Throughout that part of the country he won a very high reputation, with the result that he had more work than he could perform in his small hospital, and later he bought an old business-college site and converted it into an up-to-date hospital. After the establishment of this hospital it occupied all of his time.
This was not done in a day, but by slow and careful building he attained enviable success in his practice. His brother, who settled in the same community, possessed greater ability as a surgeon, but because of his lack of knowledge of business methods and the following out of a good plan was not able to acquire the same degree of success.
PLAN No. 656. HE BECOMES AN ATTORNEY IN A SMALL TOWN
He came from the West to the university and as soon as his course there was completed he at once returned, to one of the small towns, having a population not exceeding 1,000. In this town there was one attorney, and for that reason many men would not consider the place sufficiently large for two lawyers. However, he made up his mind that this was his opportunity. The town had a farming community around it which later proved to be good.
The people of that community were very glad to have another attorney and gave him a chance. The first year he netted more than $2,500; the second year $3,500, and in the third year he sold out his business and went to the county seat.
He favored prohibition, and went into the campaign as a prohibition candidate for the office of prosecuting attorney, and won. That office he held for two years, and enjoyed a good private practice at the same time. Later he devoted his entire time to private practice, at which time I visited with him. He averaged then $6,000 a year.
The opportunities to the lawyer are far greater in the small town than in the larger cities. Out of my class of about 500 students, all of the men who went into the small towns in the Northwest met with success. Usually their incomes ran from $2,500 to $3,000 the first year.
The young attorney who bought my friend’s law business saw a possibility of organizing a little trust company and formed a corporation, interested parties in the town in the project and some outside capital. After three or four years he is rated as worth not less than $75,000. He was not only a good lawyer, but a good business man as well. These facts are not exaggerated, but are plain truths, and there are many opportunities for men to make the same success in many small communities throughout the country.
A lawyer who has back of him a farmer’s bank or trust company is very fortunate, as this is a leader to a large business.