The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-09-04
NEWS AT HOME AND ABROAD.
WHAT TIE WIRES BRING US.
Capital and Labor.

~ Capital md Labor.
CONTINUATION OF PRESIDENT GREENS TEsTI-
M0NY.
fIly telegraph IN the Dispatch.t
New YORK, September 2. President
Green, OF the Western Union Telegraph
Company, continued his testimony to-day
before the subcommittee OF the Senate
Committee on Education and Labor. which
Is investigating the relations between capt.
tai and labor. Senator Blair questioned
the witness closely regarding the policy Of
the western Union Company toward its
employees. He asked whether, consider
ing the extent OF the company's busi-
ness and the profits arising tberefrom,
1t could not pay better wages to its
employees; TO which DR.. Green replied
thai the Wcrtern Unions employees were
paid as well as any other class, considering
the hours OF l9bor-service rendered, eX-
cept public-school teachers OF the city.
Senator Blair asked whether the COM
pany could not do something toward inn
proving the condition OF its employees.
DIR. Green responded that corporations
were organized TO make money. There
were few that he knew OF that existed pro
bono pubiico. In reply TO a further qres-
ton as to whether it would not be wise.
policy for corporations 10 reward faithful
and long-continUed service, he sold il was
contrary TO the genius OF American insti-
tutions TO provide pensions. lie, how
ever, thought the question az prOpOunded
worthy Of serious consideration. Al
ludlng TO the English system OF
giving pensions after thirty years OF
service, prcdicated upon a good record,
he said he Gid not think the man working
under that system would iorego his pen
sion by going on a strike. Witness said
there were several organizations OF bcne-
fetal character among the Western Union
employees which contributed TO the relief
of their members in sickness or other dis
tresS, and provided for widows OF those
deceased. lie thought il corporations
would aid such aSsocial ions rs these among
their employees that would tend to allay
discomfort. Speaking with respect 10 the
relations between capital and labor, witness
said he would like TO see every man employ
ed according TO his talents. As he viewed ii.
strikes TO obtain higher wages had always
been failures. The men most likely TO get
promotion or increase OF wages were those
who stood by their employers. He did not
question the right OF workingmen TO organ
iZe, but in his experience such organlza-
tions had always been failures and they
always created feeling OF distrust between
capital and labor, and were calculated TO do
wOrkingmen more harm than good. lie
did not recognize the right Of any organi-
cation TO dictate terms 10 employers.
Strikes. he believed, were simply matters
Of wages. There were hundreds OF The
cOmpanv's employees who would not be
satisfied il they were getting $50 per
month. Speaking rs to the wages paid the
Western Union employees, lac said that the
company had engaged and brought out TO
this country WheatstOne operators, and
agreed TO pay them G300 year. All Of
them were still in the pay OF the company,
and their salaries had been in no case re-
duced. Railroad operators were paid a
percentage on the amount OF business han
died in addition to salaries from the railroad.
on being asked for information a. to the
process known as watering stock" he
replied that he had no definite knowledge
on the subject. In answer to another qucs-
ton he said the capitalization OF the com
pany did not exceed the actual cash paid
for the stock. The company, he said,
realized 10 per cent. on their investment;
: per cent. is paid in cash to stockholders.
and per cent. is retained, TO be given them
in one shape or another.