The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1920-04-15
TAKING STOCK"
Should Sentiment Always Have
Precedence?

"Taking stock" of oneself is a peri
odical duty, probably not always prac-
ticed, and is as necessary as taking
stock of your household effects or your
"store goods" The right minded man
will do this. In unmolested moments
he gives way to deep meditation; he
gathers his thoughts to ascertain If
brains, energy, and ability are synco-
pating properly, working together on
lines that answer to an ambition that
looks for a satisfactory return.
If there be a deficit, his endeavor
should be to discover the leakage. 1t
may be that he lacks the nerve to go
into a retrospective analysis, or fails
In initiative that will prompt him to
throw his horoscope in the future. Un-
less he can do these things he will
never be able to pull himself out of
any "rut" in which his condition has
placed him. He must "take stock"
"Stock taking" leads to modern-day
efficiency. and is demanded Of every
worker If unsatisfactory conditions are
to be overcome. In the EAST of the
farmer it may be that he is working
a "too high-priced farm; interest and
rent may be ar Overhead" eating up
the profits. There may be other rea-
sons why profits are not shown. It is
just possible that he is sacrificing
profit and encouraging loss because
of sentiment, but he does not realize
that this is the cause. The farm was
his birthplace; reared upon 1t, he
knows every nook and corner of the
old place. He fshed in the brook,
hunted squirrels in the woods, hid in
the bayfield,, grew to manhood upon the
place, courted and married and brought
up his family there. These are ties
that commend themselves, and why
shouldn't sentiment have a say? To
many this will appeal. But are these
good reason to continued Does not
one W it to himself and to his de-
pendents to take stock" and put in
to effect action that will bring a bal
ance on the credit side Of the ledger
the balance that will bring happiness
and give n comfort far greater than a
mass Of unpaid bills and a house full
Of worry, and a devotion to sentiment
Should he not look around for more
favorable conditions, which may easily
be found?
Procrastination Is said to be a thief
In this case the axiom Is undoubtedly
true. To allow the adverse conditions
under which you may be laboring ic
continue may keep you for years longer
In the present unsatisfactory position
There was n man at Brazil, Ind.
who made weekly visits for upward
Of a year to the office of the Canada,
government at Indianapolis, Ind, am
from lthe-agent secured all the informa
ton he possibly could as to condition!
in Western Canada. But he lacked de
clsion, did not take stock" or If h,
took 1t, failed to act. This was four
teen years ago. He lived on a small
farm, which gave him a mere existpace
and no promise Of anything mOre. HI
is still on the same place and no better
off today than then. He had a frient
working in a glass factory, who also
had but little means. He became in
terested III Western Canada. He pos
sessed, though, spirit and action. Witt
the impulse thus prompted he moved
to Saskatchewan and took UP a farm
Today he is the owner of a splen.i liz
section of land, has plenty Of money
in the bank, and could retire with {
handsome competence.
That which has been the good for
tune Of the Brazil glass worker, who
had taken stock" and profited by 1t
may be that which will follow any