The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1917-09-20

Ii he vacIllateS, II he never quite
knows how to take the next steI
without consulting some one else,
} his followers or employees will
soon lose respect for him.
You can not do big things in this
world unless you can handle men,
and you can not handle men if you
are not in sympathy with them.
The greatest leaders are those
whom combine executive ability
With kindness and consideration.
Men will not only follow such a
leader, but will also follow him en-
thusiasticall y, work for him nights
and holidays, and do anything that
will help him along. But if they
see nothing in him to admire and
respect, they will follow, if they
follow at all, only as the slave fol-
lows his master.
| Now the very idea of leadership
is superiority, force of character,
executive push, the ability to plan
and put an undertaking through
to a finish. If you are afraid of
making enemies, do not try to lead,
for the moment you step out of
the crowd and show originality, in
dividuality, you will be criticised,
and condemned. It is human ma
ture to throw stones at the head
lifted above the crowd. No great
leader ever has escaped the jeal-
ousy and envy of those who could
not keep up with him or do what
he did.
| A leader must have an iron will,
an inf1exible purpose, he must be
able to defy criticism without being
insensible or Indifferent to it.
Some of our great leaders have
been extremely sensitive in this re-
spect. Criticism was very painful
to them, yet they had the qualities
of leadership which urged them on
in spite of the pain caused by harsh
and unjust criticisms.
Many worthy young men have
retired from the race for leader
ship because of the sting inflicted
by the malice and envy of their
fellows. They did not think 1.-THE
honey worth the sting
Large leaders to-day call for
great breadth of view, for the same
qualities which made the leaders
in the past, but much enlarged
and developed to meet the needs OF
our time. The vast combinations.
the enormous interests involved in
our country to-day require colossal
leadership. Organization is the
one overtowering necessity of the
times. There never was such 9
demand for leaders; for men who
can do things as there is to-day
Not only the business world, but
, your country needs you as one Of
the many leaders.
We must wake up, put ourselves
together to avoid being a trailer.
A great many people remain
trailers all of their lives, followers
of others, echoes instead of reali
ties, because their distinctive quail,
ties, their original powers were
not developed or called out.
The United States to-day wants
, leaders and originators more thar
followers or imitators. Self-asser.
ton, the spirit of independence,
the courage, the manhood which
respects its own powers and is de.
termined to rely upon them, and
believe in oneself. The qualities
that characterize a leader, can be
cultivated by every human being,
but if those qualities are not drawn
out in youth they may forever be
dormant.
Scores of college graduates. who
, have won their diplomas legiti
mately and honorably, fail hope
lessly when they attempt to crap
pie with the practical side Of life
} They have no qualities of leader
} ship, no independence of thought
and no self-reliance. They are
stuffed with facts and theories and
not with executive faculties.
They we're not trained in boy.
hood to depend upon their owl
judgment, hence they are weak
hesitating and uncertain. Theil
common sense has never been put
!, to test; they do not know how tt
1 he auuressive. ar how to marsha