Evening star., 1902-01-15
CARNEGIE TALKS OF RICHES
ADVISES HEARERS TO STRIVE ONLY
FOR COMPETENCE.
Tells Them Something About the
Facts of Hts Own Great
Fortune.

The twenty-sixth anniversary of the rail
road branch of the Young Mems Christian
Association was celebrated in New York
city last night. Andrew Carnegie was the
principal speaker Edward v. w. Rossiter
first vice president of the New York Cen
trail and Hudson River railroad, and chair
man of the board of management of the
railroad branch, presided.
The reports made by Chairman Rossiter
and Secretary Warburton showed the work
to be in most prosperous condition. There
are 10 local railroad branches of the Y
NJ c. A. in the United States and Canada
with a membership of more than 43 ,00l
and an annual expenditure of more than
$400, eco, of which sum the railroad corpor-
ations contribute about 30 per cent. The
report gives some space to the relations be-
tween the railroad companies e:Id the asso-
citation and says they are most friendly.
Mr.. Carnegie and DR.. George c. Lorimer
made addresses. Mr.. Carnegie referred to
his experience in the railroad service as a
telegraph operator and later as superin-
tendent of the Pittsburg division of tho
Pennsylvania railroad. In discussing
wealth and its uses he employed these ex-
pressions:
THE best of wealth is not what it doe=
for the owner, but what it enables him to
do for others. And let me tell you there
is nothing in money beyond having a com.
petence, nothing but the satisfaction of
being able to help others"
1T is one of the most cheering facts of
our days that under present conditions the
wages OF labor tend to rise, and the price
of necessaries of life to fall. There was
never nation Splendidly situated as
ours is at this moment in regard to labor.
Every sober and capable and willing man
hnds employment at wages which, with
thrift and good wife to manage, will en-
able him to go far toward laying up a COM
petence for old age. There is nothing that
the success and happiness of a working
man so much depends upon as a good
managing wife. And here let one who has,
almost without intention or desire had
himself loaded with somewhat more than
competence, tell you soberly that what
one has beyond this brings little with it,
and sometimes nothing desirable with it..
What all of you should strive for is a
competence without which Junius has
said no man can be happy No man should
be happy without it, If it be within reach.
and urge all of you to save part of
your earnings these prosperous days and
put it in savings banks at interest, or bet
ter still buy a home with it.
1T took me some time to learn. but
did learn. that the supremely great mana
gers, such as you have these dayS never
do any work to speak of themselves: their
point is to make others work while they
think l applied this lesson in after life
SO that work and l did the laughing, and
commend to your superintendent the
thought that there is very little success
where there is little laughter. The work
man who rejoiceS in his work and laughs
away its discomforts is the man sure to
rise
Mr.. Carnegie predicted that in the near
future railroad trains will run 100 miles an
hoar, and on this point he said:
IN the improvements made TODAY on
the various lines l don't think MANY man
ayers are looking far enough ahead They
are spending on some parts perhaps half
a million dollars where they ought to
spend double, and easing the curves which
tney should abolish, and some future nres-
ldent is TO say they wasted a good deal Of
money Nothing but a straight line win
pe up to date in 1850, or before that
Inc speaker commended the care some
railroads are giving their EMPLOYEES and
iauded M the pension system and the reading
ano Guiprooms which some roads are es-
tapllshlng. He said these benefited share
holders, as we'll as workmen and added.
IT is great delusion TO say that capi-
tai and labor are foes; they must be allies
or neither succeeds