He should have told us， too， that our brains becomemagnetized with the dominating thoughts which wehold in our minds， and， by means with which no manis familiar， these “magnets” attract to us the forces，the people， the circumstances of life which harmonizewith the nature of our dominating thoughts.
He should have told us， that before we can accumulate riches in great abundance， we mustmagnetize our minds with intense DESIRE for riches，that we must become “money conscious until theDESIRE for money drives us to create definite plansfor acquiring it.
But， being a poet， and not a philosopher， Henleycontented himself by stating a great truth in poeticform， leaving those who followed him to interpretthe philosophical meaning of his lines.
Little by little， the truth has unfolded itself， untilit now appears certain that the principles describedin this book， hold the secret of mastery over oureconomic fate.
We are now ready to examine the first of theseprinciples. Maintain a spirit of open-mindedness，and remember as you read， they are the invention ofno one man. The principles were gathered from thelife experiences of more than 500 men who actuallyaccumulated riches in huge amounts； men whobegan in poverty， with but little education， withoutinfluence. The principles worked for these men. Youcan put them to work for your own enduring benefit.
You will find it easy， not hard， to do. Before you read the next chapter， I want you toknow that it conveys factual information whichmight easily change your entire financial destiny， asit has so definitely brought changes of stupendousproportions to two people described.
I want you to know， also， that the relationshipbetween these two men and myself， is such that Icould have taken no liberties with the facts， evenif I had wished to do so. One of them has beenmy closest personal friend for almost twenty-fiveyears， the other is my own son. The unusual successof these two men， success which they generouslyaccredit to the principle described in the nextchapter， more than justifies this personal reference asa means of emphasizing the far-flung power of thisprinciple.
Almost fifteen years ago， I delivered the Commencement Address at Salem College， Salem，West Virginia. I emphasized the principle describedin the next chapter， with so much intensity that oneof the members of the graduating class definitelyappropriated it， and made it a part of his ownphilosophy. The young man is now a Member ofCongress， and an important factor in the presentadministration. Just before this book went to thepublisher， he wrote me a letter in which he so clearlystated his opinion of the principle outlined in thenext chapter， that I have chosen to publish his letteras an introduction to that chapter.
It gives you an idea of the rewards to come.
“My dear Napoleon：
“My service as a Member of Congress having given me an insight into the problems of men andwomen， I am writing to offer a suggestion whichmay become helpful to thousands of worthy people.
“With apologies， I must state that the suggestion，if acted upon， will mean several years of labor andresponsibility for you， but I am en-heartened tomake the suggestion， because I know your great lovefor rendering useful service.
“In 1922， you delivered the Commencement address at Salem College， when I was a member’ of the graduating class. In that address， you plantedin my mind an idea which has been responsible forthe opportunity I now have to serve the people ofmy State， and will be responsible， in a very largemeasure， for whatever success I may have in thefuture.
“The suggestion I have in mind is， that you putinto a book the sum and substance of the addressyou delivered at Salem College， and in that way givethe people of America an opportunity to profit byyour many years of experience and association withthe men who， by their greatness， have made Americathe richest nation on earth.
“I recall， as though it were yesterday， themarvelous deion you gave of the method bywhich Henry Ford， with but little schooling， withouta dollar， with no influential friends， rose to greatheights. I made up my mind then， even before youhad finished your speech， that I would make a placefor myself， no matter how many difficulties I had tosurmount.
“Thousands of young people will finish theirschooling this year， and within the next few years.
Every one of them will be seeking just such amessage of practical encouragement as the one Ireceived from you. They will want to know whereto turn， what to do， to get started in life. You cantell them， because you have helped to solve theproblems of so many， many people.
“If there is any possible way that you can afford torender so great a service， may I offer the suggestionthat you include with every book， one of yourPersonal Analysis Charts， in order that the purchaserof the book may have the benefit of a complete selfinventory，indicating， as you indicated to me yearsago， exactly what is standing in the way of success.
“Such a service as this， providing the readers ofyour book with a complete， unbiased picture of theirfaults and their virtues， would mean to them thedifference between success and failure. The servicewould be priceless.
“Millions of people are now facing the problemof staging a come-back， because of the depression，and I speak from personal experience when I say，I know these earnest people would welcome theopportunity to tell you their problems， and to receiveyour suggestions for the solution.
“You know the problems of those who face thenecessity of beginning all over again. There arethousands of people in America today who wouldlike to know how they can convert ideas into money，people who must start at scratch， without finances，and recoup their losses. If anyone can help them，you can.
“If you publish the book， I would like to own thefirst copy that comes from the press， personallyautographed by you.
“With best wishes， believe me，
“Cordially yours，
“JENNINGS RANDOLPH”