The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1898-04-28

or buysr did employ this foreigner.
anA that Ae aid pay his passage to
America. This fellow was recommend
- - . skilled laborer Of ciass un-
known 20 The American trade. was said
70 have served sn apprenticeship Of
many years-unlike the American
salesman. he had picked pins and
wound ribbon for . year. He had Ia
bored . term Of years In factory. and
knew how every silk product was
made.
He had learned the ladies' tailorine
business. He was able to suggest har.
monious and becoming colors. and to
tell accurately the number of yards Of
. given width required for any style,
for person Of any size. He was a
skilled and artistic window dresser; In
fact. It was believed that he combined
the learning Of the manufacturer, the
knowledge and taste Of the dressma-
ker. the ability Of the salesman and the
art OF the window trimmer. To attain
this proficiency required q dozen years
Of plodding work. such as the Ameri-
can salesman will not do.
But our silk buyer. believing he saw
an opportunity to increase the efiicien-
cy Of his department. did encourage
this man to make PHILADELPHIA his
place Of residence and shaped things
30 that he became q salesman in his
department. believing that the smart.
quick Yankee salesman would learn
from the Englishman in q. a few
months all that It had taken him years
to learn. thereby giving our salesman
the benefit of the Englishman's ex.
perience and long term Of apprentice
ship. without the years OF drudgery.
making our American salesman more
efficient. their services more valuable
and their wage earning capacity
greater.
Under the alien labor law our buyer
could have made a contract with this
man and agreed to pay his passage to
America. not as a pauper nor a COM
mon or unskilled laborer, but an artist
ina new line. He did not come In any
competition with any American work.
man. but was really an instructor In a
new field Of work. secured for the edu-
cation and betterment of every man
employed in our silk department.
- iNooi INLSohb.
'This is the only case where we have
been fined for violating the labor law
In 40 years. Upon the payroll of our
firm are nearly 5000 people. whose
wages range annually from $50 900 each
to the boys at $3.50. We have employed
in the past 30 years more than 100. 900
persons, and have never had strike
nor a threatened strike. We are never
obliged to seek workmen, but only to
choose from the 5000 people who apply
to our employment department for
work every 80 days. 1t would be alb
surd to go abroad to hire statesmen
when dozens apply daily who are ac-
quainted with Philadelphia with the
manners and customs Of the people,
and who are, therefore, the most sue
cessful statesmen and saleswomen.
Though we sell goods made in al
most every country on the globe we
have never found 1t necessary to en-
ploy any but English speaking peo-
pie. Our house has for years main
tanned a pension roll for aged and wor-
thy employees; a system OF weekly ben
efits. absolutely controlled by the en-
pioySo thSihSSiNSS, W oC pdiu SdSt
of sickness or death, has paid more
than 100000 Employees are allowed a
discount. reducing the price of goods
to cost. Length of service is rewarded
by increase of salary, other things be-
ing equal. No young children are en-
ployed in any service in the house.
Statesmen and others at times are al
lowed dividends In addition to their
salaries.
"A man or woman's nativity or creed
are not made conditions for employ
ment by our establishment, but only
intelligence. integrity and capability.
A free school had been kept up for
years among the younger employees to
give them a commercial education.
AN AMUSING FALSEHOOD.
"That employees are searched before
leaving the store Is an amusing and
desperate falsehood. and that they are
compelled to patroniZe the house or its
restaurant Is another and ridiculous
falsehood. / believe we pay the high
est average wages paid by any large
mercantile house In America. and for
36 years, since our business began. we
haNc hot uShduiteu oh iiotdIt III tHc
wages Of our employees.
And l want to repeat what I have
said many times before. The employ
ment system and wage schedule of our
store are now and have always been
open for investigation; we have always
accorded individuals who are interest
ed in labor questions. and especially
committees representing wOrkingmen's
organizations, the fullest privileges and
facilities to examine into our methods.
II would not dignity this charge with
denial but for fear some well meaning
persons may be misled. 1t is so ridic-
ulous 1t would be as reasonable to
say that Senator Quay was guilty Of
murder, because a careless motorman
on his street railway killed passen-
ger, or that the president Of the Stand
ard OIL company, or a stockholder In
the Pennsylvania Railroad company
vas responsible for the misdeeds OF
Senator Andrews. because he happen
ed to be in the employ Of those corpora
tions. This is not q campaign Of per-
sonalities. I have no. personal quarrel
with Senator Quay or slated candidates
of the machine. II is battle against
system. and II tonight ! find It neces-