The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-01-19
A WAY OUT or STRIKES.

couragng. Aside from the bad feeling
which they engender they entail great loss
OF time, which is money. The Labor bu-
reau, for instance, shows us that during
the six years from SSl to 1886, inclusive,
strikes increased from All to l,4l2, when
they seemed to have reached the crisis, rs
IL is estimated the number for 1887 has
been si3-a decided falling of. The losses
to the strikers by the entire 1908 strikes
Tor the six years amounted TO SOL, $4,000;
losses to employees through lockouts in the
same period, S., l32, 900 making total
loss in wages Of $50, 9iS, 900. The losses OF
employers in the six years were $50, 1872
600 through strikes, and 81, 432, 900 through
lockouts total, 1874, 10000. The aggre-
gate for both sides, therefore, was S04,-
10000. This is loss almost as
large in amount us that suffered
by fire in any one year, and is rs
complete. Lost time cannot be recalled,
neither can the goods or buildings con-
sumcd by fro. The loss is absolute in
both cases. But in the case Of strike II
Is worse because there is no compensation.
There IL no one 10 insure the striker
against loss by n strike. Whatever OF suf-
icring II entails must be borne heroically.
M II generally is. But is such heroism n
satisfaction Of the losses strikes entail to the
country rs well rs the individual. We say
not. II is nm evil, an evil Of growing pro-
portions that must and can bc prevented.
But how2 BY co operation and profit
sharing. Forty manufacturing establish
mcnts in the United States are now trying
the proiit-sharing plan, and some Of them
have already demonstrated its feasibility
by some years OF experience. Among
them we find the N. o. Nelson Manu-
featuring Company, Of st. Louis, where
the result Of the experiment, as we learn
from The Age Of Stoci, "has been watched
with an unusual degree Of interest by
very large number of manufacturers and
employees in all parts Of the country"
The second year Of tho experiment which
closed on the 3lst OF December last.
proved TO be decided success Mr. Nell
son, the head and chief manager Of the
company, on that day. in formal COM
munioation TO the employees, said:
We have all been paid our wages at the full mar.
lie, value Of rcrviccs Your sharr Of the profits.
~ verified by your custodian, amounts TO Adiyl.
dcnd Of per ccnL ON the wages Of thosc who have
served the Company tx months ot morr. aud 10 per
cent on the wagyr oi thosc who have lcncd crh
teen months ~ over and have retained their cyrtin
cate. ior the previous years Dividends To tho lat
lef elias them Is also due Interest and diydcnd
on their ocul. cate. the sum Of SnLp, You have
an inlcrsl besides. IN the surplus fund Of s1Oa
In the rclci fund u 5000 aud In the library fund
% sO call attention N the al aniago
aocruing 10 thos, who invest their
dividends On ocriacaics man who
earned tl5 Ia week In ls,s aud took certificate Tor
bis dividend. has In ~ earned by reason 81 hold
Ing that certificate. ~ O.. and Il therefore sac
better on than u he had dmwn aud spent the
| money. should the sane man nov leave with the
company all his Dividends aud the bushes. b. the
samc Ia issi his total earning. Tor this year In
| addition o bis Wages would BE- o. g.. NJ equal o.
IN Investment 81 o.. an IN government bonds !
oougmiulaie you upon the year prusporiiy. which
| Q, In the largest measure due IN your combined
inicliircncc. iaithiulnoss and harmony dosirc II
understood that whatever succss We hsvu bad IL
1
foresight u IL the natural eject ct alAugr mum.
hgr Of men working together. each one being
'klilci IN hs department.
Tot is.s the pfuht, vii ~ divided pfn rata upon
capital aud ihc Ways oi those ~ho have scfvcd
,he comfauy icn months Or over within the year
and cfr,iiunr 70 per cent q the net profits 10 sur
plus fund No additions will h. made N the u
hflfy and pritilent fonda thtse l-oing amply
pro,idsd iof iof ru,cnt uecis The diridcnds
irit win The ulmpauy vii ruoUlyo the sane iu
irfut snd dividend ~ thc capital oi the company
involves
What a delight producing story this is.
although u docs trcai Of business and fig
urcs, aud what a satisfaction Il must b. To
Mr.. Nelson that ho has been the means Of
~ much Of practical benefit To the EN-.
ployos, clcyaiing them In ihcirovn esteem.
taking the sting out OF labor by making
thcm their own employers and identifying
them With himself ~ co.workcr
~ well o. co.bcncnciaricA In such
M establishment there could not be-
q strike. The men could not
strike against themselves. Hence it,
PROSPERITY must bc continuous and
the profits be- steady nj the rates In.
Dictated by Mr.. Nelson ior this year.
and In time be- greater. This Is the rial
rrmcdy Cor strikes, and must eventually
como 10 h. adopted everywhere. But this
case Of the Nelson Company h not tho
only one that has como 20 Ms recently.
On saturday lat. In the course Of lecture
upon the poet Tannohill, delivered by DR..
Quachcnbush In tho Law School building
Of Columbia Collcgr. New York city, that
gentleman dwcll nj length upon tio condi.
ton Of the working classes In Paisley.
Scotland, ~ insult Of the cooperative
plan lie said
"rhc riy n Paisley e ioisya standing nciulo 20
such ~ clanuf that Christianity has failed 10 cstab
lth pn,rcf and olnroulA rrlailun, h,turon ON.
playcf and cmploic. Tho FWat manufacturers II
Paisley earn out rnrIically In their daily intsf
ceuuc and businoss associations tho pflnclpics II
| rslufnrlty a. lrrtfirntrd hy che Founder of otil