The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-30
how TO TREAT EMPLOYEES.
Talmage breaches the Second Sermon Of
the Series on "The Labor Question"
The Chasm Between Man and Master, and the
Best Method of Bridging 1.-THE
Christians Part of the Duty.

mons on the great labor discussion, the subject
being "How Employers Ought to Treat EN-
plcyes" DR.. Talmage chose two texts. the first
from Galatians. v, Is: 'If ye bite and devour
one another, take heed that ye be not consumed
one of another" and Philippians, ii, 4; Look
not every man on his own things. but every man
also on the things of others" Following is the
sermon:
The labor agitation will soon quiet. The mills
will again open, the railroads resume their traf-
&c, our national properties again start OF
course, the damage done by the strikes cannot
Immediately be repaired. Wages will not be so
high as they WERE Spasmodically they may be
Higher, but they will drop lower. Strikes,
whether right or wrong, always injure laborers
more than capitalists You will see this in the
lence and murder never pay. They are differ
emit stages of anarchy. God never blessed muir
der The worst use you can put a man to is to
kill him. Blow up tomorrow all the country
seats on the banks of the Hudson, and all the
fne houses on Madison square, and Brooklyn
Heights, and Bunker Hill, and Rittenhouse
square, and Beacon street, and all the bricks,
and timber, and stones will just fall back
on the bare hands of American
labor. The worst enemies of the
ireland are their demented coadjutors. The as
sassinations of Lord Frederick Cavendish and
Mr.. Burke in Phoenix Park, Dublin, Ireland, in
the attempt to avenge the wrongs of Ireland,
only turned away from that afflicted people mill
ions OF sympathizers. The attempt to blow up
the House of Commons in London had only this
effect-to throw out of employment tens of thou
sands of innocent irish people in England In
this country the torch put TO the factories that
have discharged hands for good or bad reasons;
distractions on rail tracks in front Of midnight
express trains, because the offenders do not like
the president of the company; strikes on ship
board the hour they were going to sail, or in
printing Offices the hour the paper was to go to
press or in the mines the day the coal was to
be delivered, or on house scaffoldingS, so that
the builder fails in keeping his contract-all
these are only hard blow on the head Of
American labor, and cripple its arms, and lame
It's sfeet, and pierce its heart. Traps sprung
suddenly upon employers, and violence never
took one knot out Of the knuckles of TOLL or put
one farthing of wages into callous palm. Bar
barism will never cure the wrongs Of civilization
Mark that!
Now what we want is to rebuild that bridge of
sympathy, and l put the trowel to one of the
abutments to-day; and l preach more especially
this morning to employers as such, although
what have to say will be appropriate to all who
are in the house.
The outrageous behavior of multitude of la
BOXERS toward their employers during the last
three months-behavior worthy of most condign
punishment-may have induced some employers
60 neglect the real Christian duties that they owe
to those whom they employ. Therefore l want
to say to you whom confront face to face, and
those to whom these words may come, that all
ship-owners, all capitalists, all commercial firms
all master builders. all housewives are bound to
be interested in the entire welfare of their sub
0fdinates. Years ago some one gave three pre-
scriptions for becoming millionaire. First,
spend your life in getting and keeping the earn
tngs of other people; secondly, have no anxiety
about the worrimsnts, the losses. the disappoint-
ments OF others; thirdly, do not mind the fact
that your vast wealth implies the poverty of a
great r,any people. Now there is not q man in
my audience who would consent to 60 out into
life with those three principles to earn fortune.
lzt is your desire to do your whole duty to the
men and women In your service.
First or all, then pay large wages as are
reasonable and as your business will afford.
Not necessarily what others pay, certainly not
ye tyranny on the part of labor unbearable.
The right OF q laborer to tell his employer what
he must pay, implies the right of an employer to-
compel a man into service whether he will or
not, and either of these ideas is despicable.
When any employer allows laborer to say
what he must do or have his business ruined,
and the employer submits to it, he does every
business man in the United States wrong and
yields to a principle which, carried out, would
dissolve society. Look over your affairs and
put yourselves in imagination in your laborers
place, and then pay him what before God and
your own conscience, you think you ought to pay
him.
/ ''God bless yous" are all we'll in their place,
but they do not buy coal nor pay house rent
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 to remember that
you take all the risks and the employe takes
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 this 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 great deal in the Bible teaching on this sub
deet Malachi: 81 will be swift witness
against all sorcerers, and against all adulterers,
wages Leviticus: Thou shall not keep the
wages Of the hireling all night unto the morn
Ing" Colossians Masters, give unto your
servants that which is just and equal; knowing
that We also have a Master in heaven" So you
see It is not question between you and your
employee.
Do not say to your employees: Nov, il you
don't like this place. got another" when you
know they cannot get another. AS far as eos
sible. once year visit at their homes your clerks
and your workmen- That is the only way you
can become acquainted with their wants. You
will by such process find out that there is
blind parent or 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-ventilated apartments
You will find how much depends on the wages
you pay or withhold On Saturday morning,
when you come into your counting-room and
draw the check which will bring the money for
the wages or the salaries you will have thrill
Of satisfaction in knowing it is not only the
money you give to the young men. but the relief
TO the dire necessities which stand back of him
Moreover, it is your duty as employer, as far
IS possible, 10 mold 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.
FssEs ere hundreds gid thousands of employers
IN this Country and England, an glad to say,
who are settling in the very best possible way
the destiny of their employees Such men as
Marshall of Leeds; Lister of Bradford Akroyd.
Of Halifax, and men so near at homo it might of.
Tend their modesty il ! mentioned their names.
Hhega ma hav huilt