The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-11-01
The Career Of q Young Man.

This is question which Is always Of In
terest and Importance In the midst Of an ex-
citing political canvass or at any other time.
what would you say to young man who Is ambi-
lions to but whose circumstances such that
he is unable to take riskf 1t is doubtless fact
that many young men are so hemmed in by RESPONSE
biities at home not OF their making but which they
cheerfuly assume. that they unable to make ven
ture on their account. Such young would
certainly profit by any hints you might Offer"
We should say to the young man that II
his circumstances forbid his taking any
risk, he should accept the situation as q
matter OF course. But there are no such
circumstances. Every man is obliged to
take risks. the risks Of his own life or death.
his health or his illness. and the chances
and changes Of the fortune OF other people,
Neither is there any position in which he
can escape responsibilities. and tho way in
which he bears them will be a test Of his
ability and his worth. whether he owes them
to his family or to other people. or to both.
1t is not necessarily misfortune for q
young man that he Is 80 hemmed in by
responsibilities at home that he is unable to
mako a venture on his own account" or. in
other words. to take greater risks than
those to which he is confined by his
circumstances. Nine men out OF ten
are lucky In being kept from haz-
ardous ventures by the exigencies Of
their situation. 30 few are they who have
the sagacity to distinguish between risks
that are foolhardy and risks which promise
to lead to fortune. II the selection Is a
mere matter OF luck. as it may be some
times. the luck Is as likely to come to them
II they do not hunt for it as II they strain
every nerve to catch it. The chances OF o
young man placed as our correspondent de-
scribes ore even better than IL he had no such
responsibilities to curb his veuturesome
spirit. He is restrained from many temp
tations. and il he does his duty, no fortites
his character by self-denial without which
no contestant In the race OF life can hope to
win the prize. In athletic contests man
must exercise this mastery over solf-indul-
gence. He must overcome his laziness and
sacrifice luxury to reach the end he wishes
to attain. Ho must control his appetltes.
living like an anchorite. So also and like
v;iso he must not complain OF hnrdships in
his career. but must accept thon and en-
dure them as part OF his necessary training.
A young man especially has no occasion
for frctting because the way Is not smooth
before him. Youth gives him strength aud
elasticity to surmount tho obstacles. and
the greater tho difficulties tho harder
can he mako his moral muscle. II
fortune has picked him out for favor.
he will get to tho goal. whatsoever lies be-
tween: and because he Is compelled to go
slow in the start. his chances Of reaching 1t
will DO tho greater. l! his circumstances
compel him to take the surer course in-
stead OF one more risky. usually they servo
him we'll. II he assumes responsibilities
to his family checrfully. they save
him from proAtless sclf-indulscnce. Ho
cannot smoke SO many cigars aud
drink SO many cocktails as II he were free
from them. but that Is so much the better
for him. He has to count his car fares and
TO abridge tho cost Of his pleasures. He has
to be homo Of nights instead OF strolling
abroad. and no has to be economical OF his
health also. Thus he Is laying up stock
OF principles and habits which will be valua-
bic to him in the course ho has to run.
What are the risks which he is prevented
from taking which are so much better
than those smaller chances to which his
condition restricts him. Is there any spe-
ciflc risk from which this young man is
debarred which promises for him better
results than he attains now? Probably he
means only venture In general. but that
offers little hope for him OF anybody else.
The ventures into which men are led natur-
ally In the pursuit OF the business to which
they are educated are alone those which
thcy should take. Otherwise. they might
as well throw dice for living. or speculate
In stocks at bucket shop.
The truth Is that these young fellows who
imagine that they would be swift In the
race. were they not handicapped by the
necessities imposed on the great mass OF
mon. are really. In the vast majority OF
cases. trotting along at tholr full speed.
They are doing as we'll where thoy are as
they would do anywhere else. It Is their
good fortune that they cannot run ut will.
for they would soon lose their wind. They
have not yet passed the time when they
need TO h Hadag tas dIreetiQR n othsFs.