The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-06-17
MUST STAND ALONE.
Advice to Men and Women Who In
tend to Earn Their Living.

gil SOA0
In all the great crises Of life, and in
the daily efforts which are to result in
decisive success or failure, says the
Chicago Inter Ocean, human beings
are very much alone. They rely upon
their fellow beings for all the benefits
that are to be derived from congenlal
compan ionship and the incentives of
rivalry and compel ition. Butbey ond
this, friends are of little avail. What
eve a man or oma may decide TO
take up as a profess ion, he or she
must do the actual work with his or
her own hands and brains. In its
rating the world takes into account
only the individual-in everything
but politics. When the place is found
there is but one question asked, Can
you fill it2 Can you do acceptably
what you have undertaken?"
So far as women are concerned, the
fact of being engaged in business has
lost the novelty of experiment and
precedent. 1t is now a matter of
course, and they must stand or fall
upon their individual merits alone.
Gallantry, Difference TO sex as such,
have no longer any part in the final
estimate which the world sums up.
There are now throughout the
country thousands OF girls in the
senior class of the High School, the
academy and the university. They
are bordering yer the graduating
theme, and at the same time dete r
mining what they shall do. The
editor of the newspaper is made their
confidant. Into his sympathetic a
or hers--they pour out their hopes.
their fears, their aspirations. They
have a good deal of text book knowl-
edge, which is destined to be applied,
as soon as may be, to whatever they
may choose as a means of livelihood.
With very few exceptions all make
the same mistake. They do not know
the difference between the acquire
ment and neutrality-suspicious.
which can be game ed only by doing
a thing over and over again. All
cities have a vast hopeless population
of the educated, inexperienced. There
are university bred men living in at
tics; they know everything-science,
history, belles-letters--yet they have
not at their command that practical
knowledge of the simplest craft, which
means bread. The educated poor, the
timid And impractical graduate of
either Sex, is infinitely more helpless
than the laborer who works for q dol
lar a day and gets it, because, though
their friends rally around them 10y
ally, their aid can be only temporary;
a man must secure permanent bene-
fits for himself.
Though the dependent live the al
lotted four-score years and ten, to the
last day of his sad life he will be nea
" as helpless as he was when he
opened his eyes to the light of day.
This is not an differentiation of
culture. II what is called hand bust
ness goes with cultivation, it gives it's
possessor incompatible advantages
over the uncultivated. But of the
two, it is common sense that is indis-
pensable. The graduate should bear
in mind that it is a very ignorant
young person who goes from the
classroom to the Office or shop, or to
whatever station he may succeed in
calling himself-for he is rarely ever
called-nowadays. The lore of the
schoolroom is a reserve fund, and it
is little more. Though the young
girl graduate have a score of diplo-
mas, she is worth only what her nat
ural intelligence and her actual abil-
ity to work may determine.
The conclusion of the whole matter
is that the graduate, like the nom
graduate, is a beginner, and must. for
q time, be content with the humble
place and the corresponding pay of a
beginner.
il she present reliable letters attest
ing her various good qualities, they
may incline the heart of her superior
favorably to her, or they may fix a
standard in his esteem which it will
be exceedingly difficult for her to at
tain, and if attained, still more diff
cult to hold. She may count upon at
least three years of apprenticeship, in
which she must labor just as zealously
and just as industriously as she would
for three times the salary she receives.
Future success, the desire to deserve
reward, a determination to honestly
and persistently work for these, must
be her incentive and must teach her
.'patience under affection even as
the prayer book has said.
There is a wonderful sameness in
the histories of the great men and
women of the Republic. The major
ity were born in the humblest sur
roundings, without money and with
few friends. But it is the triumphant
rounding of their career which is
borne in mind, and not the obscure
beginnings.
The rewards of life are not easier to
attain now than they were formerly.
| On the contrary, every field IS more
crowded than ever before. Educa-
ton is more universal, and the per
| cent of general intelligence is higher.
| The mediocre of yesterday would be
| lost sight of today, and a very respect
| able degree of talent is not SO promi
nent in the present generality Of abil-
ity.
All this sounds very discouraging,
| but those who have trodden the stony
way that leads, presumably, to for
tune, know how true it is. At the
same time, it is no reason for discour-
agement. The worlds work must be
done. People are wanted just as
much, or more than ever they were,
and there are still the cid degrees OF
good, better and best. 1t is wise.
however. to make a right beginning,
and the first principle TO be laid down
is rely upon yourself. Look to YOU
friends, your social position, yoni
personal attractions for nothing
Simply make your service worth
having, worth retaining and worth
paving for. and success is assured.