The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-04-12
- So BEL
5 NORTH WEIN STREET,

sition, and when I had an office in the Pub
lie Ledger building, ! believe l said to my
self that, sometime. l will own that paper.
At any rate, I directed my work in such a
way that, when the time came that l was
able to buy it, 1 was also able to manage 1t
rightly. There is little use in procuring q
valuable property unless you have trained
yourself to use it in a proper manner. inc
changes that I made in the Ledger at first
had the effect of decreasing its circulation;
but, before long, it increased again. until 1t
greatly surpassed what it had ever bcenrbe-
fore. have always believed that it is pos
sible to unite success in business with strict
moral integrity. l am aware that many
people think that the ethics of business. or
of politics. are quite distinct, and that a
ment which he will not think is right to do
in his domestic or private life. l do mot
agree with this view, and If the record OF
my life has any value. it 10 in showing that
at least it is not necessary to success IN
business that a man should indulge In
essary, still it would not follow that It is
worth while. There are higher satisfactions
than the mere getting of money, and riches
cannot compensate a man for the conscious
ness of having lived a dishonorable n
selfish life.
Speaking of selfshness leads one to speak
of generosity. l think the habit of gener-
osity may be cultivated like other habits.
And l have felt that it is a great mistake to
put off being generous until after you are
dead. In the first place, you lose the pleas
ure of witnessing the good that you may do;
gifts for you as we'll as you can do it for
yourself. 1t ls u great pleasure to be
| brought into personal relations of that
kind, and to make people feel that you are
not q philanthropist in the abstract, but
that you are Interested in them personally,
--l E. 80 -@tEn I~ Aha rnn,,
you benefit them not merely in a natural
way, but you make them feel that men are
really brothers., and that they were made to
help one another. That feeling is not only
agreeable in itself, but it will be apt to
prompt them to carry ont the principle
themselves. Put yourself into all you do
and let others feel that you are there. Do
not contribute to a charitable fund, but go
yourself ana help. 1t may seem an incon-
venience at first. but soon you will come to
consider it worth any Inconvenience.
Perhaps l ought to say a word about the
for himself in life. You should try to make
companions of the best people you can be-
come acquainted with. In order to do
thisy you must have something in yourself
that may be a return to them for what they
give you 1t is not necessary, for this pur-
pose, to be a genius. or to have a remark
able intellect, or extraordinary erudition.
But, be yourself, and be a man, and learn
to think of others before yourself and you
will have friends enough and of the best.
10 be intimate with the magnanimous and
the noble aids to form those qualities in
oneself. A man is known by the p
he keeps, and those who know what friends
you have will be able to form a very correct
guess of what you yourself are. You should
see to it that this estimate be as high as
your opportunities may secure.
But perhaps | cannot better sum up my
advice to young people than to say that I
have derived, and still find. the greatest
pleasure in my life in doing good to others.
Do good constantly, patiently and wisely,
and you will never have cause to say that
your life was not worth living.
GEORGE w. CHILDs.
Copyright.