The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-05-04
CAPITAL AND LABOR.
The Rights and Duties Of Each
InteIIigentIy Discussed
BY REV. DoCTORC. W, CUSHING
In His Sunday Night sermon...The
American Working Man Better
on Than His Brethren In
Any Other Land.

3 as the sermon preached the Sunday b,
. fore, and was practically q continuatio
OF abe came sermon.
, He chose for his text Collossians4: ls
"Masters, give unto your servants tbs
which is just and equal" and Ephe
sians G: 8 snd6.
/ Servants, be obedient 10 them tina
are your masters according to the flesh
with fear and trembling, in singleness o
your heart, as unto Christ.
"Not with eye service aa man pleaaera
but as the servants Of Christ, doing tn
will Of Christ from the heart"
DR.. Gushing said: ITO do unto other
as we would that others should do unit
us Is the principle that must govern thl
relations between the employer and hil
employe. These are the principles tha
are laid down in the Sermon on thu
Mount, and they are the background o.
the ten commandments. There can bl
no hope for harmony between any
classes that depend upon each other OK
cept there be mutual respect and regard
and an absolute willingness to do what
Is right and Just.
"First OF all there are certain duties
which belong to the employer, and
these duties cannot be shirked because
the form Of the employer is changed
from the person to the corporation. II
is true that lately it has come to be the
rule that work OF all kinds is done by
organized bodies and that the acquaint.
ance between the employe and the EN-.
ployer that excited when they worked
together is almost entirely lost and the
consequent sympathy is largely lost.
Now, the employees are under the con-
troll largely OF men hired for the specific
purpose Of wringinR out Of them all the
work possible, and he knows that upon
his ability to get such work done in lit
tie tina depends his position.
"But If the men who compose these
organizations Of capital do not know the
men they employ personally, they must
insist that their agents know them and
consider their needs. There are three
lines upon which every employer should
be careful OF those under him. Their
health and the possibilities OF maintain.
ing their strength should be always q
matter Of concern. Every person is en-
titled TO courteous treatment from those
who have oversight. This Is not only a
right, but it Is an essential means Of ed
uCation. Those who are over their la.
borets in the capacity Of employer can
and should exert a wholesome influence
with regard to the spiritual welfare.
This ia sometimes done, but too fre.
q1ently tits overlooked entirely. and the
workmen are looked upon as merely so
many machines.
"When employers take such IN inter-
est in their lGborers it almost invariably
begets corresponding interest on their
part. Wisdom dictates that labor should
be well cared for. No ono will deny
that man will do better work when
well cared for, just as horse will, and
il there be no higher motive than this, 1t
ought TO be sufficient to induce capi-
talists to take IN interest in those in
their employ"
If capital claims the right to the
profits arising from spccessipl business
operations, it should likewise bear the
burden OF financial stringency. There
are instances where capital has at.
tempted to throw the bulk Of the shrink
age upon the labor by reducing wages
10 points too low for comfort. II Is not
an unknown thing for corporation to
emharrass itself by some foolish act Of
i!s own and to demand reduction in
wages TO save itself from bankruptcy.
In 1875 it was declared that one railroad
company declared dividend OF 10 per
cent aud at once reduced the wages OF
lis employees to pay it.
"Thereis entirely too much complaint
against great combinations. The ma.
jority Of people do not understand the
good they do and very often when in.
diyidualg make immense fortunes for
themselves the good they do for society
10 immeasurable. Cornelius Vanderbilt
has been condemned because he made 8
fortune for his cons by a railway combi-
nation. It must be considered that it
was not inherited or borrowed capital
that made Mr.. Vanderbilt rich, but
brains. By his work the wheat fields
Of Dakota have been brought as near TO
the Atlantic as were those OF central
New York. The freight moved on any
single line has been increased 400 per
cent. and barrel Of -four Is hauled from
Chicago to New York for IS cents or
less. Comparing the freight charges of
to-day with those Of 1860, the country
saves S4O0, ,00O, 100 annually.
"But to return 10 the working ciasses.
While wish this class was very much
better of it must be considered that the
workingmen in America arc better Of
than those OF any country in the world,
and that their condition is improving.
In early times in America q livelihood
could only be had by the most arduous
toll and during many hours each day.
There was more OF the equality otwhich
60 much Is heard now, but it was the
equality Of sordid, continuous, excessive
manual labor"
DR.. Gushing here interpolated some
figures from the census report to show
that even II oil the money in the United
States we're diRlded, no man would be
even well:to.do and no man or small
company Of men could collect money
enough to carry on any large business
enterprise, ~.
""tn this country there are very few
| families VINO suHeE because Q man can
not earn enough to pay for what the
most careful estimates shows TO be an
abundant supply Of wholesome food.
There is always an abundance and she
man who is willing 10 work can ind II
to do, and can earn good living"
Concerning the houra OF labor, DR.
Gushing said he knew there are instancet
where laborers are compelled TO NorE
at hard tasks too many hours in succes
sion. He was not prepared 10 cay
i whether it would be well 10 make {
general reduction Of the hours Of labol
10 8, but he was sure that 3 hours Il
lopR enough fpr any man TO work ip
coal mine.
~ want to say emphStically that tht
great suffering among the poor 10 no
often the result OF low wages nor Of pov
erty. Il is almost always prodigality
waste or intemperance. Poverty iS not
curse. There is wide margin betWeel
poverty end pauperism. Christ and hi
disciples were In poverty but far from
paupsrism. No man should be csllel
poor simply because he has 10 Worf 4. !
careful Investigation Of the aims house
I-R RVL.. fasF 1I.k