Hidden Treasures | Page 7

of late, seen drunken men, with pipes in their
mouths, carrying about the streets a banner inscribed, "bread or blood."
They propose to make those who have worked intelligently for money,
now divide. Would it not look far more sensible if the banner bore the
inscription, henceforth, I will boycott the tobacconist, and will vote for
no man who is not pledged to suppress the saloon oligarchy?
Amos Lawrence had not the benefit of the philanthropic teaching of our
age, but he had a common sense, and a sense of taste and judgment far
in advance of his time. These were the principles with which he laid the
foundation to that great fortune and enviable reputation which he lived
to enjoy, and which his name will ever recall. We have seen that good
habits were the foundation of his success. He also improved his
opportunities. He became perfectly familiar with the drug department
of the store. He determined early in life to become a wealthy and
influential man. To determine to do anything is half the battle. "Doubt
indulged becomes doubt realized." "To think a thing impossible is to

make it so." "Courage is victory, timidity is defeat." Men who
understand these maxims are men who invariably succeed. I say
invariably--a man may think he understands when he is groping in
midnight darkness. A young man who really is destined to succeed, not
only INTENDS to become a rich man, or whatever he aspires to be, but
lays plans to that end, and is not discouraged if they are blasted. He
only recognizes that he is foiled, for the time being, and never doubts
his ability to succeed ultimately. There is a difference between a
blustering braggadocio and a quiet, unassuming confidence in one's self.
One leads to certain victory, the other, to as certain defeat.
Young Lawrence had served his seven long years of apprenticeship,
and had no better opportunity presented itself, he would have
succeeded, for he had his plans carefully laid to remain in Groton, and
if he had, he would have succeeded. But a merchant who had seen him
at the store of his employer, no sooner learned of his release than he
immediately hired him to come to Boston to enter his store there.
"Seest thou a man diligent in his business, he shall stand before kings,
he shall not stand before mean men." Thither he went part of the way
on foot; the rest of the way with an accommodating neighbor who was
driving in that direction. He determined to make for himself here a
record for honesty, and so well did he succeed, that the next year he
started business for himself, his principal capital being his reputation
and acknowledged ability. He developed a system in his business; he
paid every bill on the spot; if he could not pay cash, instead of the
regular custom of book accounts, he gave his note, thus no
complications could arise to embarrass him. He knew when the money
was expected on every bill, and made his calculation, and was never
known to be taken by surprise. He was reasonably cautious--he never
would promise to do what he might possibly be unable to accomplish.
He prospered--of course he would. Such business principles, pushed by
system as Lawrence pushed them, must bring success to any young
man.
Another thing, to any one who may now imagine he, perhaps, entered
business on the tide of prosperity, we desire simply to say, on the
contrary, from 1808 to 1815 was one of the dullest periods our

mercantile history can recount. No, "luck" did not favor him, but
"pluck" did. He pushed his mercantile business for years, amassing an
immense fortune. Our country was then new, and he had to import most
of his merchandise from England, but as he ever made a study of his
business, concluded that he would start manufacturing industries here,
which would prove not only profitable to himself, but of inestimable
value to us as a nation. In accordance with these motives, he was
largely instrumental in connection with the Lowells in building up the
flourishing cities of Lowell and Lawrence.
He never speculated in stocks. Young men, there is no money in stocks
to the average man. Not even in legitimate stock dealing, to say nothing
of the numerous watered concerns. We were looking over a paper
recently when our attention was attracted to a paragraph which
explained that in a transaction which involved 8,000 bushels of wheat,
it was found that the odds against the buyer was over 22 per cent.
While wheat is not stocks, still a good rule would be never to go into
anything unless the chances are at least equal.
Amos Lawrence once said: "Young man, base all your actions upon