Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-03-17
WHY MEN FAIL.
Some Evils That Spoil Careers Of
Usefulness.
Laziness One Of the Greatest Of all Banes I
Characteristics Noted in Young Men.

why is il that so many young men
have difficulty in getting along these
days. is a question which has recent
ly been put to a number of professional
and business men by a New York Eve
ming Post reporter. For the most part
the persons talked with (men of posi-
ton in professions and buSiness) had
little hesitation in answering. They
answered in a way hardly compliment
tary to the young men concerned. One
after another of them accounted for
the majority Of present day failures by
a single word-laZiness.
Though the importance of intelli-
gence and education as essential fac
tors in a successful career was not
overlooked. the general opinion ap-
peared to be that the one Indispensable
quality was industry, willingness and
ability to work. And this, according
to the statement of several of the lead
ing business men of New York. is the
quality that is most lacking in young
men today.
The first person interviewed was a
successful lawyer in large practice.
Young men complain that there isn't
any chance to get ahead in law nova
days" suggested the reporter, and the
reply came quickly:
THE reason was that the question
was too silly for any man to ask who
had ever got a place in law office
In point of fact, that young man has
had the best advantages. He went for
three or four years to one of the finest
fitting schools in the country, then he
I,l ac
colleges and afterwards three years in
what I consider the best law school
Yet / sometimes think that he does not
know any more law now, after he has
been some time in this office, than he
did when he left home for the prepara-
tory school.
And the chief reason is because he
never was willing to work hard. and
there is not the slightest reason to
suppose he will begin at this late day.
OF course. there are other reasons why
young men do not succeed as lawyers
than laZiness. For example | know OF
man whose legal learning is
extraordinary and who obtained
good place in a leading law firm, but
after he had been there dozen years
his employers said that he was not
worth $500 a year. The trouble in
this case was because he could not
utilize his great learning, and he
could never get on with clients. But,
after making due allowance for all ex-
ceptiOnal cases, l am convinced that
laziness is the chief obstacle to success
in the legal profession, as in every
other walk of life
ID
What do l think is the reason why
young men don't get ahead faster in
the railroad business" 1t is the presi-
dent Of an important railroad, which
has its Offices in this city. who speaks
now. My opinion is that the great
trouble with most of these young fell
lows is that they are not willing to
work as hard as they must if they are
ever going to amount to anything.
Let me tell you my own experience
and observations. 1t is, let me see, u
years since | left college. and decided
to so into railroading. The first chance
| got was job at $40 a month in the
office of a railroad out in the Rocky
mountain region.
There We're a number of other young
men in the office | soon observed that
the rest of them seemed to be chief
ly interested in how little work they
could do in return for their pay, and
how early they could get away from the
office in order to have more time for
cards, billiards. the theatre and other
amusementS. l was interested in my