Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1878-04-04
Wasting Capital.

No great career without good health
No great health without virtuous habits.
The capital Of house OF business is not
Its money and effects. but the brain. the
knowledge, the intelligent force which it
wieds. Its money Is one OF the tools with
which II works; its business talent is that
which made 1t and keeps It great.
There IL rumor about in the world OF
business that the present heads of the house
OF Rothschld are not men Of much ability :;
but there Is stored away in the invisible
Golfers Of that great house prodigious
stock OF knowledge. traditions. rules, hab-
It's, and customs-tbe accumulation of a
hundred years-the rich Inheritance of the
house from its able founders. There Is so
much In the concern of this precious kind
OF capital, that men of only ordinary ability
can carry on the business for n long period
OF time with apparent success. Neverthe-
less, II the brains are ont the business will
die It may be a hundred years in dying
such vigorous life was infused into II by
the founder-but II will die at last.
How often do we see illustrations of this
truth The brains are withdrawn from a
we'll established concern, and in some mys
terious way IL declines, and finally collap-
scs. People say. "The old man took out
too much capital" meaning that he with
drew a certain sum Of money. In fact, he
withdrew all the capital, for he took away
all the brains. Aud when | say brains do
not mean merely the thinking faculty, but
sGch qualities a. patience and sef-control.
which the man OF great and sound brain
possesses.
A thousand dollars Is good thing to
have. but there are two ways Of getting il
earning Il and stealing it. We can steal
il in moment but 1t Is 4 dangerous and
dastsrdy action. Earning ii Ia long and
laborious, and often painful; but when we
have wen il, Ii Is ours against all the world ::
II is possession good itself and leading to
other good. Getting II was a benefit, hav-
ing il Is benefit, spending 1t is benefit,
and even losing 1t may be a benefit. What
Is true of the thousand dollars is true also
OF things more precious than money, and
which Il IL more common to steal.
There are fity young men in the same
store or shop. The foreman and partners
ara more advanced In life than they; and,
according TO the course Of nature, their
places must ere long be filled by some Of
these young men who are now serving in
humble capacities. Which OF them shall it
be? II will be those who do not waste their
brains. IL will be those who live purely
and expand their intellect in acquiring the
knowledge and sei-command which the
head OF an esta ollshment must possess.
slftlng process Is continually going on
in the world and in all places OF business,
by which the men who are fitted 10 be mas
ters are selected from the mass. and put in
their proper places. Those who cannot
govern Themselves. seldom get chance to
govern others. aud il they get a chance
they do not keep il long. On the other
hand. It may be laid down as an almost in.
variable rule that in the United States
every person who Is truly ilt and able to
play leading part in business, to direct
I wisely the labor or the minds OF others
does at length attain the position for which
he Is fitted. There is no keeping him down.
Young man may keep himself down; he
may waste the power of his brain aud the
y.or Of his health by vice; he may neglect
the opportunity to gain mastery over the
details OF his occupation; he may sQuander
the priceless days of his youth; but the
right man can seldom be kept down by
others.
Mark this. young man; \ our chance
will come il YOU deserve It, You may have
to wait long for 1t. but 1t will come! Make
the most and the best OF the place you now
have, and it will conduct you to a better
one by and by