The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-08-15

With the exception Of that on the Great
Northern railway the strikes for the cur
rent year in this country have failed OF
tie objects for which they were brought
about. Ind that. too. when the chances
Of success were greater than In previous
years. And the lack OF success must I'm
ally lead TO their abandonment When q
strike IN which nearly all the railroad en-
ployes In 50 great country as the United
States are united in single union and
directed by single head has for the re-
suit OF prolonged strike. not the attain
msnt Of its object. but the destruction Of
millions Of property aud the loss of en-
ployment by thousands Of workmen. the
laboring classes will not be slow to give
their attention to any substitutes for
strikes that will promise better results.
Such q substitute can be found in the
extension of the cooperation OF iaboring
people In industrial undertakings. Such
undertakings would need but little success
TO make them preferable to strikes, as
they would not be attended by that great
loss to production Ito say nothing of the
frequent destruction Of property which
10 the necessary concomitant of every pro-
longed strike.
But the success Of such cooperation is
no longer a doubtful problem. 1t has
been extensively tried in almost ell mod
ern countries, and especially In the
United States; and wherever it has been
tried with honesty and intelligence the
success has been very fair. aud In many
cases even greater than its warmest adj
vocatss expected.
1t is somewhat surprising that working
men. whose intelligence enables them 10
unite and with almost unexampled dis
eipline direct their comb force toward
the accomplishment Of q single object,
should leave IL 20 capital 10 take the mi
tiative In the cooperation of labor for the
purpose of augmenting the product Of in
dustry. Such, however, is the fact. 1t
was left to capital. whose interest seems
at first sight to DO opposed to such CO.
operation. TO first see its advantages. Not
to speak Of the ancient guilds, which were
unions In which master and workmen
were really one and the same person, the
first notable instance Of the union of
capitalist and employees In the Joint dis
trlbution Of profits was that Of NJ. Le-
claire OF Paris. The success Of the plan.
and tEe mutual benefits derived by en-
ployer and employers. are attsstsd not only
by many different writer's on economies.
who have fully described its workings. but
a. he AZ
growth. The success which has attended
such cooperation Of capitalist and work
men In joint adventures has caused the
extension OF the system. so that ID now
embraces almost all kinds OF business.
Even merchants. in whose establishments
one would hardly expect TO nnd 80 many
or so great advantages Of the system, have
put IL into practice and now give abundant
testimony ia its favor The great dry
goods store of Paris, the Bon Marche, In
which some Seo0 clerks are employed. has
pat iato operation system Of sharing the
proflts with the employees. and Il has thus
far been successful. IL Is bat few years
ago that John Wanamaksr, who has the
largest store in the United states, II not
in the world. has adopted q system OF
proit-sharing with somo Of his employees.
of his more than 5000 clerks many have
been with him ten years or more To
shose he give besides their regular salary
= percentage Of the profits, the rate de-
PENDING upon the salary paid. lie has
on many oceasions given testimony that
the plan has worked well. so well. Indeed,
that the increase Of sales by reason Of the
mere active interest on the part OF the EN-.
pioyss has not only paid the share Of the
profits dns the clerks. but netted him az
additional income. lie has lately ex-
tended the benefits to a larger number OF
employees by shortening tbs period which
satiilsd them % participation In the
profits
The cooperation Of woykingmen, how
ever, Which would go farihsss towAras eat
issying the demands OF labor, Is not
Joint adventure with 3 capitalist. In which
the maior part Of the profits, as well as
the dlrsctloa OF the business. remains in
his hands. bat . cooperation In which the
capital. the labor and the management are
wholly Ia the hands Of the workman.
TAls 10 tie tdsAl condition q the working
mAn; namely. The opportunity TO employ
his capita. 10 give bis Iaear. and engage
his mind in the surGherGncs % a angie
Industrial sntsrpriss,
Thss = net an entirely rev conception.
! IL has been frequently pat forth as a solu-
ton 70 many difficulties sAAs beses the
labor problem. aad u has keen tired to a
limited extent ia various places: ana
wherever inEesliEepes prevailed in the
/ management success has attended the
/ undertaking. Is is sAa4 y sconognists
! stat shs extended aiylsioa eflabor brought
/ &boat ~ the Introduction II machinery
/ hss tendency, taroaxh tAs constant PER
/ loTmaaes 81 = siagis dGty. % deprive TIE
/ Workman q that sEsreiss 81 mind whleA
I IS ssssBsz - tntelleetrai progress. las
/ howsxsF, has been eoantsrzctea bv shs
modern lAsaF nasons, in watch al suaiAgss
! rsiAssng 20 tAs'r emPleymsss are - t..or-
eaShsy Diseased tAas tie woxkzsa = -