American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1872-06-08
Injustice to Clerks.
Editor american Citizen


Permit me, through the columns OF
your estimable journal, to call the
attention of the merchants of this
city to an MUST custom which has
long existed in business circles, and
one, l think, which would cOnduce
to their interest to reform.
1t is palpable fact, that, during
the summer months, there is very
little business transacted at night
indeed, scarcely sufficient to pay fol
the oil consumed. Still, as a general
rule, the majority of our merchants
are either too blind or willfully per.
sistent i'll grasping after the hollow
phantom OF the almighty dollar to
weigh the consequences or give ii
due consideration. The consequence
is they pursue madly the spectre
thereby ignoring the unmerciful
strain they are continually heapine
upon their unhappy and dissatisfied
victims-clerks. In all our most
tlOurishing cities the eight hour labor
system has at length become an es-
tablished and thoroughly recognized
custom. In Canton, the old time
slavish practice of from ) a. IN. till
and 10 still exist.
Where, may l ask, are the oppOr-
tunities allowed these victims of an
insatiate avarice to recreate and
breathe the free air of heaven?
How is it possible for them to de-
vote even an hour day to the en-
ticing task of study, which might
per chance lead to clOthe their minds
and hearts with angel-like perfec-
ton In some instances even, the
enchanting society of woman, with
all her sweet and divine influences,
are far removed from their famish-
ing souls? In reply am forced to
acknowledge the much to be de-
plOred fact-n0ne.
find by a close and impartial ex-
animation into the fabulous COM
merclal resources of our wealthieSt
cities, that their prosperity is attrib-
utable not only to the iudicious
speculatiOns of their princely mer-
chants, but to a great extent, to the
which of late years they have uni
formly shown their employees. The
reason why this generous conduct
on the part Of employers to their
employees has exerted so great an
influence upon their pecuniary adj
vancement, can be briefly explain
ed. We must all admit the fact,
stern and whitening as it may appear
to some, that the human system is
but a delicate and complicated piece
of machinery after all, and like eve
~ other piece of mechanism, can be
fearfuliy abused. l care not how
perfectly it may be constructed, it
must, without due amount of rest
from toll and labor, wear itself out,
prematurely too, from sheer inabili-
ty to perform the several functions
required by the laws of it's construc-
ton. The Almighty in His divine
wisdom, ordained a division of labor
by setting aside the day in which to
earn our bread, and the night, in
which to rest our wearied bodies af-
ter the tolls and trials of the day.
Again, L ask, why we are unnec-
essarily called upon to sacrifice our
health, for its more than poor hui
man nature can bear? Every pleas
ure and comfort of life, simply for
the vain qualification of fatal delu-
sion on the part of our merchants in
the idle pursuit of bodiless sh;d-
Ow.
L sincerely hope that they will
awake to a conscientious view of
this abominable and unjust custom,
and its consequences, and adopt
some means OfconductinG their bus
mess that will give to their clerks
some rest after the dull routine of
these long hot summer days. In
jackson, Nicksburg and other cities,
the principal merchants have signed
petitions agreeing to close doors at
7 o'clock, p. IN. And L have no
doubt but that the merchants of
Canton would find it to their inter
ests were they to endeavor to bring
about, in some manner or other,
this much desired reform.
A CLERK.