The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1905-03-18
fHE VALUE OF employees.
urN OF THE RIGHT SORT WILL
MAKE ANY BUSINESS PROSPER.

uEN OF THE RIGHT SORT WILL
uAKE ANY BUSINESS PROSPER.
The Large Employer Must Have As
,istarts Who Can Get Results With
out Being Watehed-Men Competen
Five Years Ago May Now Be ou
Of Date.
Give me the right men, and I viii
make a success OF nay business,
says Herbert ]. Hapgood in the intro
lduction to his series OF articles II
System on THE Value OF Employees.
That, he continues, is the statement
often made by the man VINO built VI
one of the country's greatest business
organizations; although it may be q
trife broad, it does not so too far
from the truth. 1t shows the impCr.
tant part that employees played in this
particular mans success, and to en-
ployers who have not yet learned the
Importance of surrounding themselves
with Intelligent, loyal and enthusiastic
workers, it teaches q lesson that can
no. be too quickly or too thoroughly
learned.
Years ago. in the days OF small
things, . mans employees were not SO
essential to his success, for he had
time to give personal oversight to
the various departments Of his busi-
ness. Nowadays, however, the large
employer must have men who can get
results without being watched-men
with the inclination and the ability
to taink as intelligently and to work
Is hard as If the business were their
own.
A battle cannot be won by the skill
Of the commander alone; it's outcome
depends largely upon the spirit of the
men whom ne leads So in business,
success lies in the energy and ability
Of the men in the ranks-the mana
gers. superintendents, foremen, sales
men and clerks. When, as often hap
pens in this age of keen competition,
two firms are turning out products
OF equal neri. at the same cost. and
with methods, equipment and financial
strength Of equal merit, the fight for
trade is won by the firm that secures
the most capable employees.
In q western city there is . man
who made fortune in small busi-
ness, but who failed signally as soon
as his business began to grow and
require the services of large num-
Der of men. People wondered why. |
Hs had practical monopoly OF an
unusually profitable line. Business
conditions were favorable. He had |
ample capital. He knew every detail
II the work of his establishment from
'aw material to finished product. He
vas apparently an ideal business man
ALERT, systematic, hard working.
With SO many of the essentials for
nccess, why did he fail? He did not
ppreciate the value of mis- employees
ie knew how to get results himself,
ut he did not know the value Of men
Tho could get them for him. He sur.
aanded himself with cheap men and
eceived cheap effort. When he Sc
lred a really good man he did not
now enough to treat him as a man
ather than servant. He failed TO
1t the best that was in him and rare
retained him long. He was in many
ays remarkably capable man. but
did not appreciate the importance
the men behind the guns, and his
rec from top to bottom was filled !
lth incompetents, with here and
ere a few competent men whose
nth was not appreciated. And so,
y when his business ought to have
IN yielding big dividends. it began
make news for the business 8
oubles" column. !
The growing appreciation Of the 0
lue OF employees among progressive
lployers is shown by the argument =
1t IS constantly going on Is to the e
alive worth OF different classes or G
'es OF men. The cudgels are being .
ten up for and against young men ~
old men, college men and non-col- le
q men. men from the country and X
q from the city. The needs Of en- e.
yers vary so greatly that these "
estions can never De definitely de- al
ed, but the experience of great
ny firms seems to show that the =,
rits OF young men. college men and &C
ltry bred mon are worthy OF consid- 10
tion. he
In advocating young men," con- m
des Mr.. Hapgood. II do not mean WI
underestimate the value of age and nc
'erlence. There. are few concerns tn
lch could do business successfully W.
q q force composed entirely OF as
ng men OF necessarily limited ex- frt
lence. But too many old men are fu
anvariable sign that the firm is br
ing up. 1t is no reflection on the
ity OF men who have given years
business. but have already pass fo'
the prime OF life, to advise that tn.
y employer keep constantly on bill
force Of bright, capable young
!, whom he may train to take the WITH
es OF the older men when the tht
r die. reyign or cross the narrow hfy
which separates valuable expe. *,
&c from ,old-fogyism. me
euoru hnoinoro Il cha