The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-09-29

o'anuuros' and secure both uniformity
and accuracy in the weights of The
world, than all the other agencies com
biued.
There is o superior class of workmep
in this establishment. All are males.
Ihelr work is proof Of skill Their
LOOKS and cow .rsation indicate intelli-
gence. They are mostly Americans, and
come from the surrounding towns. More
than nall OF them are married, and set
tied mere as permanent residents, inte-
rested in the schools and in ali that re-.
lates to the prosperity Of the place.
NJ. ny of them own their houses with
spacious grounds for yard and garden.
and often barn for the poultry and COW.
These houses are pleasing in their exte.
rior, neatly furnished, and many of them
supplied with pianos and tapestry car
pets. How different from the nomadic
factory population, swarming from
Canada and from other lands to densely
crowded tenement-houses. who never
bind themselves to civilization by q
nome, much less by house of their
own! Tho tenement-houses, also, are
inviting and comfortable, and surround
ed with unusually large grounds. The
Town IL managed on temperance princi-
pies, and drunkenness, disorder and
STRIFE among the hands are almost un-
known. Most of them are church. .poers.
many OF them church members.
examined the pay roll aud found the
wages very liberal. The workmen seem
we'll satisfied on that score. Whenever
1t Is possible, the work is paid for by
the piece. The work itself is largely
done by machinery and that sui qsneris.
invented here and for the special and
peculiar results here reached. The men
are encouraged to expedite their pro-
cesses by new inventions and share
largely in the benefits of all such i'm
Provements. l conversed with one Of
the hands who invented curious appa-
Iatus by which he marks 100 register
bars with greater accuracy and in but
little more time than he could formerly
do one. He now finds working by the
job especially profitable. Paying by the
piece has worked we'll here. The men
say 1T IS falrcr to pay for results than by
hours. The worth of labor depends on
its products. This plan stimulates in
dustry, promotes skill, ind fosters in
ventiveness. 1t apportions rewards to
the quantity aud quality of work done.
But more than oil, this plan is recog-
nized by the men as just and satisfnc-
tory. With the time left practically to
their own choice, there is 40 eight-hour
movement here. No 'slabor league" or
union has ever existed-no strike ever
been suggested. This would be poor
place for the Internationals to preach
the gospel of idleness or agrarianism.
Imagine one of these delegates Just ar
rived at st. Johnsbury and beginning
his argument for strike with MIR. -,
whose house visited. I fancy him re.
plying somewhat US he did to my in
quiry. "Why is it you never have any
strikes here?" "Well, we have a good
set OF men to start with-tcmperate and
moral. Then we are we'll paid. Wages
have often been advanced. The owners
take an interest in the men. They are
liberal and publc.spirited, and are doing
great deal for the place, and we feel an
interest III the Success of the concern,
which has been the making Of St. Johns
bury"
There has evidently been mutual SYM
pathy and interest between employer and
employed. Governor Fairbanks used to
say to the men, "You should always
come to me as to father" He main
tanned relations Of kindness with them.
visiting. the sick, helping tho needy,
couuseiiuS INC errnS, encouraging their
thrift, enjoining habits of economy. He
taught them that it was their interest
and duty to ''lay up" something every
month, and TINT the best way to rise in
the social scale was to unite economy
with increasing wages. He himself both
preached and practiced economy. He
was conspicuous example at once of
strict economy and princely liborality.
His benefactions were munifcent. both
ut homo and abroad. Tho fact that so
many of the workmen are 'fore- handed"
besides owning their homesteads, is due
to his teaching and example. The worth
and dignity OF work he illustrated in
theory and practice. The notion that
labor was menial, or that tho tools of
trade or farm were badges of seryility.
he despised. His sous worked in the
shops and thoroughly learned tho trade.
The brothers of the Governor were in
full sympathy with him, and the same
spirit characterizes the sons and the
surviving brother, who now manage the
concern. There is still the fullest and
happiest cancellation between labor and
capital. 1t is not strange that the work
mea "hold on" Their permanency is
striking fnct Many have been here
from twenty to forty years. I conversed
with ono man nCnr coro,kx,