The record-union., 1894-08-23
PROFIT SHARING.
Success of the Plan In Various Parts
OF the Country.
IFrom the Loulsville courfer-Journal.l


From the Louisville Courier-Journal.l
White capital and labor have been suf-
fering loss anu confusion in the effort TO
settle their differences by force, anu have
fully demonstrated that the method is a
failure, broad-minded men, mindful OF
the power OF gentler agencies, and OF the
strength of union, have been showing
that confidence anu cooperation between
employers and employees are wonderful
helps in time OF business depression. All
article by Arthur keed kImball, in the
New York independent, ON the progress
OF profit sharing, comes with peculiar
timeliness, Just as labor retires, bruised
ana suffering, from another iuelfectuai
effort To get W hat II wants by violence.
To labor, weary with the unequal conflict,
IL points a Surer and easier way. 10 cap
ital, suffering from the constant disturb
ance, the discontenJ and tile interruption
Oh business, IL points d remedy within its
reach. IL Is u remedy not possible so
long as suspicion and ennity exist De
tween employer and empIuye, and il has
therefore not gained much ground while
Debsisn WAS working itself to the boil
UNCOVER point. Yet the results OF ex-
perimeuls in this direction are shown To
have been emlnently satisfa tory.s
\ bout I00 concerns are SAID by Mr..
Kinlban to be nov praclicing profit
sharing in THIS country. so lar iIS known
the pinch oI hard times has produced no
trouble between these concerns and their
elfuIoyes. although many, perhaps most
OF them, nave hau 10 reduce wages AL
fred Dodge, lile manufacturer OF felt
gouds, has been sharing profits with his
employees for twenty Years in the way OF
insurance and retiring pensions. He says
that it gives STABILITY TO his working
force, ana Tile understanding between the
Waue- payer and the wage Garner IS so
thorough that a cut of ten per cent. dur
ing the panic was accepted without COM
piaint.
The y. o. Nelson Manufacturing Com
pany OF 81. Louis has practiced profit
sharing OF Il large scale. Alter per cent.
has been set asiue from the profits as The
/ commercial rate of interest on capital
! and other amounts have been set aside
! for the reserve and the provident fund
| for the benefit OF employees, the remain
/ ing profits are appcrtioned IN dividends,
! 2 per per cent. Oh wages and / per cent.
4 on capital. The company has established
| at I.eClair. Iii. a model industrial town,
| free from the features which give a sug-
gestion of loss or independence al Pull
man. Wages were reduced % per cent.
| last summer. the men agreeing readily.
| In October luli wages were restored, al
| though tie profits left no margin Tor a
wages tli-idend-the first time this had
happened since the experiment was be-
gun III 1856.
These and other experiments in the
same or similar lines indicate that the
key to the solution OF labor troubles is TO
give the enploye in some way an inter-
est IN the prosperity of his employer,
whether It be by a proyideut fund. by
proht-sIaring. by the investment OF the
employees savings in the stock of the
corporation employing him, or by what
ever other OF the numerous devices that
readily suggest themselves when wanted.