Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-01-14
IS g.
LOOK PlEASANT.s

About week ago the Courier pub
lished some advice to it's readers under
the above caption and the comments
made upon it have been varied and
amusing. Just to show that 1t is good
advice and that those who have used
no better motto through life than those
two words, Look Pleasant" have sue
ceeded, we would call attention to the
career of the late William Henry Bald
win, whose death occurred in New
York recently. Mr.. Baldwin was one
Of the men who are not born fixed"
He had his own way to make in the
world after he left college, and he
made 1t. Not quite twenty years ago
he graduated from Harvard and with
no definite aim in life he drifted west
ward. He secured position as clerk
In the auditors Office of the Union Pa
cifc- railroad at Omaha, where he re-
ceived a salary of $40 per month. The
work was not congenial and young
Baldwin decided to find something
more agreeable. He determined that
he must deserve better place before
he could expect to get 1t and conse-
quently his work as clerk was excel
lent In four years he had become
general manager of Montana rail-
way, was called back to the Union Pa
ciflc as assistant vice president, In
two years more was tho vice president
OF the Southern and at the age of 33
was president of the Long Island rail.
road at $4,000 a year, in which posi-
ton he remained until he died.
Bat this is not all. II 1t We're. Will
liam Henry Baldwin would not be held
up as an example for young men to
follow His monument is not the fact
that he made his own life pleasant
and profitable one for himself alone,
nor that he amassed riches, but his
monument Is In the fact that he was
connected with more institutions
which have for their purpose the men
tai, moral and spiritual uplift of the
world, than any other man OF his age
Mr.. Baldwin died at the age of AZ
years. But in that time he he'd, by
looking always for the better, the
brighter side of life, been the means
OF bringing about great good. He was
the first to discover Booker Washing
ton, to ind in the Civic Association the
hope OF Industrial peace, to labor In
ku6 SluIAS VI lSCW Loih LII eAAS oSAA~AN
of the poor and unfortunate, to work
among the richest and best citizens
OF New York, to get not only thei1
money, but their personal cooperation
in hundred opportunities for the ele
walton Of mankind.
Mr.. Baldwin was one of the men
who look pleasant. He could easily
have become discouraged when he was
$40, clerk in the railway office al
Omaha. He could have fallen easily
into the habit of grumbling because
his work was no more congenial, the
wages no higher, and the corporation
which employed him no more cogniz
ant Of his own wishes. But he kept
stiff upper lip and persisted in LOOKING
pleasant. His. example Is one whicf
can be followed by thousands Of
young men Of today. The discouragine
obstacles that arise in the path We
all travel were met by him. He over
came them all because he was de
termined to go ahead. If he had no
had this determination, If he had no
persisted in looking pleasant, his name
would never have meant more thar
that of any other man who is Dor1
without being fixed"