The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-14
YOUNG MEN TO THE FORE
An English Explanation of Ameri-
cas- Trade Progress.
Advanced Age Not n Requisite ms In
Great Britain-Youth and Energy
Train Their Sons I'm Business, Civ
ing Them IA Practical Education.

The London Times" has recently
printed a series of articles on the decline
of British trade, and the growing SUI
periority of the United States. In the
following the writer endeavors to give The
secret of American success:
1T has been asked what are the Ameri-
can manufacturers advantages over his
British confrere. and to what these ad-
vantages are due? 1t is a bigger ques-
tion than can be answered in a few words
but l Will attempt to set down what ap-
pear to me to be the chief moving causes.
Apart from physical resources-such as
mineral wealth, etc, subject already
! dealt with in former articles-perhaps the
/ primary cause. if not the handspring, of
American enterprise is the consideration
shown to youth. Mr.. Lecky has said. in
the introduction to Democracy and Lib
erty:'
- The respect for old age is one of the
strongest of English instincts, and is
often carried so far that it will be found
that men only attain their maximum of
! influence at a time when their faculties
are manifestly declining
| The truth of this is strongly brought
! home to an Eng!ishman on first visiting
! The United States. There one finds young
men at the head of affairs everywhere
the great Carnegie steel works, which
made a profit of between s40o00.000 and
! $40 GOO 900 in one year, afford an example;
| one among many. Those Who meet the
founder of the company see man full of
/ vitality but who has retired from the ac-
| tive management of the business at an
| age when many in this country look for
| ward TO years of control The acting
| president is young man, who was appar-
| emily not much above thirty years of age
! when he was appointed. There are three
| principal steel works owned by the COM
/ pany, each controlled BY superintendent
| equally young. In the whole course of my
| last trip to the United States, when l
made the matter one of close observation,
/ | can remember only two instances of ell
| derby men taking the leading part in the
| management of works, and in one of these
! the business. although of great reputa-
ton. did not give promise of further ad-
| vancement.
THE Americans go on the principle that
/ youth is the season of energy. As man
advances in life he has less to nope:
something mas gone out of him. He ven
lures less and wins less. In this country
We are oyercauticus: and though our eau
| ton may avoid some mistakes, it loses
more good chances.
That the young men of the United
| States successfully fill positions for which
We consider matured experience first
essential is due. no doubt, to a variety of
| causes. the first of which is to be found
in the early treatment of children. l have,
sometimes been almost led to think there
are no children in America, only some
immature men and women. American
children are mostly what We, or perhaps
our mothers, would caal spoiled. But
however unpleasing-to strangers-this
may appear. | am bound to say the sys-
TEN works well in the long run. The
American child, being seldom checked
grows up without any feeling of restraint
and thus early becomes companionable
1t is customary for fathers to discuss
their business affairs with their sons in
way that is quite surprising to an Eng
| lishman. These apparently small causes
have far-reaching effect. The youth
when he leaves school or college and en-
tiers on his business career has feeling
of well-sus tanned self-conidence that
is more than half the equipment needful
for the conduct of affairs. Probably the
majority of successful administrators are
actuated more by judgment than by prece-
/ dent. and the man who lacks judgment at
thirty is hardly likely to be successful
THE confidence the American business
man thus extends to his youthful son is
reflected in many ways that seem curious
to an Englishman. A good many years
ago l spent few evening with some stud
ents of one of the large American col
I leges. ! was new to American then, and
heard with surprise these college youths
discussing questions that arose out of the
! businesses in which their fathers were en-
/ PARpd Z " W h1 p~pn
orally happens when lads of our own pub
lie schools or young men at our own uni
versities meet together-when any men,
tion of the paternal shop would be look
ed on as the worst of bad form-I think
perhaps there will be seen one of the
reasons why Americans are fitted to con-
troll business at an earlier age than is
usual in this country. AS the twig IS
bent. the trees inclined
Tie education limited at above the
spontaneous education of social inter-
course. is immeasurably above the mere
learning Of lessons, which too often gees
by the name of education. | made many
enquiries in America as to the value of
technical education. and | am bound re-
luctantly to confess that, contrary to my
anticipation, did not find much evidence
of its efficiency among many of those
holding the more prominent positions as
administrators. That on consideration
is TO be easily explained. 1t is greater
thing to be a molder of men than of ma
| terials. and there has yet been no tech
meal college for the development of the
former gift.
"Nevertheless-and it is necessary to
| say this, to prevent misconception-th
/ technical colleges of all industrial nations
| in the present day are doing indispensable
! work. Anyone now entering the engineer
| ing profession is severely Handicapped il
/ he has not had technical education; that
/ is to say. he should have a more complete
| knowledge of the scientific laws which
| govern physical phenomena than it was
/ possible to acquire by the old system of
( apprenticeship and drawing Office training
| only. The technical colleges are somewhat
unfairly treated A great many parents
| think that because they have given their
| sons three years course therefore, they
/ have ensured to them q successful en-
| gineering career. That is unreasonable.
| No doubt a great many wasters'-the
| MISUNDERSTOOD engineers term exactly
| expresses the condition-come from the
| technical schools. but then a great many
| MASTERS come from everywhere. Given
! two lads of approximately equal character.
| the technically educated will be sure to
| win in the long run. There is. however,
| less need to say much about technical edu-
| cation, as il has not a very important
| bearing on American competition, owing
| to equality of facilities in the two coun-
| tries. In the United States there are
some admirable technical schools, but.
| speaking from personal observation, and
| not by the book | should say we are as
well off in England. That statement is
| open to correction by statistical data or