The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-05-07
SOME GOOD ADVICE.

Miss Irene Gardner. who writes many good things for some of the Eastern papers tells of recent con versation she overheard in a street car. when a young man, an employe of q large city firm declared that he in- tended to take . day or two of with or without leave. When asked if he thought the firm would stand for any thing of that kind he replied in effect that they couldn't help themselves be- cause they would not be able to find any one to i'll his place. This is the subject of one of Miss Gardner's latest articles. and she uses it as a text. For, she writes, there's one thing absolute ly sure in this life. Just as soon as we get 1t into our heads that we are indispensable to our employer, just that moment do we begin to become Of less value to them than we were be- fore. And unless we wake up and realize that the only way to be truly useful is to feel that we must i'm prove on our work continually some- ter than we do.'
 The writer is eminently correct in her comments of the young mans overconndence And yet he made the mistake that many young-and some old--employes make when they suffer themselves to believe that their ser vices are indispensable to their em- ployers. Possibly there are positions occupied by men whose places 1t might be impossible to i'll, but if there are any such they are exceedingly rare, and the man. especially the young man, who thinks himself in such a position Is making one of the serious mistakes of his life.
 As Miss Gardner elewhere says in her advice to young men: When you think your employer couldn't i'll your place were you to step out then it's time to stop and take another think
 
 would do well to heed. Competent men for almost any position are not so hard to find as they once were. and there are too many unemployed at this time both male and female. to make it safe for one man to think that no one can be found to take his place If he leaves 1t. The chances are that there will be more than one who can fill his position anl no one know that he left it. To quote more at length from Miss Gardner's article
 The clerk who makes more safes per day than any other clerk at his coun- upon which to mount tho greater sue cess the following week. He knows that if he remains satisfied with Jus. being ahead of his fellow. clerks. pc, advance beyond him So he works harder and harder to keep his posi- tion. and if he continues this way will some day find himself at the head of a department, and then later per haps a partner in the business. For the pessimists may say what they please about there being less oppor- Is a fact that business men are la menting the lack of earnest workers in the world. And if you place side fortune at his disposaI ana no ability to work. and the other without money. but with the right sort of desire to get ahead in the world, youll find after few years that the latter young man has forged far ahead of the form CT. The very large majority or the millionaires in this country. the great jurists, the men, in fact, conspicuous for their successin any field, were not given those positions or fortunes through inehritance. They achieved their success through downright hard work, and they keep their positions today because none of them feels that he is indispensable