Year: 1871

Failures in business are, by the un-
fortunate, attributed generally to
every canse but the right one. We
all prove ourselves the sons and
daughters of Adam and Eve, by en-
deavering to attribute, as the cause OF
our misfOTtunes, some indiscretious
friend or willy enemy. Very goodness
Of heart, and anxiety to please Others,
are often the causes Of embarrassment
in trade, and the final unfortunate
cause Of the winding up of career
auspiciOus at itsOPening.


But eXtravagRuce in dress and equip
age, aud keeping up prineely estab-
lishments, is the cause Of majority
Of American failures. Americans
are seldom miserly. Nearly all of
that elass among US have been impor-
tations. The ancient Astors and
Girards were not natives of the Unit
ed States. Americans love money as
we'll as the natives Of other countries,
and their efforts TO accumulate wealth
are as great. but their anxiety 70 en-
ioy II. and to make as large display
ss possible. forbid that they shouio
ever become misers. They worship
wealth not for its intrinsic value ou1
because it furnishes all the requisite
material to crafty 1.-THE lusts OF the
flesh, the lusts Of the eye, and the
pride oflife.U And when thus sell
Is TO be gratified, the devotee has
launched upon a stormy ocean.


But Young and inexyerieneed mer-
chants are not willing 70 admit tnat
their style of living, dress, and equip
ACE Is extravagant. They argue that
their position, the nature of their busi-
ness and surroundings demand that
they should keep up the appearaneeof
wealth, and the display Of pecuniary
Independence. They say, We are
combelled to mingle with merehants
engaged in the same line of business
with ourselves. We meet with them
not on Change, but in the social.
literary, and business circlesi and
our families are onterms Of intimacy,
and it is absolutely necessary for US TO
live in as good q house, and to keep
up as fine an establishment, as those
with whom we associate. We would
be ostracissd and lose caste in the
community, were we to fall below
their standard of mercantile gentility,
dress, and equipage. Our establish
meut and style Of living must be
characteristic Of our circle. The
Youthful trader has but vague idea
Of the self-denial praetieed for years
by his senior. The wife and daugh-
tiers IF his prosperous neighbor, over
the way, once dressed in cheap calico
and did their own hUusewOrk. The
Young man has but 4 remote cOncep-
ton Of the careful watching and la
borious tOiling by which his seniors
ascended the ladder Of wealth and
afiiuence.


Ina word, to descend to plain mat
ters OF fact, young and ambitious
men enter a mercantile career with
all the extravaganee Of long estab-
lished house, in the vain hope that
by show and display they shall COM
mand a business that not one in a
thousand ever realize but by sleepless
vigilance, uutiTing industry, great
energy, strict economy, and a good
capital. ..--.


Every young man entering the
great commercial circle on his own
account should have before him, in
letters OF light, the fact that in our
great Eastern cities more than ninety
Der cent. OF al who engage in busi-
ness fail. Some learn wisdom by
what they suffer aud lose, aud try.
try again, and finally succeed. The
fact that so few succeed should be a
lesson to the most sanguine TO move
cautiously. Itshould inhuenee them
not only to be industriouss but to
start with the determination TO spend
nothing unnecessarily.


Business always before pleasure,
should be their motto. 4 q