Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-05-05
SAMJ FL ". JONES.

SSNt ~. VI. JoNLS
roundings Yet he was not. He longet
for wider fielGs to conquer, and dreamed
Of wealth. He was now ambitions So
he left his hcme.
Young Jones next appeared in Titus
vile, Pa. This place is in the oil re
gions, and the boy thought he could gel
employment. He had brains. industry
and good health and the sum of /:
cents. The money was soon gone, but
the remainder of his capital pushed
him forward. Like dutiful son, he
early wrote to his mother, but as he
had not the postage the letter had to be
mailed by strategy. Jones had nerve.
He saw Il man going to the postoffice
with bundle of letters The stranger
was stopped, and he consented to mail
the boys letter. The youth put his
hand in his pocket as if torull out some
coin and then hesitated- The man evil
dently OWNED the reason, for he said,
Never mind; I will stamp it.
At the age Of - Jones had become
an independent oil producer. He estab-
lished himself in Toledo in 1892. He
organized company to manufacture oil
well appliances. In the capacity of head
of the firm he came into contact with
factory labor. He found that ablebodied
men We're working for less than 81 a
day This condition seemed to him
wrong. He determined to do away with
what he considered a species of slavery.
How did he go about it? Simply by ap-
plying the golden rule in his treatment
of his men.
Mayer Jones has dane much for his
employees. He pays them good wages,
he makes them work but eight hours a
day, he takes them on free excursions,
and the families of the men enjoy the
fun. Each Christmas for the past four
years dividend Of certain per cent
of the profits has been declared to each
employee. Some vacant land adjoined
his factory This the mayor transform
ed into park. Children are allowed to
play all over it. There are swings and
merry 90 rounds, and every thing is free.
Every Sunday meetings are held there.
Prominent men from all over the coun-
try speak and take part in the discus
siOns. On a recent occasion Mayor Jones
presided. A Christian minister He
brew rabbi and an agnostic all spoke
from the same platform. Once the
mayor came to the factory and discov
cred sign hanging ont which read,
mo Help Wanted. This was ordered
removed, for he said: ''Men who apply
for work Should at least have decent
reception Maybe we can help them by
kind words, even if we have no work
for them.
Such man of course attracted atten-
ton. The Republican party needed a
good man to nominate for mayor. The
result was deadlock, and Jones was
brought forward and re-
ceived the nomination. The campaign
was picturesque. Mr.. Jones wrote a
song, and his faithful wife set it to mu-
sic. 1t proved popular and doubtless
helped his canvass. Mr.. Jones wrote a
entitled "The Eight Hour
Day In the Oilfelds. He circulated
%, 600 copies. He was elected.
The mayor believes in kindness to all
men. Sometimes be acts as police jus
tice, and if an intoxicated man is
brought before him he does not believe
in sending the individual to Jail, but
will generally give some good advice.
He will end up by saying: MY dear
man, the flesh is good, but the spirit is
weak. Go forth and sin no more" He
was recently making an address to
lhrong of workingmen who had assem-
bled to congratulate him upon his sue
cessful reelection. The mayor, it should
be remembered, was renoninated on
citizens ticket, and, although opposed
by both political parties, he received a
Endorsement. The election
occurred in the early part of April
From the platform he saw small
urchin moving through the crowd. The
mayor stopped his speech and, bending
over, lifted the barefooted boy to seat.
He made some very touching remarks
about every one having an equal chance
in this republic.
The mayor is doer and not hear
ar only. He believes in action. He leads
/ strenuous life. He has radical ideas,
and calls himself Christian socialist.
WILLIAM r. BRITToN.