St. Paul daily globe., 1889-05-13
Rev. H. M. Simmons Views
g on Profit-Sharing in
- Business.
Rev. S. M. Campbell Resigns
From the First Congrega-
tiOnal Church.
The Man-Hole Phase of the
Underground Conduit
Problem.
Minneapolis Events--The Say
ings and Doings of It's
People.

AT tQe FlfSG Unltdflan Cnurcn ReV.
H. M. Simmons preached on ''Profit
Sharing" yesterday morning-moved
thereto by recent utterances, and es
pecially by N. P. Gilman's new book on
the subject, which furnishes inquirers
with rich array of facts. He said the
subject was very proper for the pulpit,
since the labor question is religious
one, and everything which helps the
poorer classes and promotes social
peace, is nearer to the Christianity that
Jesus taught than any theological
discussion. The sermon was prin-
cipally an account of the many
experiments in prOfit-Sharing in Europe
and this cOuntry-carried on with vari-
Gus methods in all sorts of industries
by firms of all sizes, ranging from shops
to establishments employing many
thousands of men. The preacher
thought the general result was favor
able. 1t, of course, did not suit any
kind of socialists, who wish to Overturn
our present industrial system. But to
all who wish to retain this system, and
to improve it wisely, profit-sharing
shows many features to be praised.
FirSt-It is of great benefit to the la
as we see in the case Of the Pillsbury
firm in our own city. which has in the
last six years distributed Sl65,0O0 to its
workmen, besides their regular and
full wages, often adding s400 to the
labOrer'S income. Often it helps them
in perhaps still wiser ways; as in the
case Of the Leclaire house in Paris,
which originated the system forty
six years ago, and which be-
sides distributing one-half its
profits among all its workmen, gives
one-fOurth to their Mutual Aid society,
that has accumulated about S5G0.0OO,
and provides for them when sick, and
pensions them when disabled or old,
and continues the pension to their wild
OwS after them. And besides this ma
terial help to workmen, it is the moral
one. which comes by stimulating tn EN-
to more industry, economy and good
habits in order that they may increase
the profits to the firm and to themselves.
SecOnd-PrOfit-sharin does not harm,
selves. 1t makes the men produce more
and better, and waste much less. Many
amusing stories are told of the work.
mems economy in such establishments
such as burning one light instead of
two, using envelopes twice oyer, being
careful not to break the photographic
stones-and an officer of the Paris &
New Orleans railway, which shared
its profits among thousands of
workmen for twenty years, said it
made them even handle baggage care
fully. result almost millennial.
Many firms have declared that in
these various ways, they have gained
more by profit-sharing than it costs
them; from NJ. BeSSelievre, who said it
"has cost us nOthing," and M. de Les
seps, who said it had been useful to the
Suez Canal company in every respect
to one of the Rand q McNally firm, who
called it 1.-The best investment the house
ever made" In many cases the expert
ment has been abandoned, sometimes
from change of prOprietOrs, sometimes
from shiftleSs WOrkmen or OrsOcialistic in
reference. But in far more cases it
has succeeded; and the fifty-six firms
which keep it after trial of over fifteen
years, and the many that keep it after
trial of over thirty years, show that it
generally works no loss to the proprie-
tors.
Third-PrOfit-sharing promotes peace
and prosperity in society at large. 1t
does away with the old and fatal an
tagonism between employer and en-
ploye and gives to both common inter-
est. Under it strikes hardly ever occur;
and in view of the fact that the strikes
of the six years, from 1881 to 1856. in
this country alone are estimated to have
cost over eighty millions of dollars. we
see how much it would bless in this
way; and. in view of our own recent
experience, we may be allowed gently
to whisper the hope that, for the sake
of both parties and aof the pub
lie, it may some time be in
troduced into our street railway
system. Of course, neither profit-shar-
ing nor any other one remedy can be
prescribed as panacea for our labor
troubles. The Chicago Times once,
after enumeratlng the various conflict
ing causes assigned for financial
panic, said that it more probably was
due to ''original SIM" Doubtless that
human seltishness which our serious
ancestors saw fit to cali ''original sin,'
is the cause of our labor troubles too,
and will not be abolished in our day.
But profit-sharing, by showing how
easily conflicting classes can be united
IN common interest, at least points
toward the way in which our social
troubles are to be healed.