New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-02
THE LABOR QUESTION.
aEpUMRTAL PEACE AND INCREASED PRO
pUCTToN ATTAINABIE.

spRoprrsHAR1NG BETWEEN EMPLOYER AND EN-.
PL0YE; A study In the Eyolution o. tne W s5.so
sgssss@g en- ~ oua Ssasla Msi haSs CO. '''A
Protsharsng has declared by the distinguishes
economist J. H. von Thuren, the only salvation
of the lsboring class Mr.. Gilman does not aaopl
a declaration 50 exclusive and unreserved' pus ma
4aans thar proHs-sharing tho division OF roanLoa
profits between tho capitalist the employer ana ~.
semploye In addition to regular interest," salary aa
.res e most equitable and generally satisfactory
method Of remunsraaing the three industrfai agents
hs ground Of his belief is careful stndy OF eApo
ssnce under various forms Of prohtsharlng IN many
oountrsss and sor many years, which appears 70 ne
ssthor 10 prove that proftsharng advances tne
ra..etv of an establishment by increasing the guam
49, - shs proauct By improving its quality, by
pyemos,px caro- Of implements and economy OF ma
Lsr,ass. asd BY diminishing labor dcultcs ana inc
coat az mIperiutendence. ne Veruics
given by niue employers out of ten who have N1ca
proht soaring be true, then it must DO pronounced
poor business policy % neglect such means Oh prO'-
perity.s .s,,.
ne shouId not be inferred that the theories mus
statad are usfsiy the prio conclusions OIL eaoSe'
student with benevolent turn OF mind tney any
4he ooncluzious to which some OF the ATTEST anu o
practically successful business men OF Francs ger
many, Russia, Italy, Switzerland, hohano' 49,
ss.a,n ana The limited States have been broaght By
,.ax. AZ Srialn some instances by as much as iorY
years Of varied experiences in good times ana paa.
~. f,,lman,s work Is essentially history, and not
ap arsrment Indeed, carefully are facts reciteo
without infsrences, colorings or comments IN inc
vr.at body of the work. that its interest TOT most
.sadsrz and many students will thereby be impaired
snd his subsequent discussion and comparison Oh the
results IN different GASES and under oiuereht eoh-
ditsous are much less tntelgible than similar COM
ments would have been If directly accompanying inc
facts recitsd Tho method adopted is 10 THIS
a questionable wisdom Anxious first to SET forth the
inakea facts before disclosing tho opinions which
rhey ssem to him justify, the author has iesseneu
The force Of his fairly reasoned and 1udoieus oOnf
ments -
Great industry has been. displayed In the com
initiation Of this history Of proftng sharing ana IL -
claimed that no experiment of which tho iaO's oouia
he obtained whether resulting fayorahg or uniavor
ably has been suppressed or sighted. TO nearly al
American and European readers, ut leasf, IL VIII 20
= surprising revelation that In 50 many cases. ia
different countries, under WILDLY varying circum-
stances and In aemulutnds OF foRms' tne eAponm0A'
has been tried completely. lis workings IN .
wide range OF Industries are Illustrated so are It's
tonderfuf in not few instances OF woriwide
fame, and in others equally Significant though lass
conspicuous, and It's faiiurs or discontnuance In
uch smaller number Of cases, which, nevertheless SUI
Ace 10 Illustrate the fatal consequences of various
errors in method Of different forms Of interference
nom without careful scrutiny Of the work does
mot hiring 10 light a case in which tho writer has
tailed to state the facts fairly, and the facts on both
sides whore tAars are two sides, 30 that the work
may apparently accepted with confidence as faith
ful handbook Of experience in preatsharng thus far
Extracts from such q work would necessarily give
hat false idsa Of its character However interest
ing selected instances must lack tho weight to which
only the entire body OF experience 10 entitled Evon
the tabular recaptulation Of methods and results,
which occupies two and half pages for all cases
In which proftsharing has for any cause ceased, and
eight pages for in which IL sti In operation,
would far exceed the limits allowable. But the
conclusons brieay quoted already, strong as they
may seem to those who have not examined tho body
of tho work may be admitted to DO well sustained by
the evidence therein submitted. It does not appear
that the of prohtsharing restricted to certain
tndusries though it obviously meets greater
difiedtes thsn In others, especially where piece
wsrk hiss previously prevailed and whore The pro-
portion OF labor cost to cost Of product lie low. 1t
does not appear that its b matter Of nation
atfy or race though It's great development in France
and Hae United States two nations having republican
forms Of government, appears to the author signif
cant; wnfis an early and very conspicuous case Of
abandonment In tho coliery Of Messrs. Briggs. due
in part to the inudtcious acts Of the owners pren
diced public opinion strongly against 1t M England
and tbs phenomenal fatuy Of the workers for MessRs
Brewser q Co. in this city, who went into strike
for eight hours FORGETTING Dividend Of 81 900 due
within q month and losing $1,000 in wages, for no
reason which could be called sensible, undoubtedly
prsjudiced public opinion in this country.
Expenence appears 70 teacn tnab inc eeieroi oaoet
s 10 production, though less where piecework
mas previously prevailed But It is 70 be regretted
thai Mr.. Gilman has not found data for definite
parisSns Of product per hand employed. In general
lso Improvement in the quality Of work can be relied
upon and IL tks which makes union Of proftsharng
with piece-work most desirable But there is decisive
evidence that It insures important economies in the
nee of materials and implements 5000 pounds yearly
IN the Bsiggs oodlsry, IS confines daily per hand In
the MaisOn Leclairs, and enough oil in tic work of
single oiler In calico min to pay his entire yearly
Bonus. Tho industrial peace secured h result Of tho
highest importance and cannot be measured in none
szxy value. Mr.. 0Aman supplies data for most In
suctve comparison Of tho different methods Of profit
sharing and er effects but he is cautious in stating
CONCLUSIONS. and, perhaps, wisely, since Is by no
means clear chat the methods would work best
VITA people Of different natonaliteS, races OF habits