South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-05-10
Men of Ability
BY ELBERT HUBBARD.

Every successful concern is the re-
suit of a one-man power.
Cooperation, technically. is an ir-
descent dream-things cooperate be-
cause the man makes them. He ce-
ments them by his Will.
But find this man and get his con-
fdence. and his weary eyes will look
into yours, and the cry of his heart
shall echo in your ears 'Oh, for
some one to help me bear this bur
den!"
Then he will tell you of his endless
search for ability. and Of his cOntinu-
al disappOintments and thwartings in
trying 10 get some one TO help himself
! by helping him.
Ability is the one crying need of
the hour.
The banks are bulging with money.
and everywhere are men looking for
work
The harvest is ripe.
But the ability to captain the un-
employed and utilize the capital is
largely lacking.
In every city there are many five
and Thousand dollar-a-year posi-
lions TO be filed but the only appli-
cants are men who want jobs at SIS
week.
Your man of ability has a place al
ready.
But there is something that is
much scarcer something finer far
something rarer than this quality of
ability.
1t is the ability to recognize ability
The sternest comment that ever can
be made against employers as class
! lies in the fact that men of ability
usually succeed in showing their
worth in spite ar their employer. and
not with his assistance and encourage
ment
ability. you know that they discovered
their power. almost without excep-
/ ton. through chance or accident.
Had the accident not occurred that
made the opportunity. the man would
have remained unknown and prac-
/ tically lost 10 the world.
The experience OF Tom Potter, tele-
graph operator at an obscure little
I way station. is truth painted large
/ That fearful night, when most Of the
wires were down and a passenger
I train went through the bridge. gave
/ Tom Potter the opportunity OF dis
covering himself. He took charge Of
I the dead. cared for the wounded. set
+ tied 50 claims. drawing drafts on the
/ company; burned the last vestige of
\ the wreck sunk the waste iron in the
4 river. and repaired the bridge before
/ the arrival of the superintendent on
\ the spot.
Who gave YOU the authority 10 do
all this" demanded the superin-
/ tendent.
Nobody" replied Tom: Il assumed
I the authority
The next month Tom Potter's sal
airy was S5,0OO a year. and in three
years he was making 10 times this.
simply because he could get other
men TO do things.
Why wait for IN accident TO dis
/ cover Tom Potter?
/ Let us set traps for Tom Potter and
/ lie in wait for him
/ Perhaps Tom Potter is just around
/ the corner, across the street, in the
/ next room. or at our elbow
Myriads of embryonic Tom Potters
I await discovery and development II
\ we but look for them.
| / know a man who rOamed the
woods and fields for 30 years and
never found an Indian arrow. one
day he began 20 think arrows and,
, stepping out OF his doorway. he pick
ed one up. Since then he has collect
| ed a bushel Of them.
Suppose we cease wailing about in
! competence. sleepy indifference and
! slipshod help" that watches the
| clock. These things eNist--let us dis
pose Of the subject by admitting it