The Greene County Republican. [volume] (Waynesburg, Pa.) 185?-1867, 1867-03-06
From the NnW York Ur.hrn,
'O'ii UhN Nv" loIh iitONRe,
ASPIRATIONS TO BE RICH.

A youth writes us as follows-and his
case Is like that of so many others that we
treat it thus publicly, suppressing his
name
"Dear Sir l.: I am poor boy. l
would like to get rich. Now what shall
| do? | would ike to quit this section
| don't want to remain on my fathers
farm, Please give me the best advice
you can, and oblige, Yours, C. G. 81
Aaswer,-The aspiration to be rich
though by no means the highest that
can impel a career-is, in our view,
wholesome and laudable. The youth
who says, Let me be rich any ho,c, aud
before all other considerations, is very
likely to bring up in some State Prison;
but he who consistently says, Let me
first be just, honest, moral, dillgent, USE
full ; then rich,' Is on the right road.
Every boy ought to aspire to be rich,
provided he can be without unfaithful-
ness to social obligation or to moral
principle,
But how shall he set about getting 6
rich We would concisely say
l. Firmly reso've never to Que a deJt.
1t is the fundamental mistake of most
boys to suppose that they can get rich
faster on money earned by others than
on that earned respectively by Them
selves Ifevory youth of IS to % years
were to-day offered $4,000 for ten
years at seven per cent. interest, two.
thirds of them would eagerly accept it {;
when the probable consequence is that
three fourths OF them would die bank
rupts and paupers. Boys do not need
money half so much as the need to know
how to earn and save it, The boy who,
at the close OF his first year of indepen.
dence, has earned and saved 500, and
invested or loaned it where it will pay
him six or seven per cent, will almost
surely become rich if he lives ; while he
who closes his first year of responsibility
in debt, will probably live and die in
debt, There is no greater mistake
made by our American youth than that
Of choosing to pay interest rather than
receive it. Interest devouers us while
we sleep it absorbs our profits and ag-
gravates our losses. Let young man
at twonty,fve have $1,000 loaned on
bond and mortgage or invested in pubs
lie securities and he will rarely want
money thereafter in fact, that 81 900,
invested at seven per cent, will of itself
make him rich before he IS sixty. There
is no rule more important or wholesome
for our boys than that which teaches
them to 60 through life receiving inter~
est rather than paying it. OF the tor.
ments which afflct this mortal sphere,
the first rank is held by Crime the soc-
ond by Debt. '
III. Acquirc promptly and Thoroughly
some usetM calling.--Some pursuits are
m ore lucrative, some more respectable,
some more agreeable, than Others but
a chimney,sweep's is far better than
none at all No matter how rich his
parents may be, boy should learn a
trade no matter how poor he may be,
O boy may learn some trade If he will
This City is full to>day of young (and
old) men who have been clerks aud
book-keepers, porters, &c, DO, yet
san find nothing to do, and are starving
because their foolish parents did not give
hem trades. A trade is an estate, and
almost always q productive one. A
good, efficient farm.laborer can general
y find paying work if he does not insist
in looking tor it in city where II can
not well be while many college grad
uate fanishes because nobody wants the
only work he knows how 10 do. Let
nothing prevent your acquiring skill in
some branch Of productive industry.
III Resolve not to be a ouer.---'A roll
ling stone gathers no moss but is cons
stantly ,humped and knocked, and often