The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-09-01
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Debt to the Toilers, the Delivers and
Diggers.
Rev. Frank Tyrrell delivered the
first of his series of lectures on Labor
and Capital at the Central Christian
church, Finney Avenue, st. Louis, re
Gently. He took for his subject "a
plea for the employee" his text being,
Masters, render unto your servants
that which is just and equal, knowing
that ye also have a Master in heaven"
| (Colossians iv, y. He delivered several
side thrusts at the attitude adopted
toward the working classes and closed
his lecture with an earnest plea for the
Saturday half holiday and Sabbath
holiday.
Mr.. TyrrelI's remarks in brief we're
as follows: The employed classes are
so numerous that the individual is
overlooked. The proprietor Of a great
store we treat with Difference, but the
| clerk we tax to the very limit Of his or
her endurance and whisk away with
out even a kind glance at the pale face
of the tired worker. We take the e
istence of clerks, servants and laborers
very much as we do pieces of furniture,
Even clerks themselves when they go
shopping are apt to be unkind. Now
the prosperity of the community to a
great extent depends upon the EN-
pIoyees. They arr interest dividends
and profits; the employees can easier
dispense with the employer than he
with them, and this they do in co oper-
alive establishments. We should re
alize our indebtedness to these classes.
The brawny fellows who dig our sewers
and keep them in repair are making a
heavy contribution to thepublic health
and happiness. When you cross the
threshold of your home, remember
that it's creation is a. much the work
of the hJd carriers as Of the artist
whose masterpieces adorn its walls.
Let us n the first place cultivate a
feeling Of respect for the great indus
trial army. / mean particularly those
who are employed in some subordinate
capacity-the clerks who have to bear
with ~cspricious customers and dictate
rial managers, the book keeper perched
on his futurless stool, the stenographer
clicking out volumes of correspondence
the factory hand, as automatic as the
n~erveless instruments around him
than nnI oil ljHn than orn tho noNDIo
to whom we are indebted and for
whom we should entertain q profound
respect. These toiIers are willing to
plod and they count their gains by the
slow gathering of Titles. They are
willing to work until the fingers ache,
the head swims and the feet stumble,
and l say all honor to them.
Society owes it to these toilers that
they have helpful, CHEEKY surroundings.
II is a well known fact that health and
morals are closely related, and then,
besides, human life is sacred. We
seem to have come upon q time of
cruel and fiendish malignity when !
property rights are esteemed ABOVE hu
man rights. A greedy corporation
stretches its lightning laden wires
above our heads, the air is filled with a
web of death and we cry put the wires
underground in vain. Men and women
are often permitted to toll with dan
gerous machinery, unguardod, or the
building are close, crowded and suh ng
with poor ventilation or none. This
arouses a craving for stimulants. Build
ings should be erected with q due re
gard to ventilation. Where clerks are
not busy all the time seats should be
provided for an occasional rest. We
demand 6qlal wages for equal work,
with no distinction on account of age
and sex. Sometimes a yOuDgster is
found doing a mans work, but he does
it for a boys wages. This is downright
injustice and if possible more cruel
forms of this injustice are seen when
women doing the same work that men
do are paid less. 1t is infamous to rob
any one, young or old, but it is the eli
of devilish ingenuity to defraud
and Cypress widows and orphans.
1.-THE manhood of the commonwealth
ought to speak out On this subject, not
from a chivalrous regard for
woman, but because justice demands
it.
THE rigid enforcement of the Sun
day law and a permanent Saturday
half holiday are demanded by the
e~xigenciee of modern life. We are en-.