1891. ] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 4. 339 



dreary to the impatient and ambitious youth ; nevertheless, 

 it is the easiest, and for this reason is fruitful of the greatest 

 results. 



Successful men seem to lose sight of this fact. They are 

 prone to boast that their fortunes were made and their suc- 

 cess established under great difficulties. They never had 

 such chances as they propose to give their children. They 

 had to work for their living just as soon as they were big 

 enough to work. They had to practice self-denial all along 

 the road. Industry and economy, — you will observe, — the 

 two habits of all others essential to success, they were com- 

 pelled to form. How about these children they pro- 

 pose to statt in life on an improved plan? Are they indus- 

 trious and economical ? Undoubtedly they are, so far as 

 their circumstances have taught them to be. But think you 

 they know the value of every cent in a dollar, like the boy 

 Avho has been obliged to earn it with his own hand, and then 

 spend it in support of his aged or invalid parents ? Or have 

 they the slightest idea of economy, as compared with the 

 forced self-denial endured by those in abject poverty? Oh, 

 no. But the kind-hearted father proposes to give his sons 

 an easier time than he himself had. So he divides his prop- 

 erty, we will say $100,000, among four sons, — four sons 

 brought up, educated and trained in a family where the 

 annual income was that derived from $100,000. With 

 $25,000 each they are sent forth upon the world to practice 

 economy, live within their income, and add to their fort- 

 unes. The kind father expects them to do this, so does 

 the world at large. Did the well-disposed father ever ask 

 himself how he would succeed doing the same thing, — 

 reducing his expenditures seventy-five per cent? It would 

 not be very funny even for him, and the chances are ten to 

 one that he would not do it, — pride would ruin him. But 

 he expects his son to do it. Well, I do not say that the son 

 cannot. It all depends upon his son's strength. But I do 

 say that unless he has given that son exceptional training, 

 such training as every father ought to give his son, in the 

 care, management and expenditure of money, he gives him 

 with this $25,000 a far more difficult task than he supposes, 

 and one perhaps quite as difficult as he himself was ever called 



