The evening world., 1890-01-23
WEEKLY PAY A BLESSING.
Express Companies WOrkmen Prefer
II to q Ten Per Cent. Raise.
Specious Plea OF Increasd Expenses
by Corporation officials.

Among the big corporations which will
be affected by the passage Of THE WORLDS
Weekly Payment bill, are the four large
express companies which have head
quarters in this city.
These nre the United States, Adams.
Wells. Fargo & Co. and American com
panies. Altogether they employ many
thousand men, md monthly or semi.
monthly payments are the rule.
How tho companies stand on the ques-
ton of the weekly payments is shown by
the statements Of their executive officers
President Thomas G. Plat, of the
United States Company. said:
II do not care to express any opinion
about ii. Our hands are paid of twice a
month and they appear to be perfectly
satisfied"
President John Hoey, Of the Adams Ex-
press Company, wouldn't say anything at
all, except that 1t wal the custom Of the
Company to pay its men twice n month.
General Manager Parsons, of Wells.
Fargo & Co., SAID Weekly payments
might benefit the mass OF lnborers. but I
do not see how ours would be any better
of. Such n system would involve an in
creased expense TO the Company"
An officer of the American Express
Company said:
Il do not see my strong objection to
such a law, but in tho case Of our own
men q law enforcing weekly payments is
not necessary 10 enable them 10 derive
the full benefit of their wages"
John H.. Starin. who employs several
thousand men and pays them on the
monthly and semi-monthly system. was
indlff to the bill aud reticent when
asked III, opinion of IL.
Officers Of other large corporations,
employing large forces of workinen.
manifested the same reticence. which
makes IL evident nat IL there Is any or
ganizcd opposition to lis enactment it
will come from this source.
They take the ground That a change TO
the weekly payment system would ON
re employers to increase the ~clerica.
force, and hui add ia lie T. expenses.
which is IA thing most corporate us would
oppose very bitterly.
The fight against the law in MnsSa-
chusetts wal ased upon these grounds,
but the result there las shown tina: the
predictions Of the opponents of the law.
80 far from being realized. were utterly
Ia ~iscalculated, and tue law has proved. in
almost every case, of material benefit TO
employers well rs to employees.
One of tile employees OF the United
States Company. whose men, according
TO Mr.. Plat, are perfectly satisfied"
wi h semi-munthly payments, said
I've are nll in favor OF weekly pay
men,s. and are by no means satisfied with
the present system. Men III our business
need their pay every week just a. badly
as miners and mechanics do. Credit is
awful.y expensive, N we all want our
money weekly. especially stablemen and
helpers, many of whom nave families to
support, who only get s25 to S45 q month.
DRIVERS, too. who get as high as S75
a month. are just as anxious for q change.
| know some men employed here VINO are
never out OF debt. and who never have a
cent in their pockets after pay day, aud
all because they have to live on credit"
An employee Of the American Express
Company said that tire majority of the
men were in favor of milking an appeal
to the Company right away for weekly
payments.
Secretary Ernest Bohm. of the Central
Labor Union, says;
Every wage worker ought TO heartily
support The WoRLD's bill, for If it he
comes a law ii means an increase of 10 to
20 per cent IN the purchasing power of
the mans wages. BY keeping back wages
from fouT to six weeks employers Rre
on what rightfully belongs to the