The Washington herald., 1913-08-10
Charles M. Schwab, the Steel
Magnate, Advises Young
Men Not to Be Too Keen
for Genteel Employment
'Be Dligent."

Fifty-one years ago in a small town OF
Williamsburg, Pa, a modest cottage was
all astir with joy over a new arrival
: A proud father, who had tasted Of the
bitters of life and had become familiar
with the obstacles that beset those born
of poor and humble parentage in the con-
gested European countries, clasped hands
in gladness and exclaimed to the few
friends who had gathered to inquire for
the mother and child:
Thank God, the boy was born in Amer
lea. At least he will have a mans
chance"
A few years passed. and the father,
hearing there We're more opportunities
open to him in his small way in the viii
lage of Loretto, decided to move there.
The little country school. with its bro
ken and poorly whitewashed front, was
not what he would have liked his son
to attend, but it was all Loretto afforded.
The teacher was a good soul, who be-
came interested at once in the new pu-
Pill from williamsburg" The boy, pos
sessing a keen yearning for knowledge
and quick to learn, would often remain
after school when the other pupils had
gone, that he might improve his lessons
for the following day.
The one particular striking characteris-
tic of this poor country boy that stood
out above all others was his thoroughness
in everything he did. The little things Of
life interested him quite as much as the
big things. He was not a dreamer. but
cool and practical. with a keen foresight
and an inborn knowledge that told him
patience and perseverance were the two
prerequisites of success.
And so it was due largely to his intense
interest in life itself, his warm-hearted
boyish nature, and strong character that
the teacher, after a while, urged young
Schwab to go to college. and offered to
help him. In time he was duly enrolled
as a student at St Francis College.
But, strange as it may seem, it was not
his college training that started this poor
country lad on a career that was eventu-
ally to be crowned with untold riches and
glorious achievement.
Attracts Carnegie's Attention.
1t was Schwab's success in awaiting ruts
that brought him to the attention Of An
drew Carnegie.
At the time young Schwab was driving
a stage coach from Loretto to Cresson. a
distance of five miles, and on one occa-
sion il was his good fortune to have
among his passengers the great IRON
master Mr.. Carnegie was impressed with
the strong personality and honest speech
of young Schwab and offered him a posi-
ton as humble stake driver in the engi-
neering corps of what is now one of the
subsidiary companies of the United States
Steel Corporation.
When barely twenty-three years Of age
Schwab had climbed to the position Of
chief engineer and assistant manager of
one of the big Carnegie companies. Two
years later he was made superintendent
of the great steel rail plant at Homestead,
then general superintendent OF the Edgar
Thompson works in Pittsburgh, holding
his position until 1897, when he became
president of the Carnegie Steel Company,
and later, 1901-3, head Of the United States
Steel Corporation. "a.
Andrew Carnegie has said Charles NJ.
Schwab is the most practical steel man in
the world. The men who have worked
with him and under him say Mr.. Schwab
would have succeeded in any other line of
business, because he started in the right
way.
ANY young man can succeed In any
line of endeavor IL he will do that which
is given him to do a little better than the
average. 1t is the man who succeeds.
Not the business
That is Mr.. Schwab's recipe. As q
stage driver he followed It; as one Of the