New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1904-01-23
Subscription, $1.5O per Annum
IS THERE SUCH A THING AS LUCK :?

that there is any such thing a
luck. Theycontend that the amour
of success that any man achives il
due entirely to his own indlvidna
efforts. They claim that energ,
and industry are the only taIismanl
required to insure a successful ca
reer, but they do not deny tha
other qualifications have contrib
utory Influence. To put it briefly
they argue that a mans origina
condition aed environment have
nothing to do with his possible at
tainments, and that any man may
be successful if he resolves to sue.
ceed. According to their doctrine,
it there is any "mute, inglorious
Milton" it is his own fault, and
not the accident of his birth and
surroundings. If there be any
Cromwell guiltless of his coun-
try's blood" it is not because his
"lot forbade" but because be was
too indolent to lead a revolution.
There is no use in quibling about
words, but there is undoubtedly
something beyond individual hui
man control that influences the
destinies of mankind. 1t matters
little whether it be called luck, or
fortune, or Providence-the result
is still the same. What is known
as heredity is certainly largely re-
sponsible for the mental and ply
steal equipment with which all men
start in life, but to the individual
affected it is merely another uame
for luck. The boy who comes into
the world endowed with strong,
healthy body and a superabundance
of mental and physical energy is
surely more fortunate than the
weakling who is "born tired" 1t
Is true that the life of the strong,
energetic boy may proye a failure,
but it is none the less true that he
has the advantage at the outset.
1t is not impossible that the youth
who lacks strength and energy may
win fame and fortune, but he is
heavily handicapped at the start,
and the chances are decidedly
against him.
1t is frequently asserted that
whatever has been done by one
man may be done by others. There
is some truth in this assertion when
to definite limits, but
when 1t is given general applica
ton it becomes absolutely and re-
diculously false. Other men, no
matter how able Or how unscrupu-
lous they may be, cannot do as
Rockefeller has done, for he has
secured control of one immense
field of enterprise, and there are
no similar fields in sight. All men
cannot become multi-lnillionaires,
FOR millions of men must contrib
ute to the monster fortunes Of the
money kings If all men were
,ven moderately rich there would
De no one to do the work that |
makes immense accumulations of |
wealth possible. Saul was head
Ind shoulders above the people,
md it wonld be just as reasonable
% say that all his subjects might
nave attained the stature of their
sovereign as it is to assert that auy
nan may do what any man has
lone Even in a limited sense the
assertion is far from being accu-
'ate. In all ages men have ap-
1eared who still stand ont promi-
1ently from the multitude. Shake
'peare wrote three hundred years
lgo, and the world has not vet |
Produced his equal. Napoleon sat-
lrated Europe with blood and made |
lis name terror, bnt no one sup
,oses that any of his followers,
including his brilliant galaxy of |
generals, could have accomplished
he work he was destined to do.
Even when a man is fitted by
birth and education for an impor-
ant position, he may never have
IN opportunity to eli it. If there
lad been no Civil War, it is more
han probable that U. s. Grant
would have died an unknown tam
Ter. On the other hand, if young
1rant had not had the ambition to
pply for a West Point course, and
be good fortune to Obtain it, he
vould not have had. when the war
anne, the opport nnity.:o become a
,reat general. As ii was. the op-
'ortunity came aud the man was
eady to sciz. it. If he had not
'een prepared for whatever might
ONE, the opportunity would have
,one to another, and no one can
ell what difference there might
ave been in the worlds history.
Every boy who is born iu the
'0ssession of the usual faculties is
TIED for the performance Of some
a