Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-03-18
YOUTH HAS THE FLOOR,
America Furnishes an Unparalleled OPP
portunity to Young Men.

The young man who hesitates to ac-
cept or assume stations of responsible
ity and trust because Of his Youthful
ness, and waits for the dignifying and
soidifying influence Of maturer years
to IT him for the position, is not close
student Of the lives of men who have
impressed their names on their coun-
try's history. While older men shake
their heads and remark in half-com-
planning tones that boys know more
than their fathers these days, yet from
no source does the ambitious, deter
mined young man receive more cordial
encouragement and support than from
these same men who declare they are
being shelvcd for the boys. 1t is not
that youth knows more than age. But
when a youth, buOyant with hope and
confidence, his vision undimmcd by the
doubts and preiudices engendcrcd by
long acquaintance with the world, his
ambition not Withered by years of
dreary struggle for subsistence, his
heart full of love for humanity, and his
soul vibrant with the grand POSSIBLE
ties of Iife-When such a youth, fresh
from study and with intellect well
reached by his father through years of
bitter experience, and from this want
age ground begin the battle Of life, he
is the better equipped Of the two, just
as "dwarf perched upon the should
erS of giant can see further than the
giant"
Those youths who think young men
have not a fair chance, and those
older men who think Young men not
able to fill important stations, may
each learn a lesson from the record of
the past.
Henry Clay, says the Augusta
Chronicle, was in the Senate of the
United States, contrary to the Consti-
tuition, at q. Webster was in college
at Is, gave evidence of his great future
before he was %, and at 80 he was the
peer Of the ablcst man in Congress.
Charles James Fox was in Parliament
at 10. Martin Luther had become
largely distinguished at "a, and at SO
had reached the tOpmOst round Of his
worldwide fame. Peel was in ParIia-
ment at q. Napoleon at 25 command
ed the army Of Italy. At 40 he was
not only one of the most illustriOus Gen
erals of the time, but one of the great
law-givers of the world. At 46 he saw
Waterloo. Washington was Colonel in
the army at %, President at 81. Judge
Story was in Harvard at is, in Con-
gress at 20 and Judge of the Supreme
Court of the United States at 80.
Gladstone was in Parliament at D. and
at q was Lord Of the Treasury. Will
liam Pitt entered college at IA, was
Chancellor of the EXchequer at y,
Prime Minister at a, and when 30 was
the most powerful uncrowned head in
Europe. Byron wrote "English Bards
and Scotch Reviewers" at q, and
published "Childe Harold" at q.
Alexander Stephens went to the Legis-
lature at "a and Congress 81. Henry
Grady refused a nomination to Con-
gress at 80, and made his New England
speech, which gave him national repu-
tatiOn, at 36.
These instances are only cited to re-
mind older men that the world has
ever been ready to give distinction to
young men who command it by their
abilities, and to show to young men Of
brains and pluck that nobody is try
ING to keep them back. At no time
in the worlds history has ability been
diSrcgarded because coupled with
youth, and never were there more
doors open to young men than to-day.