Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1889-05-18
HOW TO SUCCEED.
BY ANDREW CARNEGIE.

ANDhEW IA
You are about to start in life, and
it is we'll that the Young men should
begin at the beginning, and occupy
the most subordinate position. Many
of the leading business men OF Pitts
burg had serious responsibility
thrust upon them at the very thresh.
hold of their career. They were in.
troduced to the broom, and spent the
first hour Of their business lives
sweeping out the Office.
Twas sweeper myself, and who do
you suppose my fellow sweepers
were' David McCargo, now super
intendent of the Allegheny Gumber.
land Valley Railroad; Robert Pit
cairn, superintendent of the Penn
sylvania Railroad, and Mr.. More.
land. city attorney of Pittsburg.
Begin at the beginning, but aim
high. / would not give 4 fig for a
young man who does not already see
himself the partner, or the head of
an important firm.
There are three dangers in your
path: the first is the drinking of
liquor, the second is speculation, aud
the third is endorsing"
When l was telegraph operator
in Pittsburg, / new all the men who
specialized. They were not our citi.
zens of good repute; they were re,
garded with suspicion. / have lived
to see all of them ruined, bankrupt
in money and bankrupt in character.
There are scarcely any instances of
men who have made fortune by
speculation, and kept it. The man
who craps the morning papers to see
how his speculative ventures are
likely 10 result units himself for the
calm consideration and proper solu.
tion OF business problems, with which
he has to deal later in the day, and
saps the sources of that persistent
and concentrated energy upon which
depends success, and often the very
safety Of his main business. The
thorough man of business knows
that only by years Of patient, unre.
uniting attention to affairs can he
earn his reward, which is the result
not of chance, but of well-devised
means for the attainment OF ends.
Nothing is more essential toyoung
business men than untarnished cred
it,and nothing kills credit sooner than
knOwledgein any bank board that the
a man engages in speculation. How
can a man be credited whose re.
sources may be swept away in one
hour by a panic among gamesters !
Resolve to be business men, bnt
spectators never.
The third danger is the perilous
habit of endorsing notes. 1t appeals
to the generous instincts, and you
say, How can refuse to lend my
name only, to assist friend ~ Ii is
because there is so much true and
commendable in that view that the
the practice is so dangerous. If Won
owe anything, all your capital and
all your effects are solemn trust in
your hands to be held inviolate for
the security OF those who have trust.
ed you. When man in debt en-.
dOrses for another, it is not his own
credit or his own capital that he
risks +; it is the money of his creditors.
Therefore, say that il you are ever
called upon to endorse. never do it
unless you have cash means not re.
quired for your own debts, aud new
er endorse beyond those means.
There is one sure mark ofthe com.
ing millionaire his revenues always
exceed his expenditures. He begins
to save as soon as he begins to earn.
Capitalists trust the saving young
man. For every hundred dollars
you can produce as the result of
hard-won savings, Midas, in search
of partner, will lend on credit
thousand; for every thousand, fifty
thousand.
And here is the prime condition
ofsnccess, the great secret; concen-
trate your energy, thought and CAPT.
tai exclusively upon the business in
which you are engaged. Having
begun in one line, resolve to fight it
out on that line to lead in it; adopt
every Improvement, have the best
machinery and know the most about
it.
Finally, do not be impatient, for,
as Emerson says,s No one can cheat
you ont of ultimate success but your
selves. - Youths Companion.