New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-09-16
SOME LESSONS FOR YOUNG MEN.

Probably no class in the community mas sur
frrcl more acutcly from the business depression
of the last few D'onths than r'rhS' S'I'N
men and buokkccperS But II they nave "'"
wise. they have also learned some lessons from
their bitter experience that will be OF value 10
them in the future. They have found ou'' Tor
instance that all the large cities are ovrrstock'd
with young men who are capable OF doing mere
IL routine clerical work 1t Is undoubtedly 700
late for many Of them 20 profit by TINS khoWi-
edge: they have untitled themselves Tor WORK
on n farm IT, indeed. they ever had any liking
or capacity for such work. and they are To" ola
to learn some mechanical trade
But their helpless misery ought To serve ~
q warning To the great army Of city and country
lads whose one ambition is to get IA position Ill
q stor.. or m Office Unless young man pos
scsscs exceptional natural ability or fits himself
10 do something exceptionally well, there Is no
nJoce for him today in The world Of business.
The one fatal qualification for IL business career
Is mcdiocrtv even though il is crowned WIN
the virtue ~ faithfulneSS. TIL" young man
whose ONLY stock in trade is the ability 10 do
routine work ~ thoroughly and rs faithfully
rs a thousand other competing young men can
d, II might almost ~ we'll 60 10 the poorhou'r
., ONCE. for he is on the straight road 10 II.
A. an un>kcl laborcr there is no possible
chance for him In the modern business World
unless he Is content 10 pIod along all his lif"
from hand To mouth. IL some other man : man
II Is simply incSplicable that n a time when
th. mechanic arts and sciences ar" opening mp
such unlimited possibilities Of work AMI wealth
to ambitious and intelligent young men. 80 many
81 them arr, ignoring these possibilities for the
= nail ,als
Their. ar. bookkccpcr, ami clerks in this city
NJ The present moment on the point of starva-
t,pn who NIGH, be- In receipt II large salaries
II they were good mechanics. On" such young
man a few days ago applied To "A larg" steam
heating firm for work rs Il bookkeepcr, Offering
TO begin at s. week Il am sorry W" cant
engage Won" said the head ~ the firm; "but II
won know the heating business | Will engage
..vou ON III. spot AT 81 $40 year Ia start.
II IS unnecessary to point the moral of this
story: +, ought to burn itself into The conscious
ness of every young man who Is deciding upon
a career In life. and who il attracted 10y III"
cl,mour ~ "scntcor' office position. The
world is oycrstockcd with men VIII" can do
routine work WELL but not supremacy we'll Ana
Il Il CRYING aloud Tor men who. 10y years Of pa
tirnt learning have qualified themselves 10 Join
the ranks II the select few who can do some
on. thing better than anybody else.
We are aware that some may take exception
:, the classification of clerical work ~ unSkic,l
labor But. practically. the young man VINO
seeks such work today finds that employers so
regard H. The men who succeed ~ clerks ana
s1lr>mcn are ihus" whose technical knowlcdg"
Of their particular business makes il a question
with their employers. not whether they shall II"
employed. but how they shall bc retained. Com
pared with such men. the merely routine clerk
or salesman is truly an unskillrd laborcr - OF
office work: the typewriter AMI Srnogr'pIY
have rrvolntonizcd H. The most capable book
keeper and correspondent who cannot write
shorthand and operate n typewriter is constant
ly finding himself passed over in favor of one
who possesses thos, accomplishments. II Is the
same lesson we have been emphasizing. Ihe
successful man was preferred because he was
an expert while the displaced clerk takes his
place in the great army Of unskiIl"i hbor"rS,
railing perhaps. at the cruel injustice Of the