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AMessagetoGarciaByElbertHubbardInallthisCubanbusinessthereisonemanstandsoutonthehorizonofmymemorylikeMarsatperihelion.WhenwarbrokeoutbetweenSpain&theUnitedStates,itwasverynecessarytocommunicatequicklywiththeleaderoftheInsurgents.GarciawassomewhereinthemountainvastnessofCuba-nooneknewwhere.Nomailnortelegraphmessagecouldreachhim.ThePresidentmustsecurehiscooperation,andquickly.Whattodo!SomeonesaidtothePresident,There’safellowbythenameofRowanwillfindGarciaforyou,ifanybodycan.RowanwassentforandgivenalettertobedeliveredtoGarcia.HowthefellowbythenameofRowantooktheletter,sealeditupinanoil-skinpouch,strappeditoverhisheart,infourdayslandedbynightoffthecoastofCubafromanopenboat,disappearedintothejungle,&inthreeweekscameoutontheothersideoftheIsland,havingtraversedahostilecountryonfoot,anddeliveredhislettertoGarcia,arethingsIhavenospecialdesirenowtotellindetail.ThepointIwishtomakeisthis:McKinleygaveRowanalettertobedeliveredtoGarcia;Rowantooktheletteranddidnotask,Whereisheat?BytheEternal!thereisamanwhoseformshouldbecastindeathlessbronzeandthestatueplacedineverycollegeoftheland.Itisnotbook-learningyoungmenneed,norinstructionaboutthisandthat,butastiffeningofthevertebraewhichwillcausethemtobeloyaltoatrust,toactpromptly,concentratetheirenergies:dothething-CarryamessagetoGarcia!GeneralGarciaisdeadnow,butthereareotherGarcias.Noman,whohasendeavoredtocarryoutanenterprisewheremanyhandswereneeded,buthasbeenwellnighappalledattimesbytheimbecilityoftheaverageman-theinabilityorunwillingnesstoconcentrateonathinganddoit.Slip-shodassistance,foolishinattention,dowdyindifference,&half-heartedworkseemtherule;andnomansucceeds,unlessbyhookorcrook,orthreat,heforcesorbribesothermentoassisthim;ormayhap,GodinHisgoodnessperformsamiracle,&sendshimanAngelofLightforanassistant.You,reader,putthismattertoatest:Youaresittingnowinyouroffice-sixclerksarewithincall.Summonanyoneandmakethisrequest:PleaselookintheencyclopediaandmakeabriefmemorandumformeconcerningthelifeofCorreggio.Willtheclerkquietlysay,Yes,sir,andgodothetask?Onyourlife,hewillnot.Hewilllookatyououtofafishyeyeandaskoneormoreofthefollowingquestions:Whowashe?Whichencyclopedia?Whereistheencyclopedia?WasIhiredforthat?Don’tyoumeanBismarck?What’sthematterwithCharliedoingit?Ishedead?Isthereanyhurry?Shan’tIbringyouthebookandletyoulookitupyourself?Whatdoyouwanttoknowfor?AndIwilllayyoutentoonethatafteryouhaveansweredthequestions,andexplainedhowtofindtheinformation,andwhyyouwantit,theclerkwillgooffandgetoneoftheotherclerkstohelphimtrytofindGarcia-andthencomebackandtellyouthereisnosuchman.OfcourseImaylosemybet,butaccordingtotheLawofAverage,Iwillnot.NowifyouarewiseyouwillnotbothertoexplaintoyourassistantthatCorreggioisindexedundertheC’s,notintheK’s,butyouwillsmilesweetlyandsay,Nevermind,andgolookitupyourself.Andthisincapacityforindependentaction,thismoralstupidity,thisinfirmityofthewill,thisunwillingnesstocheerfullycatchholdandlift,arethethingsthatputpureSocialismsofarintothefuture.Ifmenwillnotactforthemselves,whatwilltheydowhenthebenefitoftheireffortisforall?Afirst-matewithknottedclubseemsnecessary;andthedreadofgettingthebounceSaturdaynight,holdsmanyaworkertohisplace.Advertiseforastenographer,andnineoutoftenwhoapply,canneitherspellnorpunctuate-anddonotthinkitnecessaryto.CansuchaonewritealettertoGarcia?Youseethatbookkeeper,saidtheforemantomeinalargefactory.Yes,whatabouthim?Wellhe’safineaccountant,butifI’dsendhimuptownonanerrand,hemightaccomplishtheerrandallright,andontheotherhand,mightstopatfoursaloonsontheway,andwhenhegottoMainStreet,wouldforgetwhathehadbeensentfor.CansuchamanbeentrustedtocarryamessagetoGarcia?Wehaverecentlybeenhearingmuchmaudlinsympathyexpressedforthedowntroddendenizenofthesweat-shopandthehomelesswanderersearchingforhonestemployment,&withitalloftengomanyhardwordsforthemeninpower.Nothingissaidabouttheemployerwhogrowsoldbeforehistimeinavainattempttogetfrowsyne’er-do-wellstodointelligentwork;andhislongpatientstrivingwithhelpthatdoesnothingbutloafwhenhisbackisturned.Ineverystoreandfactorythereisaconstantweeding-outprocessgoingon.Theemployerisconstantlysendingawayhelpthathaveshowntheirincapacitytofurthertheinterestsofthebusiness,andothersarebeingtakenon.Nomatterhowgoodtimesare,thissortingcontinues,onlyiftimesarehardandworkisscarce,thesortingisdonefiner-butoutandforeverout,theincompetentandunworthygo.Itisthesurvivalofthefittest.Self-interestpromptseveryemployertokeepthebest-thosewhocancarryamessagetoGarcia.Iknowonemanofreallybrilliantpartswhohasnottheabilitytomanageabusinessofhisown,andyetwhoisabsolutelyworthlesstoanyoneelse,becausehecarrieswithhimconstantlytheinsanesuspicionthathisemployerisoppressing,orintendingtooppresshim.Hecannotgiveorders;andhewillnotreceivethem.ShouldamessagebegivenhimtotaketoGarcia,hisanswerwouldprobablybe,Takeityourself.Tonightthismanwalksthestreetslookingforwork,thewindwhistlingthroughhisthreadbarecoat.Noonewhoknowshimdareemployhim,forheisaregularfire-brandofdiscontent.Heisimpervioustoreason,andtheonlythingthatcanimpresshimisthetoeofathick-soledNo.9boot.OfcourseIknow