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THE
MUSIC TIRADE
VOL. LX. No. 4
Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman Bill at 373 Fourth Ave., New York, Jan. 23, 1915
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fe E oo PER I E A R E N T S
Drive Fear Out of the Trenches
~^EAR and timidity have prevented many a man from achieving success, because fear means
-j nothing else than inefficiency of hand, brain and heart.
A man came into my office the other day full of despondency and gloom. He fairly ex-
uded pessimism—it dripped from him. He predicted all sorts of dire things for the New
Year; and, depend upon it, the year will mean nothing else but failure for him; because if a man
starts out at the beginning of 1915 in a state of mental depression, intending to do less business, and
predicting that it is going to be a very bad year, it is certain he will find it even worse than he
anticipates.
The business history of this man, I may add, for the past five years shows a material shrinkage.
In other words, he is one of those who is being crowded out. He is a modern business misfit.
Another caller the same day was a man who was brimful of optimism. He told me his plans
for the New Year with a bubbling enthusiasm, like a boy when he sees the world before him. He
exhibited courage, faith and an absolutely fixed belief that it was impossible for him to fail. That
man will do bigger things in 1915, and I may add in passing that he has moved up a few points every
year since I have known him, and this year will score still better things for him. He does not know
what fear means.
Fear of failure dries up the blood in the human heart. Fear of failure in any business acts as
sand in the bearings, preventing a man from performing his best.
Nineteen fifteen need not be a failure in any sense for the progressive men of this broad land
of ours. But there is really no advance for the man who sees nothing but failure ahead.
It should not be a failure, because we are all the time fashioning a new life force.
Let us not whine and sigh about failures. There are no failures in Nature. There is, however,
constant change. The scattered flower petals leave behind new seeds with which to brighten the
landscape.
The dead animal body becomes a fertilizing power for the earth. The fallen forests of ages
gone by are our coal resources of to-day.
Change of form—yes, but not failure. Always a new life force, and the New Year should bring
new life force for all of us.
Americans, most of all, have the least cause to entertain fear and doubt as to their future.
No matter where we look over this land of ours, there is, I am pleased to observe, a growing
optimistic sentiment, and I believe that spirit alone will make for business advance during the pres-
ent year. With such a propelling power as optimism, trade cannot stagnate—and the real spirit of
America is optimism of. the forceful kind.
We have the quiet, steadfast, courageous type of men who, having fixed a goal for themselves,
press steadily forward toward it—men who, when their fellows are faltering and weakening, can
always be found with face resolutely set to the front.
We have the other type—flamboyant oftentimes—bombastic, more accustomed to dealing in
superlative phrases, but nevertheless of a type which commands and
compels and which swings men with them.
Now, when we have these various elements working for trade ad-
vance, depend upon it it will come, and the sooner fear is driven out
of the trenches the better it is for everyone.
F