Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-08-18

short step. In time of peace prepare
for war. In time of prosperity prepare
for adversely. Yet how many there
are who drive on the verge of the
precipice, and at the least touch of ac-
cident or sickness over they go. All,
my friends, it is not right, 1t is not
honest! He that provideth not for his
own, and especially those of his own
household. is worse than an infidel. \
man has no right to live in luxury and
have all comforts and all brightness
around him. taking his family with
him at that rate-everything bright
and beautiful and luxurious until he
stumbles against tombstone and falls
in, and they all go to the poorhouse.
! That is not common honesty. I am no
advocate of skinflint saving. I abhor
it. But | plead for Christian provi-
dence.
Savings Banks.
Some of the older persons remem-
ber very well Abraham Van Nest of
New York, one of its Christian mer-
| chants. He was often called mean
because he calculated so closely Why
did he calculate closely? That he
might have the more to give. There
was not Bible society or a tract So
ciety or reformatory institution in
the city of New York but he had his
hand in supporting it. He denied
himself many luXurieS that he might
give to others the necessities. He has
heaven. but | shall never forget the
day when l, a green country lad, came
TO his house and spent the evening,
and at the close of the evening, as l
was departing, he accompanied me to
the door. accompanied me to the steps,
came down off the steps and said:
Here, De Witt. is $40 for books. Don't
say anything about it." 1t is mean or
it is magnificent to save. according as
you save for good or bad object
know there are many people who
have much to say against savings
banks and life assurances. l have to
tell you that the vast majority Of the
homesteads in this country have been
the result of such institutions, and I
have TO tell you also that the vast ma
jority of the homesteads of the future
for the laboring classes will be the
result of such institutions. 1t will be
great day for the working classes of
England and the United States when
the workingman can buy a barrel of
flour instead of -four by the small
sack; when he can buy a barrel of
sugar. instead of sugar by the pound;
when he can pay cash for coats and
hats and shoes rather than pay an ad-
ditiOnal amount for the reason that he
has TO get it all charged
Again / remark: Great relief Is TO
come for the laboring classes of this
country by appreciation on the part of
employers. that they had better take
their employees into their confidence.
l can see very easily, looking from my
standpoint, what is the matter En-
ployees. seeing the employer In SEEM
ing prosperity, do not know all the
straits. all the hardships, all the loss
es, all the annoyances. They look at
him, and they think, why, he has it
easy, and we have it hard" They do
not know that at that very moment
the employer is at the LIST point of des-
peration to meet his engagements.
know a gentleman very well who
has over 1000 hands in his employ
said TO him some years ago when
there was great trouble in the labor
market, How are you getting on with
your men?' oh" he said, 81 have no
troubler' "Why," l said, shave not
you had any strikes? "Oh. uow he
said. Il never had any trouble"
"What plan do you pursue?" He said:
Il will tell you. All my men know ev-
cry year just how matters stand. Ev-
cry little while | call them together
and say: Now, boys, last year I made
so much. This year l made less. So
you see cannot pay you as much as
did last year. Now, ! want to know
what you think | ought to have as a |
out of this establishment |
md what wages | ought to give you.
You know put all my energy in this
business. pnt all my fortune in it and
risked everything. What do you real
ly think ought to have and you
ought to have? By the time we come
out of that consultation we are unani-
nous. There has never been an excep-
ton. When we prosper, we all pros
per together. When we suffer, we all
suffer together, and my men would
die for me-" Now, let all employers be
frank with their employees. Take
them into your confidence. Let them
know just how matters stand. There
is an immense amount of common
sense in the world. 1t IS always safe
to appeal to it.
To the Capitalist.
I remark again: Great relief will
come to the laboring classes Of this
country through the religious rectifica-
ion Of it. Labor is honored and re
varded in proportion as community
S Christianized. Why is it that our
smallest coin in this country is pen
~, while in China 1t takes a half
ioZen pieces of coin or q dozen to
make one of our pennies in value, so
he Chinese carry the cash, as they
all it, like a string of beads around
he neck? We never want to pay less
han a penny for anything in this
ountry. They must pay that which
S worth only the sixth part or the
welfth part of a penny. Heathenism
nd iniquity and infidelity depress ev
rything. The gospel of Jesus Christ
levates everything. How do l ac-
ount for this? ACCOUNT for it with
he plainest philosophy. The religion