, 1891-07-28
Wnrk-

AHANN - NHNhH N+@1N 49, NN@N
ings OF the workman increases hourly until
when the time Is reduced one-hRlf he earns
one-half more per hour than he did under the
old method, and no has also gained five hours
in which to perform more work. The en-
ployer also gains by getting the work which
cost him heretofore 50 performed for S22j. and
he ia, besides, enabled to turn out twice rs
many PRODUCTS in the same time and with the
same plant. The scheme Is easily understood
by both workman and employer. The gains
are mutual and the change from the old meth
cd Is natural and easy.
The feature that most M the scheme
f. its apparent ability to awaken the ambition
ofthe workman to "A degree obtained by no
other method yet tried. In work paid by the
day or the hour there is little Incentive to the
working man. lie knows that every extra exer-
ton brings no gain To him, but is to the profit
of his employer only. Piece work has the dis
advantage Of encouraging careless work. The
result of profit sharing is distant and uncer-
tain, and the method of Operating II is compli-
Gated and often beyond the comprehension Of
the ordinary labOring man. He does net know
whether he Is receiving the share promised
him or not. None OF these objections can be
raised against Mr.. Halsey's scheme, tho chief
recommendations OF which are its simplicity
and the Instantaneous appeal II makes to the
working mans ambition.
If the foregoing had not been Endorsed
by the Philadelphia Press (and probably
by other leading" papers that ! have
not seem it would not be worth noticing.
But it is with just such chaff that the
lackeys of capitalism always attempt to
catch the workingman. They make the
mistake of thinking that the toiler is ig-
norant, doesn't know what he wants or
what is the matter with him. If Halsey
had read his premium" scheme before
a gathering OF hOdcarriers, instead of an
august assemblage of scientific gentle
men, he would have been laughed out Of
his shoes. He probably has not heard
that the hodcarrier, the Goa miner, the
bricklayer and other well informed and
deeply interested gentlemen have long
ago decided that the solution of the la
Dor versus capital problem lies along the
road to justice, and that the first mile
post on that road reads. Full Returns
to the Producer"
MI. Halsey's little table must have
been pleasant for the employers before
whom he displayed it to look upon, for
what one among them would not be de
lighted to get three dollars worth Of
work for $2.252 Under this scheme the
amount of energy expended would not
be considered; it is only n question Of
time. If a laborer worked himself into
the grave at double his present gait be-
cause he would get half pay for the
extra vital force expended, what matter?
The scheme would awaken the ambi-
ton of the workman" but under the
circumstance it might be better to let
the lion slumber.
What bothers me most about this
proposition of Mr.. Halsey's is to under
stand why ne didn't go on figuring out
the advantages of his scheme. He could
have shown how it would be possible, by
doing the ten hours work in one hour to
get SO worth of labor for $1.6j, and by
crowding lower and lower and still far
Their arousing the workman's ambition
the employer would eventually be en-
abled to get nearly all of the value of
the days work. The inventive genius
of the age will help him if he wants to
figure out a little supplementary table.
don't ignore the fact that Mr., Halsey
provides that the worker may get more
in a day than what is left of the one
three dollars after the boss has had his
whack. 1t is remembering that that
makes me wonder what is going to be
come of all the product when the worker
does four or five days work in one, and
the other three or four fellows are out
of Jobs. JARB.
New York.