Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1911-04-27
THE SELF-MADE MAN.

w have always heard a good deal about the sefmade man. 4 good
deal Of what We have heard and read about him is not reliable, for it came
from the slfmade man himself and he exaggerated his early poverty and
adverse conditions met aud conquered with the idea that he was thus adding
to his credit. Ii fact we nave come to believe that the sdfmade man is
something Of fake \ man does not make himself He is made. His
character and virtues are often more the product Of outside influences work
ing Oh him than inside influences working o the facts Of his environment.
The man grows a. a plant grows and it makes all the difference in the world
what chance soil lie finds to sink his roots in, and what sunshine, rains and
storms reach him. Even his national characteristics are not altogether his
own but are in part the gift of men and women who believe in him. So the
sdfmade man is after all a sort Oft myth. The phrase very often means
only a man who by luck or diligence has captured considerably more than
his average share Of the property of the world.
These reflections are induced by an article in the Charleston News and
Courier, calling attention to the humble beginnings ofa number of famous
men, The big captains of industry mostly commenced life as messenger boys.
or farm hands OF something like that, it is true. But who knows how much
of their later success was due to a good mother, that the public has heard
little about Abraham Lincoln who was a plain, blunt spoken man, as well
as one strangely gifted with a perception Of the inner wisdom of things once
said that he owed all he was to his stepmother.
The South Carolina newspaper has been sizing up the new United States
senators with relation to their early opportunities and what they made of
them. | ays
OF the % new members of the United States senate, nine have made
their own fortunes George 2, Mclean. of Connecteut was born n a farm.
overcame difficulties which would have discouraged many a boy in securing a
nigh school education, studied law while working a a newspaper reporter.
James I. MARITIME Of New Jersey, has hd. the management of the farm upon
which he lives since the death of his father, which occurred when he was Il
years Of age The parents of Senator Claude I. Swanson, of Virginia, were
impoverished by the war, and the money with which young swanson was
educated was saved By him from his earnings IS a farm hand aud a clerk in a
grocery store. Senator Chiffon, of West Virgna, had only a common school
education aud supported himself by teaching and doing farm work while he
prepared himself for the bar Senator oGorman had only moderated, good
opportunities and he established for himself the connections through which
advancement has come to him. Senator johnson, of Maine, paved his way
through college with the money which he earned teaching school Senator
Works of California, entered the army at 16 and studied law and was admit
ed to the bar after the close of the war Senator Gronna, of North Dakota,
had only a public school education and served an apprenticeship as a school
teacher before he found his opportunity to acquire land in the undevenped
frontier and emerged into a banker and merchant Senator Myers, of Mon
tana, duplicated in a way the experience of Senator Mclean, of Connecticut,
suding law while doing reportoral work OF a Misuri newspaper
There is plenty of opportunity in the United States and especially in the
West r merit to win its way to high recognition in every walk of life To
be born poor and contend in early life with the handicap of poverty brings