The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1910-01-13
An Able
y Discourse.
What Business Man Should Be,
Bya Member of the Chau-
tauqua Circle.

tauqua Circle.
Paper Read Before the ChauttduQaa Circle.
"The man who thinks out what he
wants to do and then works, and works
hard will win. No others do or ever
have or can. God will not have it So"
In submitting, for your consideration.
my views upon the subject which you
have elected for this afternoons dis
cussion find myself at the outset con-
fronted with difficulties. The question:
"What q business man should be, i'm
mediately conjures in the mind such
large array of qualifications which make
our ideas of what perfect business
man should be, that it seems almost Inn
possible in q limited space to handle 40
extensive subject. For this reason |
have decided to eliminate many matters
of interest:which trust will be brought |
forward In the discussion which is to
follow the reading of this paper. 1t is
my intention to touch lightly upon the
qualifications which II personally ad-
mire, which wished Il possessed my
self and would advocate all following.
however feebly, should we wish for ul-
innate success.
take it for granted there is none
among this Circle who is SO seIfcenter-
ed, SO grossly egotistical and so basely
selfopiniated that it is impossible for
each one to admire ability honesty and
true manhood in others. Believing such
is the case may therefore assume that
we all appreciate liability, true worth
and success in others aud though we
may not be able to reach the zenith of
their power-yet we iwould fain strive
to do so. We all admire an able musi-
clan; we appreciate a good actor; we
may envy a:fine speaker; We may even
idolize popular athlete and we do this
because we are pleased with their v ;ews
or their actions and ethe excellency of
their attainments which are so deserv-
ing of praise and which set standard
we would gladly copy, it we could. So
it is when we KIN wv .ot keen, upright
and successful business man. For him
aud his successes we feel no Jealousy
but only desire is born to emulate his
deeds and follow the footsteps which
have trod such safe and tested paths
Though the result may prove futile
yet having striven to the best of Ou'
ability-though perhaps in less de
gree than we might wish-a measure
of success must at least crown the en-
deavOr.
From these premises l argue we al
have some idea of what business mai
should be. Our first consideration is
Who is business manp Is he confine'
to q trade? Are men of profession
barred from this category? Is an em
-ploye to be considered and shall tn
man who has neither trade nor profef
sion be excludedp l say yno-emphatit
ally no-but instead Igo even furthe
aud include all womeniand those VIII
-be they master or gservant-rich G
poor-educated or uneducated-hav
interests which require personal after
tion. Such, claim are we'll within th
confines of the business world.
Secondly, but briefly, l would az
what you define the1wOrd "businest
to meanP A correct Interpretation
this is necessary to a complete unde
standing of our subject. Iwoold deir
business as an exchange of things
service, the getting and giving, the bu
ing and selling to satisfyGthe demar
whereby scarcity is relieved by abu;
dance. The doing of thesethings caus
activicy during which, as in nature, q
law of equilibrium must be considsre
An equivalent fall, gotten or giv'
5 must b g maintained. Ignorance 9
greed often.leads men to attemptto 6
something for nothing, It cannot
cdone without retribution. There me
be payment Of a'kind and it is well
s. is 60. N ature steaches us the law.
compensated and something for !
s,t6 q sesss SIX aSs,f @S &lA