The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1890-08-28
THE WAY TO FORTUNE
Is Open Only to the Bold, the Energetic
and the Industrious,

Is Open Only to the Bold, tha Energetic
and the Industrious,
The bold and enterprising man, ready
to take advantage of any promising op-
portunity to improve his fortune, ener-
getically working to find that opportu-
nifty, and Micawber, waiting for some-
thing to turn up" are alike convinced
that
There is tide in the affairs Of men
Which taken at its flood leads on to FORTUNES;
Omitted, all the voyage of their life
Is bound in shadows and in miseries
One with this faith in his heart works
Lheerily, hoping for the tide to come,
and prepared, when it does, come to
make the best possible use of it. The
other sits idly, awaiting the tide, but
expecting that when it comes it shall
float him on to fortune without effort on
his part. But there are two elements
that must meet in successful endeavor
of any kind-which is what is meant by
fortune. The one is the man; the other
the opportunity. Good men fail for want
of opportunity; opportunities pass by
never to return for want of good men to
utilize them. They useful lesson of the
poetic thought is that men should be
prepared to take advantage of the tides
that come to them. The can not be
thus prepared if they are mere
idlers. Preparation for successful work
of any kind comes by faithful
labor, which develops not only skill of
hand, but habits of industry, selt-conff-
dence, the ability to do things instinct
lively the right way, as we'll as to deter
mine problems by thinking. To those,
therefore, who would succeed, whether
they have faith in tides or not, the ad-
monition comes to be prepared to i'm
prove opportunities. Make the oppor-
tunities themselves, if that be possible,
but be sure that you are prepared to
make good use of them whether they
are gifts of fortune or are wrought out
by patient endeavor. A financial panic
wrecks firms that have not their re-
sources we'll in hand, closes mills and
stagnates business, but those who are
ready for the oppor tunity with money
capital or with the reputa ton and skill
to command help, may, in the reaction
that follows panic, win fortune. The
history of every widespread business
depression has in it this lesson: The un
ready lose fortunes that are picked uI
by those prepared to take advantage o.
business conditions favorable to the
making of large profits. For the people
must be clothed and fed, and only for q
short time can the demand for the nee
essaries of life be curtailed. The mills
that are closed by the shock of panic
may be bought or leased at much less
than their value, labor is cheap because
there are SO many unemployed, and
the price of products inevitably rises al
a result of depleted market. Those
| who are ready to take advantage of the
favorable conditions may win fortune
/ in the first few months of revival o
trade; but they must be ready with sons
kind of resources-it may be capital, i
may be business skill and credit, or i
may be technical or trade skill needed
by others who supply the capital. Thei
tide comes to them in the ebb of on
| that has overwhelmed others. Ther'
is scarcely manufacturing communit,
that has not it's example of skilled
workman who has risen to fortune b,
starting the right enterprise at th'
right time.
Always. however, it will be found tina
the man and the opportunity have met
Fortune is seldom if ever thrust upol
any one. The man who wins her favor
must have some qualities that max
him deserving. He may be morall..
bad, unscrupulous, unjust, and in tina
sense undeserving; but if the secrets O
his success are disclosed he will b
found to possess some good quality tina
has helped him to win fortunes favor
energy, industry, boldness, skill or higI
intelligence. There is no tide to lea
on to fortune the lazy or the Indifferent
but there is one that may be used t
promote the interests of jealous, indus
trious, skilIful and intelligent workers
and it returns to these day by day
month after month, as do the tides c
ocean.-Baltimore Sun.