the Conservative *
ARE THE YOUNG MEN LIVING UP TO
THEIR OPPORTUNITIES ?
Ail interesting symposium upon the
chances of young men at this stage of the
country's development , was published
in these columns a few ( lays ago. The
opinions were gathered by .T. Sterling
Morton's paper , THE CONSERVATIVE , of
Nebraska City , Neb. , from a number of
the most distinguished men of the
country in their respective lines of en
deavor , and the weight of the testimony
went to show that the opportunities of
young men were never before so good.
It stands to reason. There was never
as much doing in the country as now ;
its every interest is expanding , and new ,
hitherto unthought-of interests are be
ing developed in men's brains and tak
ing practical form. These call for new
men , while in the ordinary vocations of
life , which are daily broadening , the
pace is hotter , the competition sharper ,
than ever before. In saying this we are
not unmindful that to a large extent
trusts have stifled competition ; but the
trusts themselves need many men and
offer great opportunity to those who ore
capable. It is not forgotten , either , in
speaking of the increase in the number
and magnitude of the country's interests ,
that its population is increasing also ,
but population does not keep pace
in its increase with the extension of
business the bank clearings from year
to year and the statistics of the govern
ment departments establish this fact.
Wider Field.
Under this state of facts it is fair to
say that the field of opportunity for
young men was never so wide as it is al
present. Are they living up to theii
privileges ? Are they prepared or pre
paring for what they might achieve ?
It is doubtful. Witness : There is in
Charlotte a gentleman who has for
months been looking for a young man ,
say from 18 to 22 years old , with a view
to his employment. The young man
need not be a college graduate , but
must have a fair English education , cor
rect habits and civil manners. For
such a young man there is an oppor
tunity to make a start , at a compensa
tion which will afford a good deal more
than a mere living from the beginning
in an honorable occupation , the possi
bilities in which ore limited only by the
man's capacity. No one need ask the
Observer who the man is , wanting this
employe for it will not tell , because he
does not want his time consumed by ap
plicants nor to be embarrassed by hav
ing to refuse them the position
He is looking for the right person him
self and will offer him employmen
i when he finds him. fie has looked
carefully , time and again , over the
young men of his acquaintance who are
seeking work , has weighed and measured
them , but none of them meets his re
quiroments. There are many who have
he education required some of them
are college graduates ; but one is lazy ;
another is of no account has had sev
eral positions but has lost them ; another
smokes cigarettes ; another is too top-
oftical too fine for the job ; another
too much of a sport ; another too thick-
icaded ; another too smart would
mow more , the first day of his employ
ment , about how the thing ought to be
lone tlian the proprietor ; another is
.oud-mouthed has no manners. And
so on through the list.
Hunting Jobs.
The world is full of young men look
ing for jobs ; jobs are standing open-
eyed every day , looking for young men.
The reason that so many people are out
of employment is that so many people
are so trifling. A job is waiting some
where for the right man. It were bet
ter that every young man attend
ing school or college should direct
his studies in some particular course
toward some particular branch of work
which he purposes pursuing in after
life. But this is not essential to suc
cess. What is essential , however , is
that he indicate some disposition to take
hold right.
But , it is asked , how is a fellow ever
to make a start if nobody will give him
work to start at ? In some incompre
hensible way this question finds an an
swer in practical life. The employer
in whose service it is worth while to be ,
knows his man by some sort of an in
stinct ; he will sometimes take an ugly
boy whom he never saw before and
who has no letters of recommenda
tion in preference to a good-looking
youth with a pocket-full of testimonials.
And he doesn't make many mistakes.
There is a young man who has a good
position in this town now because he
walked in one day and practically took
possession of it without leave laid
violent hands on it , so to speak. The
proprietor saw at once that a fellow who
had that sort of a will and a way abom
him would do , that he hod elements o :
usefulness in him , and it so turned out
at once.
Themselves to Blame.
Why is it that so many young men
who want or profess to want work don't
get it , while others drop into positions
with the duties of which they are uu
familiar as soon as they quit school and
are ready to begin life's work ? "The
fault , dear Brutus , is not in our stars
but in ourselves. " Every young man
is making a record in the eyes of hi
elders every day , always in little acts i
may be , but the record is making jus
the same , and the character and ca
pacity of the record-maker are judged
not by any one act or any dozen , but by
the sum total. And this aggregate de
termines , when the man who watche
liui has a position to give out , whether
he gets it or not.
Let not the young men of Oharlotto
ergot about the case of this Oharlotto
man whoso confidence wo are not go
ng to betray by divulging his name
vho has a good position , offering wide
opportunities , to give to the first young
man whom he believes would fit it. The
case is a bona fide one The Observer
stakes its honor on this statement. And
there may be a dozen other such man
agers of business hi Charlotte for all wo
know. We repeat there is always a
ob for the right man , and the reason
so many applicants are turned down is
; hat the men to whom thsy apply be-
ieve that they are square pegs which
will not fit into round holes. Charlotte
( N. O. ) Observer , August 26 , 1901.
CHICAGO IN 1847.
A young Englishman , who had been
roughing it in the west in that year ,
made these observations as he journeyed
toward the coast :
"At Peoria we were transferred to
stage coaches , and suffering a martydom
of shaking and bad living on the road
if road it can be called we arrived at
last at Chicago the city , that is to
be , of the Lakes , and which may bo
called the City of Magnificent Inten
tions.
"Ohigago , or Chicago , is situated at
the south-western corner of Lake Michi
gan , and on the lake-shore. In spite of
the pasteboard appearance of its houses ,
churches , and public edifices , all of wood ,
it is a remarkably pretty town , its streets
wide and well laid out ; and it will doubt
less , after it lias been burned down once
or twice , and rebuilt of stone or brick ,
be one of the finest of the western cities.
It has several excellent hotels , some of
which are of gigantic dimensions , a
theatre , court-house , and an artificial
harbor , constructed at the expense of the
city.
"A canal is in course of construction
in the state of Illinois , to connect the
waters of the lakes with the Mississippi
a gigantic undertaking , but one which
will be of the greatest benefit to the
western country. When this canal is
completed , the waters of Lake Superior
will , therefore , communicate with the
Gulf of Mexico by way of the Mississippi ,
as they do already with the North At
lantic by means of the Welland and Ri-
deau canals , which pass through Canada ;
and , even already , vessels have been
spoken in mid-ocean , ' built on Lakes
Michigan and Huron , cleared from Chicago
cage , and bound for England , passing
an inland navigation of upwards of three
thousand miles. "
Have not the "Chicago" papers been
saying that the summer of 1901 has wit
nessed the first clearance of vessels from
that port to the United Kingdom ?