The sun., 1894-04-25
Two Typical Care ers.

Two citizens Of New York who have died
recently were types Of Americans who
know best how to improve tho opportuni-
ties for elevation offered here as In no other
country OF the world. instead OF railing
against them because their profitable use
requires struggle and self-denial.
One of these men was DAVID DUDLEY
FIELD. an American Of the old New Eng
land stock. and the other was JESSE SELIa-
MAN. o jew born in Bavaria. who immi-
grated to this country In his boyhood more
than fifty years ago. Relatively to great
part Of our present population MIR. sELIo-
MAN. therefore. was himself Of tho older
stock. Up to the time when no came
hither. In ls4l. the immigration had been
small as compared with what 1t has
been since; and not until five years
thereafter did 1t begin to pour In
with the flood which has changed
the character OF the population SO greatly.
The immigration In ls4l was only about
$4,000; In 1850 1t had risen to nearly $4,000:
In 1892 1t was nearly 624.OO0. Mr.. FIELDS
ancestors also were immigrants. but they
came among the early settlers of the coun-
try. 30 that he was born In Connecticut
However. the important changes In our
social conditions due TO immigration. oc-
CURED during the lifetime Of them both.
Mr.. FIELD was the son OF New England
minister. from whom he inherited valuable
qualities. but no material wealth. He had
his own way to make from the very start
MIR. SELIaMAN was poor Jewish boy when
he landed In New York. He began here
with the handicapping OF ignorance OF
our language and OF race prejudice against
him. BY saving a little money from his
scanty gains he was able TO go into
peddling with his brothers. He carried
his pack on his back and tramped after
a living. Keeping on saving. he aecumu-
lated enough capital to set up with them
stationery business. In 1850 the California
gold discoveries led him to that State,
where he made more money and laid the
foundation Of the great fortune OF many
millions of which he died possessed. but he
got that fortune by trade. not by digging
gold out OF the earth. Afterward he re-
moved to this city and Joined his brothers
in the clothing business. from which
In the course Of a few years he built up the
banking house now known throughout the
world. Mr.. FIELD. an older man by twenty
two years. had worked his way through
ooo4otOd
10 an education and to business success.
and was already winning distinction at the
bar when the other first landed here.
The careers OF these two men were not
singular for their time. nor will they be
singular as compared with the careers Of
multitudes who are now beginning where
they started and to whose industry. perse-
yeranee. and wisdom as many and as good
opportunities are now open as were en-
joyed by them in their youth. They
did not proceed on the theory OF the
CoxEY tramps. that the world owed them
living. but that II they were to have living
they would have TO make 1t. They did not
stand gaping at the clouds. waiting for
mama to fall from heaven for their sus-
tenanee. and they did not spend In eursing
inevitable social conditions the time and
thought and energy they needed to employ
for the improvement OF their own condition.
With very few exceptions. comparatively.
all the successful men In this country have
started As they started. Nearly all tho
pEOsDegOas RasA N basinsss ARd most Of