Wilmington daily gazette., 1873-04-14
O6s0 0esFatIon vs Antaaonlsni.

DISCOURSE BErCRR THn aDnrkNARR INxrr-
TuTE OF MEcHANIcAL ARTS" ny WA s.
HILLEs AND oTHERs.
On Saturday evening, quite large audience
assembled at the room Of the Delaware Insii.
luie Of Mechanical Arls,v % listen 70 Z dis
course on the above subject. The question was
opened By Wr1. 8. Hilles, Esq, who was intro.
duced By ex-Mayor Valentine.
This Subject, said Mr.. Hilles. Is one Of great
interest, to both laborers aud capitalists, and
has been occupying their attention for q NUN.
Der Of years. Cooperation is far better than an.
lagonisR, as nunLerons instances can be cited 10
prove In human life, its superiority ia plainly
demonstrated. Anlagonism 10 families Is pro-
ductive Of strife and discord, while By q coop.
Grafton Of loving efforts, the good Of the family
is promoted. So, also IN business life, as q
proved BY the existence Of railroads and sleam>
bOatS, banks. saving funds loan associations
and similar Institutions. None Of these can be
established and maintained by one man, bus BY
cooperation Of the resources and labor Of
many men, great and good results are attained
In the city Of Reading, about $50, 900 per month
is expended in building operations, through the
medium Of Building and loan Associations,
and nearly the same sum In this city. Thus
numbers Of men are provided with good and
comfortable homes, when their individual
means alone are insufficient for the purpose.
Further, We note the existence Of municipal
governments, of hospitals, homes for friendIess
children, houses Of refuge, and other benevo>
lent Institutions. All these are established aud
maintained by cooperation. Secret societies
are alsO the result Of the same system and are
great benefit 10 suffering humanity. Recently,
there was iminent danger Of war between the
United States and Great Britain, over the Ala
bama claims. But good and clear thinking
men Of both nations cO-operated, and obtained
the satisfactory reult Of the Geneva Arbitration.
Compare this result with affairs in litigious
communities, where men 60 TO law, and spend
hundreds Of dollars over the difference Of few
cents in their accounts
On the other hand, antagonism is exactly the
opposite OF CO operation. 1t makes each man
sfght on his own hook" and do all he can to
oppose the success Of others. 1t interferes with
business, and always prevents the success Of the
man who cultivates ii as a business principle.
Cooperation is a benefit to both capitalists
and laborer. and will tend in great m msasure,
to solve the difference existing between them.
The products Of a combination Of labor and
capital, are increased profits for both. The re-
suit Of antagsnism is only bitter contention
over the profits.
The effects Of antagonism were frequently de-
monstrated by tue former disastrous strikes in
the mining districts of Pennsylvania. Strikes
also. formerly existed in the New jersey glass
business but BY a system Of cooperation be-
tween employers and employees, The difficulties
have been greatly mitigaled and are rapidly
disappearing.
The most favorable method ofco. operation is
TO convert a manufacturing establishment into q
stock company and induce the workmen to take
shares. BY 80 doing, they become directly
interested ia the result Of their laboTs, and CO.
operate for the good of the company The
better they work, the better il will be for them
as their dividends are increased or lessened by
their own efforts This system he recommended
TO workIngmen. as Il materially increases the
result Of their labofs. M. Hilles closed his
interesting remarks (Of which the above Is a
brief svnOpsiN.) by relating an instance Of plan
of cooperation which has for four years past,
been successfully conducted by Messrs. Whitell
& Tatem, glass manufacturers of Millville, N. J.
A conference was held between the firm aud q
committee of workmen. at which standard ol
wages was adopted, and also the following plan
of securing the interest of the employees in the
success Of the establishment: AT the close oI
| the year, accounts were audited, and six per
cent. Of the capital fund credited TO the firm, az
the legal interest on their invested capital
Next, ten per cent Of the gross earnings were
accredited to the firm, as a fair rate Of profit
from Hheir business. lift was prosperous year
ANc pek CGut- Ot Tue BuEpiu5 luuQ was OlbIADateO
among the WOTkmen; il il was an average year
they received their usual wages only; il il was
an unfortunate year, they were to throw off Eve
per cent. Of their wages. By this plan, the
Workmen became financially interested in the
success Of the establishment, and as a eonss.
quence, each year, since lis introduction, has
been prosperous one, and each employee has
received from $50 to $50 per year, over and
above his regular wages.
Lea PGsey, Esq, followed Mr.. HiIles, and
related an instance Of a factory he had Once
visited in Lowell, Mass. where many Of the
employees We're stockholders in the company,
The effect was beneficial. and greatly enhanced
the quality and quantity Of work turned out.
Mr.. Robert Mcdonnell, also expressed him
self in favor Of cooperation, and related al
instance where seven poor Englishmen, by layIna
away shilling per week, obtained a fund
Sufficient to start a small produce store. They
now own several factories, a 100000 hall
schools, libraries, &c He regarded cooperation
as 3 remedy for many existing evils.
No other persona desiring 70 take part in tht
discourse, the meeting adjourned.