The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-04
THE QUALITY THAT WINS.

There has never been a time when pos
tive efficiency in any line OF human effort
has counted for as much as at present. AS
the years pass, demonstrated efficiency,
including character, ability and skill, will
count for more than it does now for the
reason that more and more the success of
any enterprise will depend upon the per-
lection of the brain. skill and machinery 1t
can command. Now men and women who
have established regulations for high at
talnment in the lines Of employment TO
which they have given attention can al
ways find positions, while those OF inferior
qualifications are a multitude which cannot
find employment, or, If they do. are COM
PEELED 10 accept meager compensation 70 DO
inferior work. For the most efficient serv-
ice there is not only a constant demand, but
the compensation for the best service was
never so high. Thousands of men receive
compensation to-day that would not have
been thought possible a few years ago be-
cause the highest skill of hand and brain
becomes more and more essential TO the
success Of large undertakings. Even the
III n5C AA1o NHC AAA
portant places at its disposal without refer
ence to qualification. 1t has positions where
the comparatively useless person can get
along, but in all it's larger employments
and in the more important branches of its
service skill and experience have come to
be the test.
1t may be said that these are trite OBJ
servations. So they are: nevertheless, a
large part of those who are seeking en-
ployment or who have employment and
are seeking promotion, seem not to have
realized their Importance. Doubtless one
of the causes of failure to comprehend the
great importance of efficiency is that they
do not fully realize the wide difference be-
tween mediocrity and efficiency in every
field of effort. They attribute the rise OF
one man in a trade or profession to luck
to the assistance of friends, or to favor
ing circumstances. They cannot or will
not see that the man who can do two
thirds as much in an Indifferent manner as
an efficient man will do in a satisfactory
manner is not just as desirable as the most
effective. Because such people do not ap-
preciate the importance of efficiency, OBJ
servations are heard to the effect hat such
a man. who had been longest in the service
Of a company, but who had been content
to he an ordinary workman, had not been
treated fairly because a man really more
capable had been promoted over him. In
all such cases the inefiiciency of the man
prevented his advancement. Even in the
regular army there seems to be a DISPOSE
ton to promote the most efficient men over
seniors in the service who are not efficient.
One of the mistakes of those who are
preparing for employment in professions
and Industries requiring technical skill Is
that they seek the shortest route to en-
ployment.N Without the foundation of a
good public school education they seek to
get into e~mployments where a thorough
education in what are known as common
branches is needed. In the majority OF
cases they fail because of lack Of fair edu-
cation. They seek to engraft echnical
knowledge upon a narrow general intelli-
gence. The point it is desired to enforce is
that those who aim at any measure OF
success must prepare themselves for the
highest efficiency in the employment they
select, whether on the farm, in the factory,
or along clerical and professional lines
must strive to be the most efficient and
reliable. But such success calls for q
strenuous life.