Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-07-16
SHALL THE YOUNG MAN 90


A sam Francisco paper has written an
open letter to q young man OF Waldo
boro, Me-, who wrote TO inquire what
the chances were ofhissucceeding if he
went to California, and the answer made
to the question Is one which is worthy
of extended circulation, as it applies in
part not only to California, but to the
entire country. The Blllstin says ifthe
applicant has trade which he thor
oughly understands, and is not afraid to
work hard, that there is an exceedingly
good chance Of his getting along, and in
time of his making money. The State
is as vet unsettled, in the sense that it
could without trouble support
several million people, and hence
there is an abundance OF room
for those who, come to be
a part of the bone and sinew OF the
community. But for unSkilled labor, or
for those without capital, who desire
light work in offices, there is not the
least demand, the supply being already
Tar in exvess OF all possible require
rment for \ long time to come. The
B,lletia therefore advises its questioner,
ii he belongs to this latter class, to stay
where he is, without he is so fortunate
as to arrange in advance for some posi-
lion which he can enter into as soon as
ne arrives OH the Pacific slope. The adj
vice is good, and can be given at present
to those living in the country, who are
thinking of going in search OF expioy-
ment to any Of our large cities. Until
one has tried it, he can form no idea OF
how hard il is To find employment
for men who are simply unframed
laborers. No matter how willing they
are, there is little that they can do, and
for this little there is a host OF COMPETE
tors. Those who are fairly educated,
who desire to enter stores and offices,
find that they have TO take their chances
with young men who, for the purpose OF
acquiring knowledge of the business,
are willing to serve tor two or three
wears without any pay. Ii they possess
some special training, can sell boots and
shoes, or sort wool, or understand the
rudiments of any one OF a hundred
forms of business, their chances are i'm
mensely improved; but the tendency Of
time is 10 make all men specialists; that
is, that they should, in order to get
along well, understand some particular
art, profession or craft. The period
when young man could come green
from the country, and find his way
speedily to the top ofthe mercantile lad
der, has long since passed away, never
to return.
Even rs a farmer the chances for a
Young man TO acquire foothOld and a
competency i'm a strange land are every
year growing more limited. Every year
the competition is more formidable even
in the remote West. Every year the
number of men who succeed in acquir-
ing farms OF their own will be diminish
ed. The free-holderS, after while, will
be those to whom has been transmitted
the estate of their ancestors. The young
men, even OF our mountain State, who
are so fortunate as to havea business to
step into, however modest, will, as a
rule, fare better in life's race il they res
olutely turn their energies to developing
what has already been begun for them,
than in spending the prime of life in
conquering theobstacles to "a start" in
a new country.