The Jennings daily record. [volume] (Jennings, La.) 1900-1903, 1902-07-21


been. and presumably always will
be. the fashion TO ascribe to the past
advantages that denied to the
present and to the future. Many
young men. convinced that they
wer" born too late, console themselves
with this fancy. and submit: while others
conclude that conditions unfavOrable
TO advancement and weakly throw them
selves on tin" tide to drift the current
takes them Indeed many parents seek to
console their by the strange theory
that they were born at the wrong time.
or in tn" wrong environment. And. yet.
records prove nothing. if not the absolute
ialsity ~ this popular faIlacy. History,
science, literature. art and commerce
prove absolutely that every period Of
progress has been but a gateway into q
still greater arena Of human endeavor
and human progress: and that the men
who grspDled with the conditions Of the
hour. achieving name and success came
from unexpected II not seemingly unfaV-
cradle environments.
II is not necessary to support this prop
"sitiou with instances. It is obvious to
any and very person who has any idea
of our great inventors. public men.
scientists, our authors artists.
and our rchants They may be the
great exceptions: Yet. they prove the
rule. All Tires equally propitious; all
conditions equally advantageous. The
submits OF ambition. may not always be
attained anG the desired positions may
tot always Dc secured bit just meas
ure of award will always be won by such
as arr. earnest and determined.
y young boy not unlike Il seed. No
one knows what may come from either
Plant the seed it may grow to bloom, and
fiji the in the tender leaf. Place tho
boy He may prove earnest, studious.
cnura Geous and attain great ends. He
may become like Grant, the leader OF ar
mics; or like Edison. the wizard of the
laboratory or like Raphael. the painter
a world-prized canvas. or like Tenny-
son. the writer Of immortal verse. He
may become genius in finance or com
,rerce or only poor Wandering Willie
Steering in hedges.
ny the experience of our lives we recng-
. tze tho law Of gravitati"n is not exciu-
Stvely confined to objects that can be
seen and measured. No man. who has
had had experience in the world. has not
seen some acuuaintauCes drawn down by
the Influences that beset men; ana. ire
auentIy those who went the furthest
down are those We confidently believe
( would rise the highest. 1t seems to me
/ that young mon dismiss the idea that
! the day of opportunity is over: but, on
/ the other hand, if they would attain q
I rational degree Of success they should
. carefully study the laws of sravitation.
; that affect character There is a vast
/ amount of wisdom in the old saying: He
; who would conquer the world must first
! conquer himself.
Every day brings revelation in some
( sphere. of life. We are forced to recognize
+ the work that is done by The results at
. tanned The combined intellect of man
! building on the accumulated knowledge
/ and experience of centuries seeks new
methods Discovery follows discovery
! Look in the machine shop: II IL mas peeh
.sta blished twenty years. and has not
I been kept up to date. its machinery is
/ antiquated go into the laboratory and
what do find. chemists on the thresh-
: old of new wonders; everywhere. some
/ thing new Who are the men doing these
! things" Young men. new men. coming
/ men
Records do not show the day of oppor-
T tunity is over, on the contrary, they init
mate they are but beginning. Opportuni-
/ ties a re- not seized they are acquired 4
/ man must lit himself for his opportunity.
! There is no royal road. Work. study, de-
/ Mai. energy are essentials to success A..
| man must not only know how he does hiS
! work: but why. and. further. by interest
! in his task seek to get from it even
! though it be but senSeless mineral an
/ intinaton of its unwhiSpered secrets
| Young men should acquire habits OF
, punctualitv. of honesty of purpose. OF
! earnestuess. Their work should find them
! ready for il with full bodily and mental
done. something to be accomplished be-
! tween nXed hours 1t should be done with
/ the feeling that they live to do it. can
, not impress on young men who would
succeed too deeply the Importance of be-
ing earnest. An earnest young man. who
/ rightly regards his work as a blessing.
| and who holds himself in check against
! character gravitatiuu, holds in his own
/ hand the key which opens the door to
success. There is no place ever so hum
/ BILE or ever obscure which may not
&. PROVE the threshold Of u useful and brill
| liant future.