The Washington herald., 1908-01-01
BEGINNING THE NEW YEAR
BY FREDERIC j. HASKIN.
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

1t reminds one Of the story Of two broth
ers who went out into the world 10 make
their fortunes. The one grew wealthy
and the other lost even the little he had.
One day the poor man visited his
wealthy brother He said that he could
not understand why he was doomed TO
poverty and his brother raised to af1u-
ence, and recalled the fact that he had
always been regarded as the brighter boy
OF the two. His brother asked him TO let
him see his knife The poor brother
pulled out fine pocket knife, costing
several dollars. The rich brother took
out his knife, and it was the same old
Billy Barlow knife his mother had given
him thirty years before. It showed the
difference between the two men, One had
accumulated a fortune By economy and
the other had spent one by extravaganza.
Recently the president OF a leading
street railroad said TO country friend:
IF you know Of any good young farmer
boys who would Ike to take up city life
and work up via the street car conductor
route send them 10 me. We have found
that they make the best men. They work
as much for the confidence Of their en-
ployers as for the wages they get-and
they do not always remain in such sub
ordinate positions, either"
II will readily recur to the thinking
man that these things should not be-
Where the country boy has little old
sch0Ol-house TO attend for five or six
months out Of the year with hard work
between times. and horses, cattle, and
hogs to feed night and morning while
going to school. the city boy has a fine
schOol-house. where he can have the
benefit OF the best instruction for nine
months a year with no duties before and
after school. In everything he has the
advantage Of the country boy and the
foreigner, except that he has not learned
to be provident with his time and money.
Even as IN public life it is not the
city-boTn boys who have ruled the ma
tion or the States, so in the financial
world IL is not the city-bOTn boy who
has laid the foundations Of the fortunes
OF the United States. Scan the lists OF
the wealthy men Of the nation and see
how few Of them have been born in a
city II is true that many Of the sons
ana daughters OF these founders Of for
tunes have wealth to-day, but they can
never claim the credit OF having ac-
cumulated it themselves.
All of-this is not due 70 any superiority
Of fibre in the country boy and the for
| eigner any more than it is due 10 any
superiority Of opportunity It is all A
matter OF knowing the value Of time
and money and acting in that knowledge.
Boys with small salaries cannot afford
the things in which men' with large in
comes can indulge. To live within his
income ought to be a lesson taught 10
| every boy. FTugality Is the badge OF
discretion. the first step 70 fortune. Econ
omy is wealth, a great revenue; none can
be rich without it, and none can be poor
who always practice lr. II is the parent
oi many virtues 1t is better to live on
I little than To outlive a great deal.
/ Teach the poor 10 save aad yOJI have
/ done the greatest charity.
At this New Years season. with new
opportunities before him, every young
man ought TO make the firm resolution 10
use his time and money with a wise re-
spect for the future. Parents should re-
/ solve that their children be not allowed
to grow up without having learned the
| lessons Of frugality, thrift, and economy
A.