Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-11-14

do not learn anything thoroughly, and
are apt to do the work committed to them
in a careless manner: forgetting that what
is worth doing at all is worth doing well.
they become mere drOneS and rely
chance to bring them success. The bust
ness world is full of just such young men.
content in simply putting in their time
somehow and drawing their sa lares; max
ing no effort whatever to increase their
efficiency and thereby enhance their own
a well as their employers interest There
are others who want to do what they
not fitted for. and waste their lives in what
may be called misft occupations: far bet
| ter be a good carpenter or mechanic of any
| kind than a poor business or professional
! man
Selection of Companions.
Next to the selection of occupation is that
! of companions. Particularly is this impor
tant in the case of young men beginning
| their career IN strange cities away from
| home influences. as too often is it the case
that young men of excellent abilities
ruined by evil associates; a young man
! therefore cannot too early guard against
forming friendship with those whose ten
| dency is to lead HIM on the downward path.
! To every young nan | would say, seek at
the start to cultivate the acquaintance of
| those only whose contact and influence will
| kindle high purposes. as l regard the build
! ing of a sterling character one of the f"n-
damentai principles of true success The
young man possessing conscience that
!
wrongdoing, and which insists on steadfast
and undertaking truthfulness. sturdy hon
| 'sty and strict devotion to duty under all
| circumstances, has fortune to begin with.
! The ability 20 restrain appetite. passions.
! tongue and temper. to be their master and
not their slave. in word. absolute self
/ control is also of first importance; one who
cannot govern himself is unfit to govern
| others.
Economy is one of the most essential ele-
ments OF. success, yet most wretchedly dis
regarded. The old adaSe ''Willful waste
makes woeful want" never was more fully
| sXempiticd than in these days. when much
/ of the want that now prevails would not
exist had care been taken in time of pros
| rerity to lay ND something for a ''rainy
! day The average young man of today
| when he begins to earn is soon inclined to
| habits of extravaganza and wastefulness
| gets somehow imhued with the idea that.
| irrespective of what he earns. he must in
! dulge in habits corresponding to those of
some other young man Simply because he
| INDUCES. or imagines he cannot be manly
| without. The >. 10 or II cents day that is
! Squandered, while mere trife apparently
If saved would in few years amount to
thousands of dollars. and go far toward
| tablshng the foundation of a future ca
reer Too few realize that In order to ac-
quire the dollars one must take of the
nickels. Careful saving and careful s0en7-
| ing invariably promote success. 1t has been
well said that cit is not what a man earns
! but what he saves. that makes him rich"
| John Jacob Aston said that the saving of
| the nrSt thousand dollars cost him the
| hardest struggle. AS rule people do not
| know how to save | deem 1t of the highest
| Importance. therefore. to impress upon
every young man the duty Of beginning to
save from the moment he commences to
earn. be it so little: hahi so formed
| in early life will prove of incalculabe ben
eft to him in after years. not only in the
| amount acquired. but through the exercise
of economy in small affairs. he will grow in
knowledge AMI fitness for larger duties that
may devolve upon him. 1t goes without
saying that man who is not competent to
| manage well small income or run success
| fully a small business cannot be expected
| to manage properly a large income or run
successfully large business 1t matters
not what a mans income is. reckless ex-
travaeance and waste will sooner or later
bring him to ruin
Why Young Man is Valued
| young man should aim to b. manly and
| self-reliant; make good of all the spare
| moments; read only wholesome books;
study to advance his own interests well
as those of his employer in every possible
way
AS a rule. the young man of high princi-
| pies and fair ability, who saves his money
and keeps his habits good. becomes vau-
! able in any concern; but volumes nave
| been written upon this subject. it Is not
| possible in a letter to cover it all. BY fol-
| lowing out these instructions. however,
| aiming constantly to prepare himself for a
higher place instead of waiting for some
| thing to turn up, every young man will
succeed to a more or less degree. | would
not have them believe. however. that sue
cess consists solely in the acquisition of
wealth-far from it-aS the idea is much
| too prevalent already. The haste to be-
come rich at the expense of character pre-
walls to an alarming extent. and cannot be
too severely denounced. What is needed to-
day more than anything else is to instill in
the minds of our young the desire above
all to build up a character that will win the
hey
in contact, and which is vastly more i'm
portant than great fortune | quote from
the will of a senator, who died recently on
this question the following: Il hope nv
sons will defer to and confide in my execu-
tors and trustees, and above all that thew
may realize early in life that the only one
thing more di..-c cult to build up than an in
dependent fortune. and more easily lost is
character. and that the only safeguards of
character are the Ten Commandments an.
Christs Sermon on the Mount
Causes OF Failure.
In answer to your second question. WHAT
in your observation have been the chief |
causes of the numerous failures in business
life?" would say if the elements herein |
outlined promote success. the logical con-
c.usion would be that a disregard of them
forebodes failure. The man who is cnarac- |
teriZed by want of forethought idleness |
carelessness or general sh.ftlessness can
not expect to succeed There are other |
causes, however, such extravaganza in |
living. or living hey ond ones means; out
side speculations, gambling, etc; want of |
proper Judgment; overestmating capacity |
and undertaking more than capital would |
warrant or, in other words, attempting to /
do too large business on insufficient CAPT
tai; assuming too heavy liabilities RELYING
on chance to pull through; lack Of pro-
gressiVensss, or, in other words, dying of
dry rot; selling date rather than merchan-
disc SELLING on too long time, etc.; trust
ing out goods to irresponsible parties Re-
tail business should always be done for
cash. There no longer exists the occasion
for long credit in retail business that did
years ago, as even the farmer these DAYS
can get cash for anything he has to sell
hand. sell for cash and pay for goous at
short time. taking advantage Of all cash
discounts. keep good habits and give strict
attention to business, very rarely fail.
Yours very truly. MARSHALL FIELD.