Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1888-08-25

| Does 1t Pay to Go Wssti
|. For many years past, and no doubt
lor many more to come, the vital aues-
hon with the young American, sWhere
san I do the best and soonest succeed ?"
has been and will continue to 60 right
On IN the vital business. I select the
following letter for replying purposes
rather than any other in my possession,
because 1T Is earnest, personal, and per
tinent:
write to ask your advice as o Western man
parentage going West to grow up with the coun-
try. II the West offers such O broad field for
advancement, why, then, do Western men such
you leave such fertile fields and pastures
/ nsw2
1t is true that great many Western
men come East to invest their surplus,
but if they had never gone West they
would not have had any surplus to in
vest.
The advantages of the West for the
young man consist in this, that he is
there given chance to show his gait
and demonstrate his merits. Nobody
asks him who his grandfather was and
why he came West He is tested and
indorsed or lynched, according to his
merits. That is not all. He is as good
man in q SIS suit of clothes and bob
tail genealogy as any other man, if he
be a good citizen and pan out all right.
The difference between the East and
| West is that in the new West less at
| tention is paid to forms and exteriors
than in the East. In the West q man
1 1xo l.
quired to behave himself. In the East
| millionaire can behave himself Sun
days and do as he pleases the rest of the
time.
But the chief advantage to young
man who has his way to make in the
world consists in this-that industry
and merit are at once recognized in all
new countries.
The last question is more or less
personal one, and it shows that the
man who wrote it was philosopher
In replying to it must not forget that
it is serious and sensible inquiry. My
own case is an exceptional one. In the
first place everybody is not allowed to
remain in the West. In one way the
West is democratic; in another it is ex-
elusive and aristocratic. It is no sign
that others may have to move East be-
cause did.
Seriously, let me say to the young
men who read this that if they are
made of the right kind of material they
can succeed sooner in the West on less
money and less crest than they can
where usages have been long establish
81 av,1 1,,a ILL.,
becoming more and more European.
In the West America sticks out more
prominently, and there is a degree of
freedom from the petty envies and
jealousies which curse the lives of |
those who live in older countries. I
could be poor and come nearer en-
joying it in the West than anywhere |
else. This is not surmise on my part. |
It is experience. Many writer's have
shown us where to go with capital to |
do the best, but what we want is infor-
nation that will help those who want
to know where they can get the most
enjoyment out of poverty, where good
citizen is wanted and welcomed.
The main difficulty with New York
and Boston boys in new countries is
homesickness and disappointment be-
cause good many institution to which
they have been accustomed are not to
be found. To succeed in the West a
young man must become part of his
adopted country, and loyal to it. He
must not act upon the principle that he
is still citizen of New York or Boston,
but in good earnest begin to be neces-
sary to the section of country he has re-
moved to.
And, after all, there is not so great
difference between the East and West.
All Western men, with the exception of
the Indians, were once Eastern men,
and Eastern money makes the West
successful. Let no young man from
large Eastern city console himself with
the notion that he is comforting favor
on the West by removing to that part
of the country. The fact that he is
there at all is proof that he came there
to better his condition, and he cannot
conceal it. He who goes West solely
to teach the untutored pioneer the ele-
ments of refined civilization will not
endear himself to his community, for
the humble pilgrim who walks into a
new town in the Territories and goes to
work attending to his own affairs is
more apt to return to the East some
day in Pullman car than the man who
enters the place preceded by silver
cornet band
The West, of course, is not what it
used to be, for modern improvements
have reached everywhere and the
frontier is pretty we'll narrowed down,
but there is still plenty of amusement,
excitement, and instruction for the in
curing mind.
I have said seriously what I have
said, because this will answer q ques-
ton that have been often asked. A