The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-09-05

Corporations anu EneIF EihptOyes's
DR.. Norvin Green, President oil the
Western Union Telegraph Company, was
before the Senate sub.C Committee on Labor
aud Education, and Senator Blair was ques'
tionipg him about the profits Of his COM
pany and the pay Of its employees. Senator
Blair was DESTROYS Of getting DR.. Green to
say whether, in his opinion, the Western
Union could not afford to pay Its men BET
Ter. DR.. Green did lot desire to give a
direct answer.
Senator Blair, evidently thinking that
the Western Union President had beaten
about the bush long enough, put it bluntly
10 him: Now, Doctor, to be plain in the
matter, cannot your company do some.
thing in the way'of improving the condi-
ton OF your employees?
DR.. Green-Corporations are organized
tossmake money, and there arc few that l
know Of that exist pro bono ptClicO.
Everybody knows that commercial cor
poraiions are organized to make money,
and that none Of these aim chiefly at the
public good. And yet the statement made
BY the Western Union President is partic-
ularIy cold.blooded. 1t admits that his
corporation, at least, works men as it does
machines, for the work that can be got
oat OF them.
DR.. Green admits that the corporation
takes no interest in the individuality or
the human nature Of the man 1t employs,
that it cares nothing whether he is well or
i'll, comfortably or uncomiortably led,
clothed and sheltered. 10 the company all
men are alike and oil men are machines.
SO long as they can and will do the COM
pany's work they are welcome to the lowest
pay they can be had for, and the company
will not concern itself about their condi-
ton. The slave owner took more interest
than this in bis work people, for his money
was in them; they represented consider
able part Of his plant.
10 appreciate how atrocious doctrine
DR.. Green lays down, contrast the mere
money policy Of the corporation with
what is seen among individual employers.
These too do business to make money, but
the employer who has heart is the EN-.
ployer who gets the bes! service from his
employees. He shows by kind words and
just dealing that he is interested in their
welfare. He does not convert himself into
an aImBgiving institution, but his employees
know that he recognizes their manhood
aud womanhood, and that employer gains
in faithful service. Not all employers are
OF this kind, but many-we think most-of
them are. .'
Nor is it true; as Dr.. Green's remark
would indicate, that every corporation will
grind the last penny out Of It's employees,
having no regard to their condition. There
are many corporations which look we'll to
the Eocial condition Of their employees,
some Of them providing reading rooms,
good literature and lectures for their diver
sion and Instructions, andshowiug a special
interest in the neatness and comfort Of
their homes. All this would 20 for very
little if the cost Of d were withheld from
wages; in the cases We have in mind market
prices are paid Tor labor and these other
things are added.
Perhaps this is not the pure milk Of
human kindness; 1t may be that there is
selfish motive in il; that these manufactul-
ing corporations do these good deeds to
foster contentment among their en-
ployes, to keep them together and so pro-
mote the welfare Of the corporations which
they serve. But this only shows that 1t is
thought to be good business, as well as
philanthropy, to treat as human beings
men and women who earn their living
with their hands.
In this country corporation so cruel as
that which DR.. Green describes, having
the large number Of employees which this
company has, reaching out for all, givingas
little as it can, using the remainder to
strengthen it's hold by new combinations
and INSCRIPTIONS, looking on man, the i'm.
age OF his God, as no better than the
beasts that perish-such corporation isto
be regarded as public enemy. The the
DRY on which corporate powers are granted
is that the corporation is for the public
good.