Grand Forks herald., 1919-12-26
INCOMPETENTS WHO
ARE NEAR TALENTED
fBv o. s. Marden)

am constantly running across men
in middle life and later who tell me
that they have worked hard for many
years. have tried desperately to get
ons but they cannot seem to make any
headway. They say that they haven't
any money laid aside, nothing in the
hank, 10 good investments and that
they do not even own their own homes.
The Inability to save money. to sio.d
m to it after one has earned it, lsyCle
Of tho great human weaknesses. A
selt-made millionaire tells me that
only three men out Of every h'l.ldred
who have made money are able to
hold it. The great me- iority Of them
die without an independence. having
to rely upon others for support In
their old age.
What pathetic thing that 40 many
men should. work like slaves all their
lives. denying themselves luxuries and
comforts, and even the necessities OF
life. the things that every human he
ing has right to have. and even then
not be able to hold on to the mocey
which they have earned because Of
their inability to finance themselves.
In analyzing these men one is puz-
zied TO know why thsv are not max
ing good; they seem to be practical.
lard workers, optimistic, to have we'll
trained minds, to be well educated.
Eut there is a financial screw l0ose
somewhere, some SLIPPING of eogs IN
| their nature and they do not win. cut.
Imagine They Have Genius
Talented incompetentE are staring
Us in the face everywhere. Only to-
day / was talking with a college n,o-
fessor who told rue that although he
yeers ago he was now practically
down and out and both he and his
p. ife had to work for living. And
the pity of it is that these people Inn
agine they have a peculiar faculty for
financing themselves, q real genius,
even. for knowing how to invest
money 10 advantage.
I. is every mans duty to invest a
certain percentage of his earnings for
the protection Of those depending upon
| him. It is not SO much a question OF
whether it is a good business invest
! ment. 1t is a duty, a sacred duty, and
he will be cruelty unjust to those he
loves il he allows them to take a risk
which he, personally, conscious of
tetrength ana power, might be Justified
himself In taking. Moreover the feel
ling that those. dearest to him are pro-
\ vided for in case Of his death, or amy
misfortune which may come to !, his
business from changed conditions or
| bad management, must give pm i'm
mense satisfaction to, any man.
The power of ready money is usu
ally not half appreciated by young
men and young women. This. Is land
4of opportunity, and good chances are
constantly coming to those who have
| the ready. cash How often we hear
people plead as an excuse for not seiz-
1 ing a rare opportunity for investment
that they had no ready money. There
are always plenty Of opportunities il
one only has little reserve laid by.
Small Sums Save Fortunes ). @
l.. Every young person should develop
sufficient foresight and shrewdness to
protect enough of his savings not only
to keep him from any possible want in
case OF sickness, death or emergency
but also to enable him to get start
again. provided he should meet unex-
q pected losses. A relatively small
amount Of ready money has saved
many fortune in case Of. panic or
4 emergency. There fare times in most
peoples lives when they must have
ready money, and must have it i'm
mediately.
II The little difference between what
we earn and what we spend Is capital