Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1914-10-28
BRAINS IN ACTION"
NEED OF TO.OAYS
BUSINESS MEN
WM. III. GAY OF GRAND RAPIDS
GAVE THE HIGH SCHOOL En-
CELLENT TALK

The keynote OF the address given
by VIM. X. Gay. manufacturer. OF
Grand Rapids before the high school
and visitors last Friday afternoon was.
that boys and girls must make by
hard and persistent work the op-
portunities that they seek in the
manufacturing world as in any other
line.
In his opening remarks Mr.. Gay
stated that he was little misinforrned
as to the character OF his audience
and had prepared an address especial
ly for young men. He was willing.
however, that the girls, the visitors
and all others present should listen
because the same things that were
good for boys would apply to the
others.
Mr.. Gay gave most excellent ad-
dress and one tiled with good sound
advice for the students and at the
same time very beneficial To all Of
his other listeners.
The important question for each
young person To ask himself today"
said Mr.. Gay. lis. does the world owe
IA successful life? In answering this
question | believe that there is no
such thing as luck in manufacturing.
in business or in any other activity
of life. The necessary factor for sue
cess is liberal amount Of gray mat
ter and good hard work. You can get
the former only by persistent work.
Opportunity does not come by ac-
cident but to those who are able to
carry ii. The man who is at the head Of
a business today may be replaced to-
morrow by younger man who can
see things ahead of his senior Such
advantages come only to the thinker,
and this chance TO go ahead ny re-
placing someone else is what con-
stitutes opportunity 1t is not luck
There are hundreds of more op-
portunities in the manufacturing field
today than there were when our
grandfathers lived. These opportunit-
les must all be grasped by the young
men of today But to succeed in
manufacturing there are several es-
scntial qualifications. You must have
courage, you must have nerve, CON
hdence and initiative, You must learn
to make more out of your time and
learn TO get ont Of ruts. Don't get
out Of one rut and into another, but
out Of the ruts and up in the road
where the going is good Again you
must be diplomatic. know how TO rub
the fur the right way to get business
Another important thing, learn how
to be doing things when you are not
busy, That is something that we all
need. Be able 10 find yourself
Now / have talked at some length
about opportunity, but opportunity
alone does not mean success. We can
not see opportunity. Opportunity is
a convenience OF time and place for
doing things. 1t is true today as il
was years ago that the higher you
climb on the ladder the less competi-
ton you have.
Manufacturing in this country is
young yet. 1t is just like a clumsy
boy. 1t needs to be rounded out. 1t
needs developing. Competition is
keener today than ever before. We
need more capable men in our factor
les. We have enough of the "jack-of
all-trades'' kind We need men who
can do some one thing and do il well,
men who can do IL better than anyone
else.
"You all know Of Mr. Chalmers of
Detroit. the automobile manufactures.
Mr.. Chalmers is reputed To have said
that only ten per cent of the effort in
today has as its result
the completed article. The other
ninety per cent Of the energy is used
in selling the product. We need bet
ter statesmen. Why. don't You know
that a fs- years ago we hired the !
salesman who was most popular with
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