Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1857-04-02
llSGlhl D a u gOUS,
THE PHILOSOPHY OF BUSINESS.
BY MR.. v. b. PALMER.

Of Business at the Wagner Institute, Fhir-
teenlh and Spring Garden streets. The
audience was large, many persons being
| compelled to stand, while others could not
even get within the room-second story,
Spring Garden Hall.
Mr.. Palmer began by stating that, sim
guar as it, might appear, there was no
work extant on the subject, nor has any
effort been made 10 present the Philosophy
OF Business before any people. In at.
tempting il he was fully aware that he
would accomplish il very imperfectly.
A successful business is a compound
of the intellectual and physical. He is
not mechanical mean between them, but
what might be called new substance; he
differs from the man of mere intellect on
the one hand. and the dull, plodding ma
chine on the other. The time was when
"business" was busy-ness, and man got
along if he kept active and always al ii:
but ii is SO no longer. A man must be
reasonably active 10 succeed now, but he
must also be thinker, philosopher -
The more intellect he can put-inlo his ac-
ton the better; and without good deal he
is run over-left out of sight-Ios!
The speaker said that we are told of
the great development of maieralism in
the present sge, but il is also great age
intellectually, and to keep pace with it we
need TO use the new modes of action
which belong 10 it.
The press, for instance, must be used,
and is used by business men. grea'
part of the producers and ali lie distribu-
tors of goods DO business just so far as
they are known-their capacity is only
limited by tie circle circumscrbing their
notorlely; they might sell twice as much
if they were known twice as far; and the
press gives them the means Of being
known twice as far-the only trouble is
that they have not the brains, often, to
comprehend such an investment as liberal
advertising.
Mr.. Palmer advised all young men 10
mix thought with their toil--lo understand
the times in which they live aud take ev-
ery means 20 promote business success
don't 60 by donkey when you may go so
much faster by steam! The speaker went
on 10 show the absolute necessity of un-
derstanding The philosophy of business,
inasmuch as every man Is Interested in it
to the extent of his living. He argued,
too, that women should gain correct
knowledge of its principles, because in
many instances they were forced to main
tain their families-and occasionally
husband to boot. He defended the capa-
city of women and maintained their ability,
not only to succeed but even TO make for
tunes. He thought it great mistake for
women not to understand business.
1t is absurd for men to pitch headlong
into business without understanding it, and
and as an evidence, the speaker stated that
it was fact, that large majority of those
who undertake business fail in Ten years!
Surely, such results would NOT be satisfac-
tory 10 the proficients in any science prop
ery taught; and if it occurred in--for in
stance, Navigaton-inquiry would soon
be made for reliable principles on which
to go. Directors may say that young
men are generally brought up in business
establishments, and are therefore instruct
ed in correct business principles; this the
speake. denied, and said that in very
many cases the very proprietors of the
establishment did not understand the prin
ciples which governed their own business,
and frequently attributed their success to
insufficient causes.
Mr.. Palmer discussed other objections,
and then went on to say that it did not
require great talents to do business sue
cessrully, FOR all that is necessary is that
an individual understand and carry out the
principles by which each should be gov
erned. There have been, however, many
successful men of business who could not
intelligently tell by what principle they
had succeeded.
''lt Is success that colors all in life;
Success makes fools admired, makes villains
honest
All the proud virtue of this vaunting world
Fawns on success and power howe'er acquired" F"
Some men who have wit enough to fol-
low the advice of those whose judgment