclusion that if we were to stay hi the business we must
furnish our own lumber cargoes. It was fortunate for us that we were
compelled to do this as we now have a permanent business for our
steamers.
The size and speed of
steamers have increased very much as the years have gone on. A 6000-ton
deadweight steamer was a big one twenty years ago, and an eight or nine
knot speed was considered satisfactory. Now we think of 10,000 or 12,000
tons deadweight as about the right size, and about a twelve knot speed.
The last steamer we bought, the Robert Dollar, could carry 16,000 tons
and steam twelve knots. In former days 3,000,000 feet of lumber was a
good cargo. This last addition will carry nearly 10,000,000 feet. As far
as carrying lumber to the Far Fast goes, the sailing vessels are
completely out of. It looks as if we had reached the maximum size of
steamers, but in these years of progressive improvements it is not safe
to prophesy.
Within my recollection
the first Atlantic cable was laid; the telephone was introduced;
wireless has been developed; improvements in the use of steam have been
very great; the propellor has been introduced, since I was a boy, and
superseded the paddle steamer. In those days every steamer was fitted
with sails and depended to a great extent on them for propulsion. Now we
do not see a sail on a steamer. Internal combustion engines are
gradually being introduced, but on account of their complicated
machinery the progress has been slow. There must be many improvements
made, however, before they will be in general use. I believe, however,
this class of engine has come to stay, as the saving in fuel is so great
that if it only can be made more practical it will supersede the steam
engine.
I had occasion to visit
Ottawa, Canada, on business, and had a very pleasant time meeting the
few- men who are alive, whom I knew when I was a boy working there. I
was especially pleased to have a long talk with the grand old lumberman,
I. R. Booth, who has passed his ninety-third birthday. I worked for him
more than sixty years ago. I also had a very pleasant time with W. C.
Edwards and chatted with Hiram Robinson, who is near his ninetieth
birthday. It is sad, however, to think how few there are left. Mr.
Robinson and Sir James Grant have died since my visit. I always have a
very kindly feeling for the place where I started work, even though it
was under very adverse and the most difficult conditions, and with
hardships and under working conditions that are unknown to the working
men of today; but I look back at those times with the feeling that it
was those conditions that developed the man in me that perhaps never
would have shown up if I had not been brought up in that hard school of
practical experience.
Before leaving New York
for home I made an offer for about twenty acres of land at Hunt's Point,
fronting on the East River in the Borough of Bronx. On arrival at Omaha
I received a telegram that my bid had been accepted. On this land we
will erect warehouses and wharves so that our ships will get the best
despatch possible and at a minimum of cost. The present cost of handling
ships in New York is out of all reason, hence our determination to build
a terminal and keep our expenses down to a minimum. It will also be
necessary for us to build a mile of railroad as soon as we get a
franchise; but, as we have secured a right of way, we hope to have as
good a terminal in the City of New York as we have in Shanghai.
OFFICE BUILDING AND WAREHOUSE AT OUR TERMINUS, SHANGHAI |
