Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-12
Chances for Young Men.

Chances for Young Men.
IT should think, Mr.. Selfridge, that the
twentieth century stores which you de-
scribe would be the death to individual am
bition. In the past, with a few thousand
dollars, a clerk could open a store of his
own. Now one must have a vase capital to
do SOL
/ THAT Is true to some extent. but not al
together so. The clerk, on the other hand
now receives better wages. There is more
demand for good men, and better chance
to rise. The clerk can still start store
in a small way, or he can make himself so
valuable that his Salary will be greatly in
creased"
DO you have trouble getting good
clerks?"
THE best are always in demand, and
good men are steadily advanced replied
by their employers. Those of the lower
grades are watched, and an effort is made
to interest them in their work to the gem
eral Improvement Of the business
I'm the store of Marshall Field & Co. we
offered a dollar for every suggestion of
value made by a clerk. no matter what that
suggestion was. We also gave a dollar to
every mention of an error or waste that
might be remedied. / remember one clerk
got dollar for pointing out a leak in the
water cooler on the third floor. We do the
same in my store, and we also pay for any
error or mista tement discovered in our adj
vertisements, either by placard or by the
| newspapers. This is to show the clerks that
our advertisements are to be relied upon.
and also to prevent any deception of the
public by them
Women Clerks.
What do you think of the woman clerk?
Has she come to stay?"
"She has place of her own in the Tween
tieth Century Store, and one which she will
always hold. Women make excellent clerks.
and certain nlaraS do ba,
men,"
paid as men?''
No; But there is a reason why they are
not. Ihelr term of service is shorter and
they DO not secure the advance of salary
winch comes from a long stay in the same
store. AS a rule, the woman does not ex-
pect to make her EMPLOYMENT her life work
She looks forward to marriage. and rightly
so. Were it not for that she would soon be-
come more experienced, and would com
mand higher wages
Advice to Young Merchants.
Would you advise a boy to adopt mer-
chandisng a profession"
That would depend upon the boy" said
| MI Selfridge. IF he has a bent toward
merchandising his opportunities will be as
| great there as in any other profession If
ne mas no sach bent he had better choose
something else. / cannot recall when | did
| not want to be a merchant l remember
l had stand on the street, and played at
| selling goods when still quite small and
! many OF my school vacations were spent in
1 the store" "
Give me some suggestions for the boy
VINO wants to succeed
| II would advise him to do his very best
When ne starts out and to study how to do
| 1t better and better Every clerk shou1d
| try to make himself valuable TO his en-
| ployer. He should fit himself for the NEXT
| position above that which he holds and it
| he lon hpf~
| vacant. One secret of success is in using
| the time not required for business sleep or
| meals for study. One should read good
books and cultivate the habit of reading
| He should make his reading of a practical
| nature and such that it will be of practical
| use to him. l know one of the best rail-
| road men in the country who began life as
a deck hand on Mississippi steamboat.
He worked at first for So per month but
devoted his leisure to study, and he is now
a leader of men.
There are some things that every young
man must have, if he would succeed" Mr..
| Selfridge continued. He must be honest
| He must have good habits; he must have
tact, judgment, energy and stick-to-it-
ativeness. l don't know that 1 should adj
wise him to come to the big cities They
perhaps offer examples of the greatest sue
cesses; but the competition there is also
greatest. l would especially advise the
young man not to be in too great haste
about getting married. 1t is said that it
costs no more to support two persons than
one, but that is a mistake. 1t does cost
more, and the young man should be sure he
can support a wife and still have something
| left before he marries. Among other qdal-
tiles necessary to success are economy
willingness, prudence, self-confidence, pleas
ant manners, an even temper and a good
personal appearance"
Marshall Field on Success.
In connection with this advice of Mr.
| Selfridge 1 have some words to young men
from Marshall Field on the same subject
They were written some time ago in a
letter to Newell Dwight Hills, now pastor
of the Plymouth Church, in Brooklyn. A
condensation is as follows:
Il would say that the young man should
hrSt consider his natural bent or ihclina-
ton. He should take stock of himself find
out what business he is adapted for and
get into that business with as few changes
as possible Once in, he should strive TO
master the details of the business and TO
make his services of value, wherever he is.
He should also be alert, and be ready to
seize opportunities when they present them
selves.
"The trouble with most young men," con-
tinued Mr.. Field. 'is that they do not learn
thoroughly. They work carelessly, forget
that what is worth doing at all is worth