New-York tribune., 1890-05-04
COLLEGE MEN IN BUSINESS
ySWERING ANDREW CARNho1H
n,oNrxrxT AND SUCCESSFUL GRAD' Alho
EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS

EXPRESS THEIR NIE"o
,,. vuo RELIEVE THEY OWE NhNNN' "'-D
THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS TO IOO'N--''
,,,xr EXCEPTIONS TO Mr.. CAR
xrGIE,s RULE-A LONG LIsl iN
xrw.yoRK CITY ALONE
n The Tribune of April 10 Anui." ,mn,,ior
d,.cussed at length the iasci"'. ahourded
Uow 10 Win Fortune lhc and caused
!, vigorous and striking s'a'cin' ,i-. -, tho
wide interest and comment aanoatior for
old question Of the value oi ns"'
~. hnsios.s man Nj Carnegie salu
'"c ,rro Of the college gTdqat,S IN every
s,v, inv ni .iars should be uGoI' I IN elI 0uartcrs
have inquired and searched f him. Nor is this
n,n The przctakers have 700 ',crrd for the race
Start Of the graduate; ,! uc in the most valuable Of all
~ wears for learning anyI..H has hecn learning A
twenty wiiT s' Sa,haroas ard petty squabbies 3i a
,S ,rs,sHt past or trying TO master ntcd for lie
are dead, SUI" ia"et than this a. iar a, buslh.s -
upon another pS%sd future captain Of Gdgss
Is hoty engaged in the sfnCG' ,o or his fntu trHmphs
te Ne'1 MOI sDsak of effect OF colesc enH s"m upon
Young me. ,n,ai absence of the graduate IRON! hRh
rsl,1on in The business world seems 10 !us'nS ,
.onu rsSs IN that domain The graduate has not the
,ctes 70 chance entering at twenty, against the boy
VEN, The Office. who beams as sNlpphS 'erK Al
tonrteen The facts prove TINS
such a statement from man who is so marked
=, exanple of success, is deeply serious to the
vounr man Just entering college II he Is In
tending 10 devote himself 10 business after grad
nation. or if he is not actually predetermined
toward profession, he is-should Mr.. Carnegie
be correct--actually ieopardizing his future sue
cess by a college training.
1t is plain. however, that there is another s.de
10 this question, and The Tribune has obtained
the opinions of representative college graduates
in business who like Mr. Carnegie, can speak with
the weight of experience and success. They have
all sprung instantly to the defence of college
training for every one who can possibly obtain
il, as positive and increasing benefit in any oc-
cupation that may be chosen. The deep earnest
ness of each may he seen from the fact that they
spoke while plunged in the days business sew
eral talking watch in hand, as engagements ap-
preached
CHACNCEY NJ DEPEW.
Here is what Chauncey NJ. Depcw found time
TO say upon this highly interesting subject;
TT is only within few years that the college
man has thought that it comported with his
dignity TO go into business. In looking over an
nually the canvasscs made by the members of the
cent of them were destine- for the professions and
in that include journalism and teaching"
business and commercial success now so com
pletcly dominates the public Judgment and imagi-
nation that it has dwarfed the Cabinet Minister
and United States Senator so that their person.
ality. movements and opinions are no longer po-
tential and hardly influential. Even the
leaders of the bar and the most eminent men in
the pulpit do not now have, comparatively, any
thing like the social position and leadership which
they did quarter Of a century ago. The road 10
distinction social consideration, and often wealth,
was formerly through the professions. Now il is
through business The great bankers. merchants,
manufacturers and masters of transportation form
the real leadership in every community, and the
struggle is for their recognition and place beside
them.
This is leading college men, in constantly IN
creasing numbers each year, TO turn their atten-
ton 10 business OF course if a man has not the
grit in him, and the nameless qualities which
make success, il is of little account whether he
is educated or not. The question. as understand
il. is whether, with eqeal health. talent energy
and special capacity for success, the boy who be
gan sweeping the store or working in the shop at
fourteen will beat in the end boy who has the
advantages of college education In other words
have the eight years passed in the preparatory
school and the university acquiring many thines
which would be useless in the factory or store been
thrown away? Ny observation leads me 10
directly the contrary opinion. The col
lcge-bred man, under equal conditions
Of capacity and health, has a trained intellect.
disciplined mind, store Of information and
breadth Of grasp, with the fearlessness which il
entails, that enable him to catch up and pass
his rival The technical schools, whose useful
,e l,,;+
ability takes the lead and the technical school
gives in a certain sense university education
Hundreds of college graduates within the last
five years have begun in the various departments
of railway work at the bottom. They were firing
on the locomotive, working in the machinc-shop,
switching in the yards, keeping books in the
ueasurers office, serving in the freight and
passenger departments, and my observation OF
them for this period has demonstrated the value
of college education
] never met self-madc man in my life who
did not firmly believe that he had been handi-
capped, no matter how great bis success. by
deficiency in education and who was not deter.
mined 10 give his children the advantages OF
which he felt not only in business but in his
intercourse with his fellow-men, 50 greatly in
need. 1t used 10 be popular thcory that strong
men who had won great places In the business
world would have been ruined if they had been
educated. The better belief is that on account Of
genius and special capacity the succeeded in spite
OF their disadvantages. 1t is the old question OF
.ne trained boxer, runner athlete, debatcr sol
dler as against unskilled strength and courage.
Whatever the popular delusions, in the trials
'here never has been but one result"
SETH LOWS ANSWER.
l am unwilling" said Seth Low, president Of
.o'umoia college, =" to enter any controversy with
'Hr' cdfne2e, without some consideration, but !
certainty 90 not agree with his assertion" TAX
.ne n niue time 10 consider President Low JUS
'ii,eu MS dissent with this statement:
TIL rave nave read with interest Mr. Carnegles article I'm
I'D LII @.,VuIe Like all his uttcrances IL is suggestive
an anu wen worth. reading. | should be sorry however
% agree with him In this statement. "Thn almost