The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-11-09
industrial Partnerships.

partnership over the cooperative system Is
that while each member or partner has
direct interest in the profits of the shop or
mill in which he passes his days, the whole
business may still be controlled with the
unity and regularity OF an ordinary business
undertaking. In cooperative factory the
manager may: be hampered by the well
meant suggestions and plans OF his mem
bers. each one of whom has an interest
| equal to his own in the capital OF the Dusl-
ness. But in the industrial partnership the
capitalist wields the authority due to his
larrer stake in the venture, and which is in
dispensable to sound and successful busI-
ness management. The copartners share
in the profits, but have no proprietary inter-
est, or managerial control. Their share
of profits is simply premium given them
by the employer to encourage them in dill
gence and attention. The greater that dill
gence and attention, the greater the benefit
of every member Of the league.
The plan is yet in its infancy, and while
we have an abiding conviction OF the cor
rectness of the fundamental principle OF in
dustrial partnerships, we admit that there
are many nice and delicate questions to be
practically solved before it can have q gen
eral application. What is necessary now,
is to direct to the subject the attention OF
both employers and laborers, so that by dis
cussion and reflection way may be found
to an equitable solution of all difficulties OF
detail or application.
The simplest form OF an industrial part
nership is an arrangement between the EN-
ployer and the workmen to this effect: The
workmen to receive regular price for their
work, whether the business results in loss or
not; that all the expenses OF carrying OH the
business, including labor, wear and tear Of
materials, and interest on the capital employ
ed be charged against the receipts of the busi-
ness; that when balance is struck at ap-
pointed times the profit, if any, be divided
between the workmen and the employers
according to scale previously agreed upon.
This is the crude form Of industrial partner
ship, and upon this plan we have for some
months conducted one Of the departments
of our business.
A radical objection to this plan-one that
would be fatal in an extensive factory whose
gains are precarious-is that the workmen
are protected from all loss, while the en-
ployer must bear the whole loss, if there is
any, and yet parcel out the profits, il any
profits be made. The workmen are sure to
receive their weekly wages, but the en-
ployers are sure Of nothing This difficulty
could doubtless be overcome by adjusting
the proportion of profit, so that the greater
proportion going to the employer in good
seasons would make up for his sole loss In
bad seasons. OF course, If the workmen
could allow their whole compensation to de-
pend on the profits Of the business, the adj
iustment of interests would be very simple.
They would be entitled to . proportion OF the
profits equal to the capitalized value OF their
labor; the employer counting likewise the
capitalized value OF his own labor, as well
as the interest on capital, wear and tear,
and ordinary running expenses. But We
take it for granted that the workmen must
live, whether the seasons be good or bad.
They cannot afford to wait; nor would they,
perhaps, be willing to trust altogether to
their employers integrity and skill; nor
would the employer be willing to be coll
trolled in his business policy by the desires
OF his workmen. There must be both inde-
pendence of interest and identity of interest;
safety for the employer and safety ior the
wOrSmen.
And it is very evident that the industrial!
partnership is needed chiefly, if not entirely,
in those employments where the wages for
the same length of time are equal, and
where no sobriety OF attention enables the
workman to increase his income. Take
mill where certain class of operatives earn
ten dollars week all the year round. They
cannot make this ten dollars eleven dollars
by any effort of theirs. Month follows month
and year follows year, and there is no hope
Of improvement. These are the people who
should have share of the net profits OF the
mill. Then they would have something to
work for.
And when the ratio OF the division of ac-
cruel profits between employer and workmen
is agreed upon, another difficulty arises. 1t
would not be just in all cases to divide
equally the profits going 10 the workmen.
Allowances would be made, Of course, for
the length Of time that each one had been
employed; bu! difference Of Skill makes diff
ference OF value, and the skilled workman
in the shop does more to produce the aggre-
gate profit than is done by thirirate
workman. Where all the woriimcn receive
the same rate of wages no distinction may
be made in dividing profits; but where the
wages are unequal, the profits must fall in
the came proportion. Take the case, for in
stance of the compositors in q printing
Office. They are paid by the piece; the man
who sets twenty thousand ems receives twice
as much as the man who sets only ten thou
sand In this way they have strong in-
centive to work quickly and well. The more
they do, the more they are paid. Than jour
Al