South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-05-25
The Outsider Often the Man You Need
BY Ebert Hubbard.

When 1 was a farmer lad L noticed
that whenever we bought a new COW
and turned her into the pasture with
the herd there was a general inClina-
ton on the part of the bunch TO make
the new COW think she had landed in
the orthodox perdition.
They would hook her away from the
salt, chase her from the water, and
the long-horned ones for several
weeks would lose no opportunity to
give her vigorous digs, pokes and
prods.
With horses it was quite the same.
And l remember one particular little
black mare that we boys used to
transfer from one pasture TO another
just to see her back into a herd of
horses and hear her hoofs play a re-
sounding solo on their ribs as they
gathered around to do her mischief.
Men are animals just as much as
are cows, horses and pigs, and they
manifest similar prOCliViteS.
The introduction of a new man in
to an institution always causes a
snail panic of resentment especially
if he be a person of some power.
Even in schools and colleges the
new teacher has TO fight his way to
overcome the opposition.
In a lumber camp the newcomer
would do we'll TO take the initiative,
like that little black mare, and meet
the first black look with a short-arm
jab.
But in a bank. department store or
railroad office this cannot be. 80 the
next best thing is to endure, and win
out by an attention to business to
which the place is unaccustOmed.
Unless he has the power to over
awe everything the more uncOmfOrt-
able will be his position. until gradual
ly time smOoths the way and new is
sues come up for criticism, opposi-
ton and resentment, and he is for
gotten.
The idea of civil service reform
promotion for the good men in your
employ rather than hiring new ones
is a rule which looks well on paper,
but is fatal policy if carried out TO
the letter
The business that is not progressive
is sowing the seeds OF it's own dissolu-
ton. Life is a movement forward,
and all things in nature that are not
evolving into something better are
preparing 10 return into their cOnstit-
uent elements.
one general rule for progress in
big business concerns IS the introduce
ton OF new blood. You must keep
step with the business world. II you
lag behind the outlaws that hang on
the flanks Of commerce Will cut you
out and take you captive, just as the
wolves lie in wait for the sick COW Of
the plains.
To keep your columns marching you
must introduce new methods. new in
spiration, and seize upon the best that
others have invented or discovered.
The great railroads of America
have evolved together No one OF
them has an appliance or a method
that Is much beyond the rest. II II
were not for this interchange OF men
and ideas some railroads would still
be using the link and pin, and snake
heads would be as common as in the
year 1853.
The railroad manager who knows
his business IS ever on the lookout Tor
excellence among his men, and ne pro-
notes those who give an undivided
service. But. besides this. he hires
a strong man occasionally from the
outside and promotes him over every
body. Then out come the hammers
But this makes but little difference
20 your competent manager. II place
is to be filled and he has no one on
his payroll big enough 10 I'LL II, ne
hires an outsider.
That is right and well for every
one concerned The new life OF many
a firm dates from the day they hired
the now foreman.
Communities that intermarry raise