The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-01-03
BEGINNING THE NEW YEAR

ear Is the udy On WHICH nOSl lneu
make fools of themselves by making
resolutions which they know they
cannot keep when they make them;
or ii not then, the day after. Ward
seems to have regarded the first
he lived some years ago and since
he died the world has improved
some he did much to improve i
. Nowadays most men devote serious
thought to the record of the year
past in order to plan greater prog
ress for the year beginning. The
moving spirit of the age is progress.
The approaching New Year pre-
sents the greatest incentive to prog
ress within the experience of the
present generation. Industry is ac-
tive and labor is employed. Domestic
trade is above normal, while foreign
commerce has broken all previous
records. The United States is fast
| becoming creditor nation, dOmi-
mating the money markets of the
world. In every direction oppor-
tunity is opening TO further COM
mercial and industrial progress The
nation has ''the chance of life
time" and so does every man with
brains or Drawn, or both, to coin
the dollars.
National conditions in a large
measure shape their individual pos
sibilities. Every trade journal and
every labor organ prints figures con-
clusively proving the already better
ed condition of working men and
women. Reports of savings institu-
tions contain additional evidence of
this fact. The extraordinary holt
day trade certifies it. There is no
question, whatever, regarding the
improved prospects of the average
man and woman to obtain greater
satisfaction from effort put forth
and energy expended.
In view of improved. industrial
and commercial conditions, the ques-
ton is: viii the average man and
woman begin the New Year with
firmer determination to make sub
stantial progress, 70 create individ-
ual surplus, to make certain personal
advancement during the year? In
answering this question there is OPP
portunity for no one to indulge in
inconsiderate resolution, none for
mere desire to attempt, but every OPP
portunity for every man and woman,
no matter how limited his or her
haps, exactly what every business
man does to insure progress There
is no other certain way of "getting
ahead in the world"
: There is no DOUBT that feasible
r financial plan in many cases means
| sacrifice, self-denial and, possibly
hardship at first These invariably
/ accompany every effort to make
! good. They are large factors in
every mans success in life, and al
ways will be, though he be born
with silver spoon in his mouth
They are primary and essential ele-
mcnts of success because they train
and discipline both mind and body
temperine both to meet the Difficult
ties of life and enabling those who
successfully stand the test to get
the most out of life. Difficulties
show what men are" and without
rough places life would become Sc
smooth as to be monotonous.
, On every parent there rests double
obligation to begin the New Year in
. such way as to insure family prog.
0 ross. Too frequently ithis obliga.
A tion rests lightly; too frequently il
). is ignored altogether. And thi.
r most unhappily, for it is a hard fact
[ which every father must face sooner
d or later, that if his son makes a sue.
i cess of life he must be better pre-.
|, pared than his father to meet the
keener competition for livelihood it.
n self, to say nothing of that now
: characterizing trade conditions. II
: is also a fact that prosperity toda,
n carries no insurance for good time.
e tomorrow because nations them.
5 selves compete and no nation car
have uninterrupted prosperity.
Therefore, beginning the New
: Year, as we do with wishes fol
: prosperity and happiness, involve:
the moro serious phase OF coolly cal
culatinc how to insure that pros
per':y and happiness. without which
there is no earnest to the wish
Every man and woman is but uni
in his or her community. If they
prosper they contribute to commun
ity welfare and community advance
men. contributes to the progress @
society as a whole. Every indiyid
ual has his part to play. and if h,
plays ii well, if he solves the prob
,f lens OF life as he should to play tina
part well his life is a bcnefaction
. hrst. to those Immediately depend