The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-09-06
TO U FILIPINOs.

The Filipinos are having their first experiences
with our American dollars. A few truths should be
told to the Filipinos at the outset. Too much has
been written and said-evidently at the instance OF
the great magnates, and for the purpose of dis.
c~ouraging competition-about the difficulty Of get
ting rich. Let the young Filipino know that it is
comparatively easy. The process is exceedingly
simple. Given the commercial instinct, which is the
instinct of pursuit, and the question of accumulat-
ing wealth is one Of mere time.
The science of money-making has for its basic
principle, underlying every other, pursuit, relentless
pursuit. Chase the elusive little dollars and they
are yours. When one heaves in sight approach it
directly and unhesitatingly. There are likely to be
others after it who need it even worse than you do,
but you must assume that this particular one was
coined for you and you alone. Don't pause while
some greedy person. less scrupulous, appropriates
the unit. Don't circumlocute. The other fellow
probably figures that the Government turned that
dollar loose for anybody who can get it, and he isn't
going to bubble about your prior rights. He won't
indulge in any moral reflections until he is biting
the edge Of the coin and recovering his breath.
II some mercenary wretch beats you to it, re-
member there is still a chance for you-borrow it
from him. Many a short-winded man has done well
simply tagging the good sprinters and keeping what
they will lend.
Don't be too polite. You do not owe much con-
sideration to the man who is doing his utmost to
get that which you most desire. Take a walk into the
country on Sunday, and appropriate the valuable
lessons which q ~barnyard scene affords: Directness,
simplicity. The Government mint is nothing but a
generous feeder and the best man must get his
feet in the trough. There are many excellent hints
one may receive in contemplating the bucolic, ii
strenuous, life of the barnyard.
See the desired thing, and see 1t first Don't squeal
when you see it. You don't want a reception
around it when you get there. Fly to it silent as
the wings Of night. But If the others likewise see
it, hurry, scurry. fight, scratch, elbow, edge, wedge,
scramble, scrawl, scoot. brawl, hump, bump, jump,
glide, trip, slip and slide out to 1t and fall on it.
The odds are a million to one against you. Why
you put forth your best efforts?
Always in pursuing it, remember that there is a
large field and you will have to hurry.
Bear in mind that snatching is better than
squeamishness, and that snatching Is the vogue.
money is simply money snatched. And don't
be deluded with the idea that there is such a thing
as bad money. Properly speaking, all money Is
good money. 1t does not follow, as some think,
all which is not money is bad. That which
passes for money cannot be bad until detected. Pro-
coed on the theory that 1t Is geod in your hands;
1t may be bad In a~nother's.
Recent reports indicate that the Filipinos are do
ing nicely with the new dollars. When the Filipinos
shall have developed the commercial instinct to a
point where competition with them would not be
unfair, we generous Americans will visit them; pro-
vided, Of course, the Government shall have sent
enough of the mezuma to make it worth our
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