The Atlanta constitution., 1900-04-09
Opportunities for Young Men.


ment of state. he discusses the oppor-
tunities OF employment in Japan, and
goes on to say:
There are more Young men here seeking
clerical and official places than there
are places To- be filled Every issue of the
English daily newspapers contains notices
from young men seeking positions. many
az them claiming experience in boOkkecp-
ing or the silk or curio trade. and the
ability To- speak and write French. Ger
man. etc
There is no chance whatever to obtain
Positions under the imperial government
for the tendency i'm the official circles IS
to dischar-v foreigners as fast as pr1cil-
cable and fiIl their places with japanese.
Every year finds an increasing number
a: young Japanese who have been educ
ased abroad coming home and seeking p''-
sitions. and. il is. al course. the natural
and inevitable thing that they should iiii
the places in their own government
I would not recommend Americans To
come to this country unless they have Sc
cured employment in advance
This brings up "a question OF great
moment NJ the present time All over
the country there are young men.
weary OF home surroundings. ambi-
tious of quick promotion. who are
locking about Testlessly toward the
islands of the sea and the continents
abroad. The Constitution is continual
Iv in receipt Of letters from young
men all over the south. inquiring about
the West Indies. Japan. the Philip
pines and other sections. with view
OF irving their fortunes there. As a
matter OF patriotism we could not ad-
wise young men to leave their own
country. and 70 try uncertain fortune
under conditions 50 unpleasant and
disagreeabIe: but taking the purely
selfish side Of il. we should still be
compelled tn advise against this spirit
OF going abroad because Of the OH
jectiOns 81 strongly stated by Mr..
Convey. The condition OF advance
melt which does not exist in the
United States. exists nowhere under
the sun Here we have every natural
advantage. together with laws which
guarantee security and society which
gives the greatest amount of pleasure
out Of accumulation: japan. as stated
hv Mr.. Convey. is but the graveyard
OF Young mems hopes. and il may be
taken for granted that the same Is
true Of every other country which can
to any one Of them has To place him
self in competition with low-c,ass hu-
manity. and degraded conditions ont
a, which he can expect 90 reap moth
ing but disappointment
IL may be stated in rebuttal of all
this that there is no longer oppOr-
tunity for individual effort in the
United States The growth Of trusts
ffr-ss. r1r-a .rr-s
business opportunities and have con-
centrated everything in the hands ot
the few. M man. il is pleaded. can
now hope To become the owner OF his
own business. but all must be content
with the position OF employee While
trusts are To be condemned for their
effect upon commercial conditions. and
for such influence as they bear against
individual effort. il Is still wei TO
look ON the other side. and 20 aScer-
tain that no matter under what cOndi-
tiOns we may live the United States
still furnishes the opportunity for the
satisfaction of the very highest ambi-
tiCn-
In a recent address Mr. II. II. Vree-
land. president 81 the Consolidated
street railway companies OF New York
city said;
.-No artificial condition con ever. in my
judgment Keep down "a man who has
health. capacity and honesty You can
temporarily interfere with him or MAKE.
the road O. ghe object ~ his ambition
more difficult but you cannot stop hirn
That tyranny is forever dead. and since
its death thrre has cum. "a great .uii-ht-
eminent to the ppSsessors of power and
wealth Instead of preventing man
from rising. there is not a concern the
wide. world over that IS not today eagerly
seeking for capable people The great
hunger of the time is for Eo~I men.
strong men. men caTeibs,s II assuming
rsSrOuSibifity. aud there Is a sharp com
petition for those Who are available
These are words OF cheer which
should come home TO every young man
in the country. When. added to Mr.
VreeIand's statement. is told the story
Of his life. one can readily see how
true are the words which he has
sDoken. There was a time when Mr..
VreeIand had neither name nor
money. but was a common day Ia
bOrer. working in icehouses. firing on
railway engines. n brakeman a little
later, and meeting with reverses even
"a these humble surroundings Early
IN life. as he tells us he made up
his mind that whateysr lie undertook
he would master. lie might be only
a railroad brakeman; but as such he
would become the master Of the road
along which he travelled. lie studied
the physical conditions. the rolling
stock which came under his eye. and
never forgot a subject TO which he
once paid attention. lie finally became
a conductor and kept Up his habit of
observation, which brOugh: him the
hest employment in that line. and led
TO his selection whenever a special
marty was to be pilOted over the road.
The railroad company felt that in
sending a party OF gentlemen on a
tour OF observation * owed to them
the presence Of the most intelligent
emuloyee which IL possessed. Thus
Mr.. VreeIand was thrown in with
men who were looking out for as