The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1868-06-13

From the Philadclphis Ledger
We notice that Mr.. Hugh Mason, of Ash
ton, England, an extensive mill owner, has
recently presented his employees with a
largs and handsome building erected for the
sole purpose of their instruction and nter-
tainment, and containing a reading-room,
lecture-room, bathing-rooms, and other
appliances for their physical and intel
lectual improvement.
In q meeting held at the opening Of the
building, he desired this act to be regarded
not as one Of benevolence, but as part Of a
duty which be considered that he owed to
those who co-operated with him in the
labors Of his life. A true
view OF labor and capital will show that the
entire prosperity Of a country hangs upon
their cordial CO operation. They are equally
dependent, the one en- the other.
Everything, therefore, tina.
produces antagonism between the workman
and the capitalist, INJURIES both, and all that
draws them nearer together benefits both
and tends TO the prosperity of the country
in which they dwell.
The duty of the employer to encourage in
all ways the steady Improvement Of those
he employs reacts upon himself, in giving q
better class Of workmen, more healthy, more
intelligent, more conscientious in the per-
f0rmance of their various duties, and more
careful to promote his interests, which are
In reality their own.
It 10 more than likely that such move
ments as that of Mr.. Mason will increase.
We have had several instances Of the kind
o. the part OF large employers in our own
city, and in the immediate vicinity of Phil
adelphia, in which the erection of such build
/ ings, for such purposes, has contributed
toward bringing together their various EN-
ployes to spend their evenings In intelligent
intercourse and agreeable relaxation. Eyery
dollar thus expended has doubtless doubled
its value In the character Of the services
such employers receive from their employees.
The relation between employer and employ
Cd is too close and constant to permit Of its
being considered nothing more than . busi-
ness eonnection. Few employers spend "a
much time with their families ne they neces-
saEily do with their employees, and yet how
disprcportionate 10 the interest often taken
in the latter, apart from their immediate
dutiesl
Viewed rightly, every young person en-
teEing tie service Of another, has certain
claim for consideration Of parental kind
especially II removed from his or her nstu
raj guardians. But II, when the arduou.
duties Of the day are over, the young, tired
eager, and unsatisfied worker is turned
adrift, without any provision for bis natural
| l0ngings Tor smusement, or anything to ava.
ken or satisfy his cravings for instruction.
| who can wonder If the cheap temptations
70 dissipation and sin n y surround him or
every hand shall aliure Llia 10 scenes tha
may gradually ruin MIN, ply sically and NOR
ally, and destroy his usefulness to his EN-.
ployer and The c0nmunisyi
We have associations that are accomplish
ing an excellent work in this direction, bu
there szs numbers Who are not reached b,
these mesns and beslds, the direct effoff
made By smployerH, Tor thsir own peopls
come home % them IN Z natural way, a.,
eelisis "A theIf intsrests. Such buildines 4
thoss rs1srrsd % contain not Only readinl