The record-union., 1895-03-11
BITS OF PHILOSOPHY.
Some Interesting Comments by the
Mountain Sage.
ssew Application of Horace Greeley's
Advice to the Young Man,
to Go West.

Especial Correspondence of RECORD UNIoN.l
FRENCH CORRAL, March At was
Horace Greeley who said: "Go West,
young man, go West" Perhaps the
young man went and vested, perhaps he
didn't; there is no betting at this late
day. But at that time there was West to
which the young man could have gone,
and he would have found it very rich and
only partly developed, and if he did go
he is probably living somewhere in Cali
fornia now, enjoying the fruits OF his
labors and praising the astuteness of Hor-
ace.
Although things have changed consid-
erably in this wild and woolly West'
since the sage of the Tribune issued that
bit of advice, and the young man OF New
York or Chicago or st. Louis would not
lind US pioneering our way at present,
the West is still doing business at the old
stand, and there are bargains 10 be OBJ
tanned here for those who are willing to
invest their money, either in the vine
and fig tree business, the golden grain
profession or the mineral resource act.
There are also openings IN other callings
and professions, into which the young
chuck some of his capital, and he may
depend upon it that the capital he chucks
in will take root and grow and bear good
1Euit unless he fails 10 properly attend
to it.
The agricultural and horticultural re-
sources OF the State have been so repeat
edly written up, and talk up, and sung
up, that | Will not mention them now,
bat call attention TO the fact that the min
eral resources of California, and espe-
Cially of Nevada County, wherein | hap
pen 10 be residing at present, offer great
inducements Tor the young man atOre-
mentioned. We have many good mines
here-quartZ mines-whiCh are not likely
TO cease paying dividends for many
years, and many more which would pay
dividends If properly developed; but
there are thousands, perhaps, OF gold
bearing lodes hidden beneath the soil
which have not yet been discovered. The
time when man could take a rocker and
rock out 500 per day has long since Pc
tered out, and 1t takes little capital now
TO open a claim and equip it, but the in
vestment pays in nearly all cases If good
judgment IS used. Therefore | say:
Come W est, young man, with your sack
and your scads, and interest yourself in a
good quartz mine. 1t won't hurt you,
nor the mine, nor US.
For the young man VINO is a native son
of this Golden West, who has no other
west to go to, who has plenty OF ability
If he only knew 1t, ana could make good
headway in life If he only knew how to
go at it, l have a word or two OF advice.
Mind you, l never expect anybody to
act upon my advice, but all the same
think l know what l am writing about
this very minute.
There are among US a great many
young men who have lived always in the
same towns, who are worthy OF respect
and encouragement, and could make
their way readily enough but for one
thing-they are TOO well known.
Now, 1t hardly appears logical to say
that a man can be SO respected as to be
allowed to starVe to death (and after all
that does seem little tar tetched), but
what / mean is, that they are too COM
mon" 1t doesn't seem just the thing
that young man should possess so much
virtue Of one sort and another as 10 be-
come TOO common" but it is so never
tneless. Il is the naturalization, as it
were-the acting Out--of that old say
ing that "a prophet is not without
honor, save IN his own country"
There are whole armies OF young men
right here in this Golden West, who oc-
cupy positions analogous to that OF the
prophet who had TO rustic for honor out
side his own country, among strangers.
Familiarity breeds contempt" We
all thirst for change, for something
original. We don't banker for the
pearls that lie at our feet, but we gaze
atar off tor diamonds and rubies that
seem to shine better. We don't
think OF helping Peter, because we have
had Peter always with us, and we know
he Is good and worthy young man, but
we want Paul, who comes from dis
tance, and we are willing TO rob Peter
TO pay Paup tor coming. And if Peter
or rO nj liNrag
he would 1ind that the people didn't
want Paul, but they wanted him, Peter,
/ have used the OLD Bible names, but not
Hippanuy. II fthere appears any bit OF ir-
reverence in the paragraph the reader
must forgive it.
l have travelled much, and human
nature is the one great study OF my life,
therefore ! have observed the ways OF
men, and sometimes they have seemed
to me, these wise men who regulate the
ebD and flow of the tide of life, TO have
some very foolish ways. I have seer
them ignore worthy people at home anG
heap hOnors on unworthy men from
somewhere over the border. And why:
Simply because the worthy men had
been right there before them so long they
had lost the faculty of seeing anything
good, except at distance, and the un-
worthy men came with the freshness oi
originality about them, and they had
lighthouse above thistle.
And now for my advice: Noung man,
go away. If you have no West To go to,
20 10 some other place Take up your
bed and walk into the land Of strangers.
and if you get strapped in that land re-
member that you are an originality. and
that originality and push and energy
viii do much among strangers. If you
have been too common" at home YOU
will not be so anywhere else. Get in and
rustic. Just study human nature a little
and you will find that Old Skinner who
never saw you before in all his days
viii do more for you than Deacon Max e.
peace, who held you in his arms wher
you were christened.
But don't think originality is sutG,
Cleut 10 secure success. There are Other
things which, if you have the making o
a success In you, you already know, anG
il you don't know then it is time for yoU
to sit down for a few days and do some
hard thinking. Just ask yourself why j
Is that the majority of successful men il
any town are natives of some other town
more likely of some other State; why
some friend or acquaintance who ''didn'
amount to much at home for years be
gan to rise steadily as soon as he went t.
q new locality.
OF course, if you have a chance a
home don't be in u hurry 10 leave it.
am only advising the poor Peters who
are prophets without honor, not those
who have already both profits and honor
1haye known men who were really worth
less characters who were actually com
PEELED 10 leave their home towns anC
VINO went away unto new places, and Sc
Cufeo good positions. which they coulC
have retained with great advantage t,
themselves; and if such men can do tina
sort OF thing, what could not a worthy
young man do?
But, mind you, if you do not aspire t,
anything nlgher than mere living anC