The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1875-04-02
ENTERPRISE.
The Lecture Of Col w. Il. Sparks.

Col. w. II. Sparks, of Atlanta, in
compliance with an invitation of the
Young Mems Literary Association
delivered an admirable lecture at the
Court House, last Monday night,
before a crowded audience of ladies
and gentlemen. He was introduced
bv Col. James w. Robertson in a
glowing tribute, as a gentleman OF
culture. wisdom and refinement, a
native Georgian, recently a citizen
Louisiana, but now again a citizen
of Georgia.
Col. Sparks subject vas "Enter-
PRISE" and it was handled with ease
and force. 1t was repiete with a
fund of anecdote, apt illustration,
and historical incidents. lie said
the three modern epochs were the
birth of Christ, the discovery of the
Art of Printing, and the discovery
&c America. These three things
had welded a greater influence and
given more progress to civilization,
than everything else combined.--
He attributed much to the diffusion
of knowledge by the printing press,
and forcibly alluded to the indomlt-
Die, restless and enterprising spirit
of the Apglo>Saxon race. The
grandest achievements of inventive
genius are the results of enterprise.
The spinning wheel, the cotton gin,
the loom, the locomotive, the tele'
graph, the steamboat, and all the
labor saving machines, have been
brought into existence by men of
energy and enterprise. In this pro-
gressive age, we live and learn more
in one year than the ancients did in
ten. Work, work, work that is
the secret of magnificent achieve
ments and splendid success. He
could recite you numerous instances
of poor boys who had climbed to
fame and wealth. There is no eX-
ceIlence without labor. He would
impress it upon the young men of to-
day the importance of work. Pam
pered Iaziness was no title to respec-
liability. The ladies work and
many of them supported drunken
and profigate husbands. tie would
urge the young ladies to scornfuIly
turn their backs upon any young
man who visited the billiard and
drinking saloons, idIing his time
away, living eff of the labor of 9TH
ers, refusing to put his hands to the
pillow. How many young men have
you walking the streets, smoking
cigars, who play billiards, drink
lager beer and shine lamp posts with
their backs There are enough
grown men and young men "doing
nothing in Georgia, who, if they
would go to work, could make 400,
600 bales Of cotton annually. This
is what causes so much complaint Of
hard times. We have plenty Of la
Dor if We could only utilize it. We
have too many who are too proud to
work, too honest to steal, and have
not sufficient constitution to staIye.
No matter how rich, parents should
give their sons a trade or calling Of
some kind in the pursuit of which
they could earn az honest living and
add TO the prosperity Of the country.
lie had raised nine sons, five Ct
whom fell in the Confederate army,
but he had raised them all to work.
The men who have succeeded are
those Of enterprise and pluck, who
have rolled up their sleeves and
were not too proud to work
Col. Sparks spoke about an hour
and rivited the attention of his large
audience from beginning to end
He is a man of profound thought,
extensive knowledge, and of practi>
cal ideas, and as a speaker pleasant,
interesting and entertaining.