Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1886-06-05

trowel to ono of the abutments to-day
and l preach mor especially this
morning to EN- ploye rs as such, al
though what l have to say will he ap-
prOpriate to all who are in the house.
The outrageous behaviour Of a null
titude OF laborers toward their employ
ers during the last three months; be-
havior infamous AMI worthy Of mos:
condign punishment, may have in
daced some employers &c neglect the
real Christian duties that they owe to
those whom they employ. Therefore
| want to say to you whom | confront
face to face, and those to whom these
words may come, that all ship owners,
oil capitalists. all commercial firms,
all master builders, oil housewives are
bound to be interested in the entire
welfare OF their subordinates. Years
ago some n gave three prescriptions
for becoming q millionaire. First:
spend your life in getting and keeping
the earnings OF other people. Second
~: have no anxiety about the worri-
ynents, the losses. the disappointments
OF others. Thirdly: do not mind the
fact that your vast wealth implies the
poverty OF q great many people. Now
there is no q man in my audience who
would consent to 90 out into life with
those three principles to earn a for
tune. l. is your desire to do your
whole duty to the men and women in
your service.
First Of all then, pay as large wages
as are reasonable and as your business
will afford. Not necessarily what
others pay, certainly not what your
hired help say you must pay, Tor that is
tyranny on the part Of labor unbear.
able. The right Of the laborer 10 tell
his employer what he must pay implies
the right OF an employer to compel q
man into a service whether he will or
not, and either of those ideas is des.
picable. When any employer allows a
laborer to say what he must do or have
his business ruined, and the employer
submits to 1t. he does every busineus
man in the United States a wrong and
yields to q principle which, carried out
would dissolve society. Look yer
your affairs and put yourselves il i'm
agination in your laborer's place. and
then pay him what before God and
your W conscience you think you
ought to pay him.
God bless YOU" are well in their
places, but they do not buy coal or
| pay house rent, nor get shoes for the
children. At the same time, you, the
employer. ought to remember through
what straits and strains you got the
fortune by which you built your store
or run the factory. You are to remem.
Der that you take all the risks and the
employe takes none, or scarcely any.
You are to remembar that there may
be reverses IN fortune, and that some
new style Of machinery may make
your machinery valueless, or some
new style OF tariff set your business
back hopelessly and forever. You
must take all that into consideration
and then pay what is reasonable.
DO not be too ready to cut down
wages. AS far as possible pay all, and
pay promptly. There is q great deal
of bible teaching on this subject.
Malachi: 81 will be a swift witness
against all sorcerers, and against all
adulterers, and against those who op-
press the hireling in his wages"
Leviticus: "'Thou shalt not keep the
wages OF the hireling all night unto
the morning." Colossians: "Masters,
give unto your servants that which il
just and equal, knowing that ye also
have a master in heaven" So you see
it is not q question between you and
your employee sc much as it Is a ques'
ton between you and God.
Do not say to your employees: ''Now,
if you don't like this place, get anoth.
er," when you know they cannot get
another. As far as possible once a
year visit at their homes, your clerks
and your workmen. That is tho only
way you can become acquainted with
their wants. You will by such pro.
cess find out that there is a blind par.
ent OF a sick sister being supported,
You will find some of your young men
in rooms without any fire in winter,
and in summer sweltering in %ill-venti'
lated apartments. You will find how
much depends on the wages you pay
or withhold. On Saturday morning,
when you come into your counting.
roorc and draw the check which will
bring the money for the wages or the
salaries. you will have a thrill of salts.
faction in knowing it is not only the
money you give to the young man. but
the relief to the dire necessities which
stand back Of him.
Moreover, it is your duty as em.
ployef, az far as possible, to mould the
welfare of the employee. You ought to
advise him about investments, about
life insurance, about savings banks.
You ought to give him the benefit OF
your experience. There are hundreds
and thousands of employers in this
country and England, l am glad to
say. who are settling, in the very best
possible way. the destiny of their en-
ployes. Such men rs Marshall, of
Leeds; Lister, OF Bradford, Akrcyd,
| of Halifax; and men 80 near at home
it might offend their modesty If I men,
| toned their names. These men have
| oailt reading-rooms, libraries, concert
halls, afforded croquet lawns, cricket
grounds, gymnasiums, choral societies
for their employees. and they have not
merely paid the wages on Saturday
night, but through the contentment
and the thrift and the good morals OF
their employees, they are paying wages
from generation to generation forever
Again: I counsel all employers to
look we'll after the physical health OF