Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1891-04-25
WHY THEY FAILED.
The Chicago Tribune Enumerates Some
of the Leading Causes. .........

1ne NntCNSO lrIDun0 Gnu"eTakcb dVhAo
of the Leading Causes. ..........
The Chicago Tribune has been having
what it calls symposium of failures
that is, of people who are poor and mis-
cradle. They give in the Tribune their
reasons for their non success in life.
The letters are interesting, but the re-
suit is not all to the taste of the editor,
who thereupon proceeds to lecture the
miserab bles on his own account He is
struck with the disingenuousness of the
failures. They are disposed to blame
somebody else for the fact that they
have not got on we'll in life. The "hon-
est and sincere reports" are the excep-
tion. The Tribunes definition of fail
ure is person who, at the close of life's
journey, finds himself worse off than
he was when he began, who has not adj
vanced at least little beyond the
achievement of his father, who has
failed to make adecent and comfortable
living, and to leave something for those
dependent on him. In such case, unless
he has been debarred by sickness or
something more tl.an the hindrances
hat beset ordinary men, he is failure
% the extent that he falls below the
average of his fellows.
The Tribune enumerates the causes of
failure which the miserables do not con-
fess to. Drink is the most prolific.
Then comes the desire TO get rich by
short cuts and without hard work.
Some of the hardest working men in
America to-day are among the million-
aires. Sickness is another cause OF fall
ure. But there is one cause having
more influence than all the rest, prob
ably-that is, want of pluck. 1t is the
one who can not be downed that sue
ceeds at last. Fate may make football
of him for so years, but he will yet
come out right side up and make his
fortune. If people only understood the
magic power there is In simply holding
ON and never giving UP there would be
more rich men and women in the world
by far than there are to-day. If one
plan is not successful it simply shows
this was not the right way, not that the
man who failed to make it work has ex-
hausted his powers. To the man or
woman with any sense it shows any
thing but that. The Tribune editor
writes:
"The want of economy is prolific
cause of failure that is, the prudent
saving of money and its judicous in
vestment There is no surer road to
competence than that of living within
ones income, saving portion of it, and
placing it where it " i'll increase by slow
and sure growth. There is no surer
road to incompetence than living beyond
ones income, and hoping to escape by a
streak of luck or the happening of the
unex, ected.
Another frequent cause of failure is
the lack of the ability to recognize the
real opportunities and promptly i'm
prove them. In homrly phrase, if ones
| foresight were as Clear as ones hind
sight there would be fewer failures.
This, however, is not a reprehensible
cause, as foresight of this kind is a
special gift. and sometimes an intuitive
talent. Not every one can have it.
"These are the rincipal reasons for
failure in life, and of these undoubtedly
drink, gambling. speculation, fast liv.
ing, and the infatuation to get rich by
some grand stroke are the most COM
mon. We do not observe, however,
that those who have failed are as rule
honest enough to make this acknowl-
edgement. They are ready to assign
any reason but the right ones. They
are not courageous enough to face the
music They will not own up to them
selves that the fault is their own and not
that of their friends, their partners, or
the world" n....