New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-02-24
TENPT4TION AND WAGES.

The story of a messenger, II Dunh ih''SoHeN'
who carried money back and forth: lie was
man OF middle age. with wife and children, one
of unblemishcd reputation, but one VINO hau
seen better days. Another's failure dragged MN
down and then he went bravely to Work Ior
the piitance Il bank gave for the Kind OF service
no WAS able To render for he was too Oh I'd De-
come an expert and command high salary III
q new business He carried the moncy-bags,
however, as well as any other man. But he car
,ies them now no longer. His place Is taken by
, vouth JUS, out of school The bank must have
bonds for its servants. and 1t decided that in
Mace Of private bondsmen Il guaranty COM
pany should assume The liability for all us en-
nIovcs The company would not guarantee the
messenger. 1t reported favoriOly Oh HIS '"''
actcr and ability. His record was perfect 'n,'
one thing was urged against hinl Ills i"ni"'
required Il larger income than me Dahh s''c
him The guaranty company thought 'iia' '"'S
need made temptation In his case unduly great
The strain was out Of proportion to the wages
paid So he made way for some one WIN no
responsibilities and no temptations. 'xccpt 'hose
Of his own youth and passions Inc OH HES
scngcr departed with the respect OF MS employ
ers and some Of them in private have Sought
TO relieve his necessities.
II is not much of story. Anybody i'll these
hard times can match it with one Of greater
hardship and misery But ii is Il story whcl
suggests some thinking 1t shows new phase
Of the movement Of that industrial machine
which is always pushing the elder workers TO
the wall We are all used to its ordinary opera
tons We accept it and talk Glibly OF The sur
vivol Of the iittest" The younger hand is
kr,tn 10 \
loss eager world after all. cares little for the
wisdom and trained Judgment Of It's elders II
PUSHES 10 do things. and will stop to think about
them later on. That Is only natural. The Hot
ton,ots do the same We do not eat our an
clients nor knock them on the head. We are
more gentle and respectful but as our life Is
mara eyhausting so the more quickly do the
Younger men come forward. This il inevitable,
for the youthful worker is commonly the best
worker in the ordinary affairs Of life where
long training Of the mind and ripe experience
orc NOT the most important factors in the result
attained There does not seem. however, to be
any such incyliablcncss in this new manifesto
ton Of the superiuity Of middle age. The bank
m.ss,nycr did his work Ia perfection. He was
prompt faithful. accurate. honest The young
man could give no better service, AMI h. might
give "A great Ipll NpIH' All INV ''ih''''''A' VI
vouth assau him He wins not because OF any
fitness but because an insuring machine has
carried the aciuarvs methods 10 extreme and
forscrs character IN IFS calculation Of the law
II chances. Mechanical. indeed. must be- that
theory which takes no account Of the nature Of
temptatinn whether il be- due 10 good or evil
Innulsr fo desire for dcbauchcry needs of
loved ones. but applies 10 it "A purely quantitiye
Judgment and then sets the result against an
assumed constant mans moral nature" mai II
business II i safe insurance method. but
IT i hard on a struggling man.
\ great deal is said by labor agiiators about
The right 10 n living wage" bu bank clerks
and workers ~ their kind never make such dc
mamds They are content for the most part 10
lake what their work will bring them or leave
II for some one else STILL even the private "f
The British Army i not treated entirely IL IN
automaton II he is married. the fact Is consid-
cred In nppOriioning his space. his camping XII
his rafions. Perhaps bookkeepcrs and clerks
and messengers need less 10 be- considered.
Maybe n paicrnal government * less objection
able than "A patcrnnl mercantile or financial In
stirution II may not be- right for men 10 ASK
for such wages ~ shall lead them not into
Temptation unduly But they may reasonably
romplain Of n social system which Furnishes
them because The temptation is held up before
their eyes.