The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-03-18
THE CHIEF CAUSE OF FAILURE.


why is it that so many young men have
difficulty in getting along these days"'
The question is frequently heard, often
asked by young men themselves. A point
ed and rea soma bic answer 10 it, therefore,
ought TO be of deepest interest to young
men, who are most concerned. A reporter
of the New York Evening Post recently
interviewed a number of men Of position
in professions and business, putting to
them the query quoted at the beginning of
this article. They were men who had won
their own successes, who had for years
been employers and who, therefore, were
qualified to give valuable opinions.
Among those interviewed We're newspaper
editors, railroad men, lawyers insurance
men, merchants, bankers and others. And
without exception they accounted for the
majority of present day failures of young
men to win success by the single word
lazness.
There were other causes to be sure. but
in the opinion of these successful men the
great shortening among the majority of
young men who start out for themselves
in life is that they lack industry and will
lingness. Though the importance of in
telligence and education as essential fac
tors in a successful career was not over
locked, the general opinion appeared TO be
that the one indispensable quality was in
dustry, ability and Willingness to work.
Genius without industry, l find" said
one gentleman, "accomplishes very little
in this world, while industry without ge-
MUS accomplishes a great deal" Almost
every man spoken to was able to recall
instances coming under his own observa-
ton of bright young men, having all of the
mental and physical qualifications neces-
sary to successful career, who failed of
accomplishing success because of their un-
willingness to work hard for success.
1t is too often the case that the empIoye
watches the clock closer than his employ
ers interests. He is in a hurry for the
time to come when he may leave the office,
the store or the shop. A quarter OF an
hour before quittng-time his mind is on
the outside and his eye upon the dial. He
is afraid he will give too much service for
his salary. He never devotes any attea-
ton to anything except the particular
enough to that to save TO himself the job
with its pay
The man who is afraid of giving more
time TO his work, or to his employer, than
IS actually required by the regulations of
the establishment is seldom if ever selec ed
for promotion when a vacancy occurs
above him. 1t is a fatal error for young
man to start out with the idea that the
employer is forever seeking to grind
him, to get more out of him than is paid
for and that therefore, it must be his
constant care not to do too much, or TO
work too long. The man who succeeds
must be the man willing to keep ever
lastingly at it," to work hard, to perfect
his knowledge of his duties and to pre-
pare himself in advance for discharging
efficiently the duties of the station next
above him. There is no royal road to
fortune no short cuts to aff1uence, but
by following the rule, work, work, work, I"
and by practicing economy, almost any
young man of intelligence and character
may get ahead in the world.