ARE YOU BLIND?

HE press is telling of a blind girl who wins Wadleigh honors a Miss Josephine Prichoncinsky.

This girl, with the unpronounceable name, which in itself is suggestive, graduated in three years, and won the John G. Wright scholarship. Her regents' examination record shows one hundred per cent. She is an expert pianist, operates the typewriter with great speed, does marvelous needlework, is proficient as a gymnast, and spends several hours each day reading. And you know she's totally blind.

One of the remarkable features of this blind girl is her work for the poor. She is now preparing Christmas gifts for her unfortunate friends.

When poor blind girls make mountains of black despair dwindle into molehills of annoyance, what is not possible for the individual who has health, a comfortable home, and can see? Where is the zenith of power in a man who enjoys favorable environs and good health?

You say it is necessary to have health in the beginning. Hugh Chalmers began as an office boy at five dollars a week. President Rosenwald, of Sears, Roebuck & Co., started in as clerk in a dry-goods store. Our own dear John D. began in a very small way. This story is old, but it can't lose its punch. Frank W. Woolworth, the head of the sixty-fivemillion-dollar concerns that bear his name, started as a farm hand for board and clothes. George W. Perkins was an office stenographer. Theodore P. Shonts, of the Interborough, dusted law books for his teacher. William Loeb, president of the American Smelting and Refining Company, ran a typewriter for so much per week. George B. Cortelyou took dictation from the boss. John F. McLain, of the Remington Typewriter Company, pushed a pencil and then translated it on the machine. Lyman J. Gage, at one time, answered to the office bell.

Dante was driven from his native city and compelled to beg for bread, before he produced his great work. Shakespeare held horses outside of a London theater, before he was fitted to fill the house.

Edison of everywhere and Phipps of Pittsburgh started from the very bottom.

GROG MUST GO

EN work today in the mass, and some one man is held accountable for the results. The big machines that employ men insist on the manager measuring and reporting the productive capacity of the employees.

The result has come about that employees of a corporation cannot drink successfully. The man who could not formerly be reached by moral suasion can more easily understand the business side of the situation today. He may not be convinced it is morally wrong to drink, but he understands when he fails to get a job because he drinks. On the largest scale ever known, this rule is being enforced abroad. The belligerent nations have taken drastic measures to suppress liquor consumption. These nations are giant corporations. They are at war, and war is the business of fighting. They know liquor impairs the fighting capacity of the soldier. They know that as liquor consumption goes down fighting qualities go up. That is what the other but lesser corporations first found out. All are now in agreement on the subject.

The manufacturing corporation is engaged in a war of competition. If this were not so it would not care whether its employees were efficient; but, caring, the corporation is more and more enforcing the rule of sobriety and total abstinence. ᄆ

BALANCING THE BOOKS

MANY men say, out loud, "Why is it that God lets some men live and then takes away the innocent babes and the worthy women?"

If everything was followed out accurately, and according to the foot-rule of what we consider justice, fairness, equity, the whole plan would fall flat.

If every good deed received its reward immediately, if every bad act was punished promptly, we would not have to ask God to run the universe.

We would foreknow the results, and always act in accordance with what we wanted. We would not be good for the love of being good, but for the fear of being evil.

When men balance the books by an intellectual process, and not by faith, they assume a big responsibility.

beats of sentiment.

And at last the work on this special

effort is ended.

"BY THE SIDE

OF THE ROAD"

my new book, is printed, bound, boxed and ready for mailing.

The limp-leather binding-the book done de luxe-is artistically printed in two colors on high-grade paper, deckle

edged, gilt top, silk book mark, boxed and mailed, $2.

The clothbound edition is equal in all respects to volumes that sell for much more-printed in two colors, deckleedged, boxed, mailed—$1.

Each and every mail brings evidence of friends from far and near who have proved their faith in my promises. The truth is, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the support already receivedorders far in excess of my most ambitious expectations.

The book is dedicated to my "faithful friends," and I am now convinced that several thousand readers of The Silent Partner are more than "readers" -they are my faithful friends.

1

Maumbay

One manufacturing concern in Newark, well known to the readers of The Silent Partner, has placed an order for 1,500 of the de luxe edition.

A TREMENDOUS RESPONSIBILITY

E are the fourth naval power in the world, and the first commercial country. How long do you think the

W

envious nations of this earth will hold off when they get ready, or when they think we are not ready?

Now I am not trying to suggest a war with any particular country. My absolute fairness to all nations is a mere matter of record. Not once since the Old World war began have I pointed the pen of preference.

But I would like to take a fall out of some of the tin-horn politicians who gamble for office with the confidence of this country.

The American politician is aware that the world has had eight thousand wars in three thousand years, and this officeholding human handicap knows better than most men that he is a traitor to his trust who fails to prepare for what is coming.

Our navy is in the hands of incompetent politicians, just as surely as the cider mill accepts little apples.

Personally I know the power of prayer, and everybody knows it is necessary to keep one's powder dry.

In one of his able editorials, Dr. Frank Crane calls the kind attention of the ladies and gentlemen of this country to old, sleepy China, and then attempts to show the permanent position of this rice-eating nation. He concludes his word picture with one paragraph in capitals. Listen: "The only nation that has stood the test of time, that has stood by and seen all the others rise and fall, is the only one that never prepared."

In a more recent editorial, in the same column, and in the same paper, Dr. Crane says: “But the fatuous, inhuman egotists who sink unarmed passenger ships without warning, and who, by frightfulness, seek to terrorize the world, must be rebuked."

Three paragraphs lower down he finishes like this: "The people of this country are solidly behind their President, come what may. We simply announce to the imperial government that when a nation ceases to be governed by civilized principles, and descends into acts of savagery, such as are used by pirates, we cease to do business with them as a