Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-06-17
AGGRESSION
FOR A MOMENT.
Being an Investigation Into the
Subject, "What Is Gen.
uine Success?"
BY 8. c. FORBES.


successful men have ever known earns
the equivalent of SIS a week He is not
famous outside his own little town He
has never done a spectacular thing in his
life. His name has never been in a met
sropolitan newspaper He has contributed
nothing new TO science to art, to litera-
ture, to religion or to any "ology" or
ism His bank account | dare say is
not far up in the thousands. Measured
by the dollar yardstick his career has
been a fat failure Why, then, do I de-
scribe this obscure, unwealthy man as
successful beyond. mos. of his fellows?
Before answering, permit a depression.
l used to talk weekly to a wide-awake
lot of youth on general everyday, human
subjects What, do you think, interested
them most? Not morals, not sports, not
goody goody matters, not adventure, not
travel. Nearly every time the topic was
left to them to choose they replied: Tell
us how the richest men in this country
made money Ito begin with" Sometimes
they wanted to hear of intimate incidents
which young lads encountered in business
the ones who got on The test of
success, as understood and applied by
this class of youths was, of course
money
Once they asked: Who is the most
successful person you know?" l replied
"A man earning less than $25 a week
They could not believe | was in earnest
So had to explain.
This successful mans character was so
genuinely, so consistently good so far
above reproach, that he had an elevating
influence upon his fellow citizens He
reared a family OF seven sons and daugh-
tiers, each one of whom followed in his
footsteps. He was an ardent advocate
of temperance and practiced 1t in every
form. He was an enthusiastic worker
for his church. He labored humbly but
ardently for civic righteousness and hap
piness His townsmen became so deeply
impressed with his qualities as a man
that-at first against his wil-they called
him to seat on the municipal board OF
government Here his work proved so
valuable that higher civic honors were
bestowed, and had it not been for the
fact that his daily labors prevented, he
would have been elected to the highest
honorary position in the city. the equiv
alent of mayor.
But it was his purely domestic life that
most impressed mel had peculiar oppor-
tunity to know and study it. Not long
ago d Western lady, the newspapers told
us sought and obtained a divorce be
cause her husband was faultless never
STAYED out too late. never got drunk.
never swore al her. gave her everything
she wanted and always treated her with
the greatest kindness. She simply could
not stand him, he was so exasperating
" unlId certainly
have divorced the man OF whom | speak
He was like that-plus. Yet in 80 years
Of married life there had never been a
family quarrel Nor did his children hate
him-he was the best of chums they had
! knew him almost as we'll as they did,
and my. feelings toward him were the
same as those who insisted upon honoring
him with public office.
succeeded in convincing the youths
that this mans life was a success Only
these lads were not old enough to be
cynical. not old enough to sneer at home
ly virtues: but young enough despite
their inherited ideas of the almightiness
Of the dollar. to recognize that there are
some other things worth while, after all.
Curiously enough, one of the very
prominent bankers now under the lash
for the clearing house methods some time
ago expressed sentiments very much the
same as the foregoing He has all the
money he needs He has enjoyed the
highest of financial and business honors.
He is extremely well regarded by other
fnanciers. Yet. after having experienced
such fruits. he counts them of but little
rnonent. Does he worship the dollar?
Does he now measure success by dollar
hills? Looking back-he does snatch oc-
casional moments for ref1ection-he sees
things in a perspective different from that
now so generally in vogue Some day
NAV get him TO write for this column
his mature verdict on Things that are
worth while
10 all this despicsbly puerile? Is it too
nreachv- preachy? Has IT too little con
rection with facts and comment on
Anance and business? Should it have no
mace in newspaper concerned with the
foings of the day? Perhaps Then.
sgsi5. since most that is done in finance
and business Is an effort toward success,
tbs subject may not he so very far out
~ Mace. Its treatment, however. is.
fear hopelessly old-fashioned Tomor-
roT1 and other days something more up
- ds+e may he discussed