The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-04-14

far into the future. II men will not
act for themselves, what will they do
when the benefit OF their effort is for
all? A first-mate with knotted club
seems necessary; and the dread OF get
ting the bounce" Saturday night,
holds many a worker to his place.
Advertise for stenographer and
nine out of ten who apply, can neither
spell nor punctuate-and do not think
1t necessary to.
Can such one write a letter to
Garcia?
you see that bookkeeper," said the
foreman to me i'm a large factory.
Yes, what about him?"
well he's a fine accountant, but If
Ia sent him up town on an errand, he
might accomplish the errand all right
and on the other hand, might stop at
four saloons on the way, and when he
got to Main street, would forget what
he had been sent for"
Can such man he entrusted to
carry a message TO Garcia?
O.
We have recently been hearing muth
maudlin sympathy expressed for the
down-trOdden denzen Of the sweat
ShOp' and the homeless wanderer
searching for honest employment"
ana with II all often goes many hard
words for the men in power.
Nothing is said about the employer
who grows old before his time in a
vain attempt to get frowsy ne'er-do-
wells to do intelligent work; and his
long, patient striving with help" that
does nothing but loaf when his back Is
turned. In every store and factory
there Is a constant weeding-out pro.
cess going on. The employer is con-
stantly sending away help" that have
shown their incapacity to further the
interests of the business, and others
are being taken on. No matter now
good times are. this sorting continues,
| only If times are hard and work is
scarce, the sorting is done finer but
out and forever out. the incompetent
and unworthy go. 1t is the survival
of the fittest. Self interest prompts
every employer to keep the best-those
who can carry a message to Garcia.
| know one man of really brilliant
| parts who has not the ability to man
| age n business of his own, and yet
who is absolutely worthless to any one
| else, because he carries with him con-
| stantly the insane suspicion that his
| employer is expressing or intending to
! oppress him. He cannot give orders;
! and he will not receive them. Should
| a message be given him to take to
| Garcia, his answer would probably be,
, Take it yourself. and be damned"
Tonight this man walks the streets
1 hp NEitlh w N q
through his thread-bare coat. No one
| who knows him dare employ him, for
| he is a regular ilre-b brand of discor-
| tent. He is impervious to reason, and
! the only thing that can impress him is
the toe of a thick-soled No. boot.
OF course know that one so morally
| deformed is no less to be pitied than
a physical cripple; but in our plying,
| let uS drop a tear, too, for the men
who are striving to carry on great
enterprise, whose working hours are
not limited by the whistle, and whose
hair is fast turning white through the
struggle to hold in line dowdy indif-
ference, slip-shod imbecility, and the
heartless ingratitude, which but for
their enterprise, would be both hungry
| and homeless.
]
Have l put the matter too strongly
Possibly / have; but when all the
world has gone a-slumming l wish tC
speak word of sympathy for the mar
who succeeds-the man who. against
great odds, has directed the efforts OF
others, and having succeeded, finds
there's nothing in it: nothing but bare
board and clothes.
l have carried a dinner pail anC
worked for days wages, and l have
also been an employer of labor, and
know there is something to be said or
both sides. There is no excellence, pei
Sc, in poverty; rags are no recon-
mendation; and all employers are no
rapacious and handed, any NOR,
than all poor men are virtuous.
My heart goes out to the man whC
does his work when the boss" il
away, as well as when he is at home
And the man, who, when given let
ter for Garcia, quietly takes the mis-
sive, without asking any idiotic ques
tions, and with no lurking intention q
chuCking 1t into the nearest sewer, o.
of doing aught else but deliver 1t
never gets laid off" nor has to go OF
a strike for higher wages. Civiliza
ton is one long anxious search for jus
such individuals. Anything such
man asks shall be granted; his kim
is so rare mat no employer can afforC
to let him CO. He is wanted in ever!
city, town and village--in every Office
shop, store and factory The worlc
cries out for such: he is needed, ant
needed badly-the man who can carr!
q message TO Garcia.