The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-04

A CAREFUL canvass of the results of the Ia
Dor strikes of 1880 reveals the fact that work
ingmen forfeited no less than $13, 600, 900 by
their voluntary quitting work. If they could
affo I'd to give up that amount they could have
afforded to have set it aside to help support
them. At the moderate rate of per cent
interest that amount would have brought
them an income of over half million year.
There is enough in this fact-for it is a fact
to set the more thoughtful of the workingmen
to solving the troubles that beset them. Act
ing in accordance with the requirements of
their organization, they are now wasting tens
Of thousands of dollars daily, disproving the
assertion that there is widespread distress
among them, for men who are really in fnan-
cial straits do not voluntarily 60 into any
movement that is certain to cause the loss of
money. In the years that have passed there
has been great incentive for the industrious
economical man to keep right ahead at work,
for the very good reason that he was reasona-
bly, sure to obtain a competency In the end
and escape the probability of suffering when
old age should come. The chance for the at
tainment Of such thing is as good now as
ever. 1t is necessary, Of course to be diligent
and to exercise some economies. This has al
ways been so. An examination Of the history
of the most successful men will show that they
have not been above saving something even
from the sienderest incomes. The merchants
and manufacturers of to-day have for the
most part come right up out of the stores and
workshops They were either clerks or me-
chanics The man who is a clerk or mechanic
has exactly the same chance they had. The
way is not closed, for the mon now
at the head of business affairs can
not stay there always; they must in
turn give way to others, and the ranks are
being recruited from the men who are most
faithful at the forge and the bench. 1t is an
exception when the capitalists son succeeds
to the business. There are such cases, of
course, but they are exceptional, and the
business Of the world goes back to the hands
trained to conduct it in the way it should be.
This is the premium on efficiency and faith
fulness on the part Of the mechanic or the
subordinate In any line of trade If anyone
doubts it. let him 60 over the local field and
see who the men are who are the proprietors
and managers of the factories and stores in
any locality. The avenues to success are
wide open to every sober, industrious man,
and he should be very careful not to encour-
age the theory that he must stand by men
less efficient than himself, or less faithful than
himself. AS rule the Industrious man
needs no artificial backing and it is only the
chronic sorehead and malcontent or the prof
ligate, who has to be bolstered up. In every
such instance the industrious and contented
man is imposed on, and his hard-earned
money goes to help men who should help
themselves. With the tens Of thousands of
examples about him of men who have risen
from the ranks to the position Of employers
there is good reason for the self-supporting
workingman to hesitate before going into an
organization that will strip him of his in
dependence at the bidding of some other man
whom he knows to be to blame for the trouble
And one of the worst features of it is that he
may be made to quit work without minutes
warning because Of the capricious action of
men whom he knows nothing about. The
man who has any confidence in himself will
hesitate long before going into such one
sided bargain.