The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-09-05
MORE TALK BY GREEN.
HIS VIEWS AS TO CORPORATIONS.
Not Organized for the Good of the Pub
lie, but to Line the Pockets of the
Directors and Stock
holders.
DIR. GREEN'S TESTIMONY.

Inc senate SUBCOMMITTEE Oh LaDOf anu
Education resumed itslabors Monday. Only
Senators Blair and Cali were present,
Senators George and Pugh having gone to
New England to take testimony there on
the same subject.
DR.. Norvin Green took the stand and con-
tinued his testimony. The witness, in open
ing, corrected some evidence given in the
morning papers of Saturday, and remarked:
81 did say that the profits from 1866 were
made in great part by the purchase of lines
in stock, and not as reported" In regard to
the Wheatstone operators, DR.. Green said
the company engaged and brought out these
operators at salary Of eS00 year. Allof
these operators were still in the pay of the
company, and their salaries had in no case
been reduced In answer to a ques-
ton, witness said in explanation of some
of the testimony he gave on Friday in re-
gard to statement that messages could be
transmitted more rapidly from New York
to certain European points than between
certain cities on the European Continent,
that the delay arose in crossing the straits
or channels. The distance across the En-
glish Channel was from eighteen to twenty
five miles, and the messages across that
cable were worked by the Morse instrl-
ments, while on longer distances class mes
sages were worked not by manipulation but
by machinery. In regard to the pay given
to railroad operators, witness said such
operators were paid ten per cent. ON the
business transacted, besides the salary they
got from the railroad company. The tel
egraph service in London was far better
than in this city, because there were sep
arate wires in the former to every important
| point
Senator Blair asked whether the Western
Union, considering the extent Of their bust
ness and the profits arising therefrom, could
not pay higher wages to their employees, to
which the witness replied that their en-
ployes were paid as well as any other class,
considering the hours of labor and the serv-
ice rendered, excepting the public school
teachers of the city.
Senator Blair-Now, doctor, to be plain
| in the matter, can not your company do
something in the way of improving the con-
| dltions of your employees?
| DR.. Green-COrporatton are organized to
| of that exist pro bono pltblicO.
| In reply to question as to whether he
did not think it would be wise policy for
| corporations to provide some maintenance
for faithful and long continued service, DR..
Green said: st is against the genius of
| American institutions to pay pensioners,
| but think the matter worthy of consider
alton. In England, l believe, they give a
| pension after thirty years of service. These
pensions are predicated on good record |
do not think that men would forego their
pensions by going on strike"
| Witness said there were several organiza.
| tons of beneficial character in the West
| eTn Union, which aided the members in sick
ness or distress. There was one society
which gave 81, 900 to the widow of de
ceased member. If corporations would as.
sst these organizations, it would, he thought
allay the discomfort.
Senator Blair-Now, doctor, can you give
us some information in regard to what i,
known as watering stock?
DR.. Green replied that he would not like
to testify on that matter, as anything he
could say on the subject would be little
more than a matter OF opinion.
In answer TO another question regarding
the capitalization Of the company exceedinl
the actual cash paid for the stock, DR.
Green said that was not the case in regarC
to the Western Union, but applied more di
rectly to railroads In general which wer,
constructed almost entirely on stock. II,
said that for several years he was con
, nected with railroad corporations, but wa
| at the present time President only of rail
road in Nova Scotia.
Senator Blair asked the witness hov
! ho
ment.
DR.. Green-Ten per cent,
Senator Blafr-And the public pay 70
this?
Witness-Yes; but the stockholders hav
a right to claim it, all the same.
Senator Blair-Your dividend you say i
only seven per cent?
Witness-Very true; the stakeholder
have a right to utilize the balance by &C
cumulGting it for stock dividend.
Senator Blair-Your surplus this year
So, 900, 900, and the interest is paid--how?
Witness-Seven per cent. in cash to tn
stockholders and three per cent. is retaine
to be given to them in one shape or anothe
some day, either as stock in the increase
value of the property or otherwise.
. Senator Blair asked DR.. Green for a
expression of his opinion as to the relation
existing between capital and labor.
4 DR.. Green said that while he had gres
! sympathy with the Iaboring people, h
o would like to see every man employed al
cording to his talents. ITO my mind,
q said he, "strikes that have been organize
to obtain higher wages have proved fai
ure Not one in twenty strikes that eve
q knew of have been successful. The me
:, most likely to get promotion or advance
! ment or an increase of wages are those ths
have stood by their employers; men WI
were generally faithful to their employee
were certain of advancement. He did M
Z question the right of the persons to hoI
meetings or to effect organizations, but in h
l. experience all these organizations had been
u failure These organizations created feelin
of distrust between capital and labor, an
are calculated 10 do the laboring man MOI
" harm than good. DR.. Green did not recO
t nize the right of any organization to dcta
ID terms to employers, and wherever they pr
? sumed upon such dictatiOn, it was sure
er react and do them harm. If the men we
entitled to increase of pay they usually g
4, it. The witness alluded to the moneys TIT
rs had paid to the widows and orphans Of
le ceased employees for two or three month
er and mentioned one man who could not DO
70 sibly recover from sickness which LAST
nine or ten months, during which time
" had been on half pay. Strikes, he co
= tinued, were purely matter of wage
ia There were hundreds, he believed, wi
sr would not be satisfied If they were gettil
IA $3.50 a month, they would want $500, al
so on A recess was then taken.
* Coal Miners on a Strike.
iii CLEVELAND. o.. Sept. &