The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1909-12-09
About Self
Made Men
Are They Self Made, or Are They
Helped Along by Others in
Various Ways?

Various Ways?
Pdper Read Before the Chautauqud Circle.
To the boundless and monumental
heroes of American plutocracy we owe
the coinage of the title The. Self Made
Man. 1t is within the past twenty-five
wears that from lecturers and pulpit ora
tions we learned what it is that constl-
tutes the Self Made Man and the mate
rial used in the manufacturing process.
1t is a somewhat curious fact that we
have this self advertising mostly from
those who have aspired to the Presi-
dency. or secured seat in the National
Chambers at Washington. L he Self
Made Man, az he is portrayed today,
has at all times begun life in very
humble, low and obscure manner. In
many cases as an orphan boy, in other
instances as boyish cad Garner for
a large and growing family. But IN
every case there is a terrible struggle
depicted with poverty .and its conse-
.uuent drawbacks. Enlightenment, ed
ucation and mental progress are.atta n
ed only by great energy, indomitable
wlllpower aud determination toremoVe
all obstacles frOm the path in order to
succeed.
Dnring the past year l have read the
obituary notices of many milllonaires,
with a biographical sketch o their
lives. They were described in strong,
glowing colors as Self Made Men, but
who i'm their lives here upon earth were
always the parasites of.a paternal Gov
ernment and the favorites of the Upper
Chamber at the Nations Capital In
procuring fat Government contracts at
tat.grasting prices. In some instances
we do not bave to wait for the grave to
close over the greatness of man. Great
ness and seifcreation are thrust upon
us by every plutocrat of great Wealth
who holds the controlling stock IN a
circulating magazine or an inflated yel-
low newspaper.
We have Andrew Carnegie, Ci aries
Schwab, Pierpont Morgan and others
of this moneyed bunch held up TO us
daily by brainstorm writer's as Self Made
Men. Yet common horse sense eau size
up their greatness and any higbschoo
student can tell how they achieved 1t
What kind of self made mud is Charles
M. Schwab moulded from? We hnc
him as boy in the employ of the Car
negie Steel Company building fires ant
sitting ashes. by diligent atte ltion tt
his duties, mot watching the clock bu
giving full measure of his time to tn
great steel corporation he was a1vanc
ed to a higher position of trust and re
sponsibility until he became manage
of the Homestead plant and finally
through Andrew Carnegie's generoslt!
owner of the Bethlehem Steel Works
then. gentlemen of the Circle, the Coy
ernm ent did the rest! This is M
-Schwab's prologue. Whats are the facts
From the time Charles Schwab e1tere
the Carnegie Company up to the vel
present time, when they are both ba
tling together to attain their mutual Il
terests at Washington, Mr.. SchWab h'
been, as man and boy, the especial
yorite and almost adopted son OF II
Scotchman. Schwab, with manly forl
pleasing to the eye, fine physiq U
gentle manners, agreeable disposltio
fne character and musical talents
the highest order burrowed his way
his marvellous voice into theIScotc
mans heart; and there he was fostert
aided financially with large sums
money and made what heiis today:
Millionaire and Self Made Man
the grace of the Steel King. 1t gre
ness consists in the successful accun
lation of millions heaped upon millio
then these two ghoulish money-gett
are great. Mr.. Schwab had the subli
gall not many days ago to stand NJ
the platform of hall in an Orph
boys industrial school and with sw