The Washington herald., 1916-07-30
n-Thousand- Dollar Men Wanted.
by oRIsoN SWEET harden,

by ORISON SWEET MARDEN,
On his return recently from Central America
Theodore N. Vail, president of the New York
Telephone company, was again, questioned as
to his announcement some time ago that he had
positions open for men capable of earning $4,000
year His reply was:
"The statement still holds good. I can en-
pioy all the $4,000 men who present themselves.
1t cannot be said too often or too emphati-
caiy that lack of success is not caused by dearth
OF opportunity. Progress grows opportunities,
but men are not ready to harvest the crop. Every
day offers its own particular opportunities, but
where are the men to utilize them? How many
young men in city country today are equal to
the ten-thousand dollar Job?
Opportunity ever bcckons ability. She stands
with open arms inviting APPLICANTS. She offers
prizes for effort and development
The world is crying out for workers who
can carry things of all kinds to where they are
needed. 1t wants workmen who can create de-
sire for its wares where there desire
before. 1t offers rewards to those willing to
increase their efficiency and then sell their
services at a profit to themSelves and to the in
sttution that employs them.
All big corporations, as we'll individual
employers. are alive to the value of thorough
ly efficient and ambitious worker, who is not
OH aiu VI uolHS more Work tnan he is pdlQ lot,
and who is not SO much worried about wearing
out his brains as he is about using them too
little. "The world rears its loftiest shafts to the
men who deliver the goods, whether with plow,
lever, brush, hammer, press or pen, and while
we read their eloquent eptaphs that say in the
worlds work they stood in the van, know
that the meaning is, Here lies man who de-
livered the goodsp"
Do not be misled by people who tell you
that the great opportunities are all in the past.
1t is not true. The who talks that way
is direct descendant of Lots wife, and is
genrally about as inactive as she was after
her fatal glance to the rear
There should never be any backward sances
All our work is before us, not behind. There
are great things all around and ahead of us.
While others are dallying with the amusements
OF the moment, the ambitious youth with the
far vision is working and planning for a great
future.
Every year thousands of immigrants who
land on our shores ignorant and almost without
dollar manage to find magnificent opportu-
nifty where many Amercan-born youths see no
chance for anything but humdrum existence, a
second or third-rate living. In a comparatively
few years we find some OF these immigrants es-
tablshed in business for themselves. owning
their own homes and riding in their own auto
mobiles
There plenty of poor immigrant bows
who hnd a better opportunity in selling papers
on the streets and backing shoes than some
American boys who are infinitely better born
and better conditioned, and who have parents
who are willing to help them, seem to find
What is the reason of this? What makes
all this difference in finding and using oppor-
tunties at hand? 1t is the difference in ambition.
in determination, in ideals, the difference in en-
ergy and will power.
notice that people who complain of lacr
OF opportunities and who excuse themselves for
their poor preparation for life because they had
nobody to send them TO school or COLLEGE no.
body to pay their way while they learned a trade
or profession, always lack that ambition and
energy of will which find way for the Door
friendess immigrant
Most peoples minds are apt to turn too
readily to the little word 'if' as an axcuse for
their failure to make good. "If l only enioved
the advantages that my neighbor possesses" "If
my father had only given me good education"
or II only | had little better training could
get bigger job" How often we hear thes.
excuses from mediocrities and failures But the
determined and the ambitious pay their own
way and make their own opportunities They
are the men who get the ten-thousand-dollar Jobs