The Secret Of Wealth

The great bulk of this waste occurs through a disregard of other people's property. We waste some of our own things but we waste infinitely more of the other fellow's belongings.

In a day's observation one might see:

A building burned from a carelessly thrown cigarette.

A plate glass damaged by the scratch of a diamond.

An automobile tire destroyed by a carelessly thrown milk bottle.

A piece of machinery ruined from lack of oil.

A ton of paper wasted in a print shop through careless handling.

A plate glass window in a beautiful home made a target for stones.

Pounds of food passed to the garbage by careless housekeepers and servants.

A costly and beautiful marble front damaged by a match-scratcher.

Hotel, restaurant and household china smashed through carelessness.

Beautiful mahogany furniture injured by careless feet.

Such a list, if continued, would make a volume.

You have probably noticed that skilled workmen who furnish a portion of their own tools usually keep them clean and bright, while the tools furnished by the employer are thrown in a heap at the end of the day's work.

Of course you have noticed how much less food is thrown away by the housewife than by the hired cook.

You can tell at a glance from its appearance whether the tool or machine used by an employee belongs to him or to the boss.

By watching a driver you can determine whether the team belongs to the driver or to his employer.

Most of us through heedlessness and carelessness damage and destroy enough of our own belongings but all of us, without exception, destroy more of the other fellow's property.

If five billion dollars' worth of property is destroyed each year then every family in this Country must pay $225 of this amount and if it were not destroyed next year, then every family would be ahead just $225 on the average.

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