Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1900-08-10

From the Nonconformist: Last
week we asked you the question:
What is to become Of our boys under
existing industrial conditions; and
now we PROFOUND another interesting
conundrum, What will we do with our
old men under these same conditions?
We clip the following from daily
paper:
Another great railway corporation
has pronounced against old men-not
such very old men, either, for the inhi-
bition extends to men over 40. The
man who has reached that age may
not be newly employed in any capacity.
The company will not, however, dis
charge him If he is already In its en-
ploy. Thus much concession to old and
faithful servants.
But other corporations and firms
are not SO considerate. Instances are
numerous and well known Of wholesale
discharges of old men. The employer
is usually frank about it. He declares
that he can get more and better work
out of young men than from old men.
He is in business to make money and
not from philanthropic motives. Hence
he purposes to get the most work for
the least money whenever he can.
That Is the business view of 1t. He
does not desire to mix charity with
business"
At present wages and the increased
cost of living very few laboring men
can lay up anything for old age. For
most of them there is only the poor
house or the charity Of friends when
their powers begin to fail.
1t used to be considered that the old
man was good for something up to
60 or s5,and his experience would make
up in part for his declining physical
powers. Then the wisdom of age was
considered useful in every business, but
nowadays the boss furnishes all the
brains and the hired men do all the
work. All that is required Of the
latter is plenty of muscle, and when
that begins to fail they must get out
of the way for younger and stronger
men. The army officer who has spent
nine-tenths of his life in idleness and
the other tenth in killing people is
gracefully retired on an honorable pen
sion when old age comes, and the man
who has worked faithfully in the fac
tory or on the railroad from boyhood
to old age is discharged whenever
younger man can do more or better
work, and there is no provision what
ever for the maintenance Of the vet
eran in his declining years. In his 40
years of patient labor he has earned
for somebody else hundred thousand
dollars. and for himself an old age
of poverty. suffering and despair. This
is question that appeals with start
ling force to all of us. The saddest
sight We see Is that of men GO or 70
years old engaged in mental employ
ments Gray-haired veterans, weak
and trembling, engaged in shoveling
dirt and digging bitches. That grand
old man, your father, who cheerfully
gave the strength of his proud young
manhood that you, his children, should
be fed, clothed and educated, is now
In his age and feebleness nothing but
newer Of wood and drawer Of
water.
o, but 1t is a burning shame! That
brave old man ought to have an honor
able position in the world, with his
remaining days comfortable and free
from every care.
They are wiser in New Zealand than
we are. In that socialistic commun-
ity there Is an old age pension. and
when man or woman reaches the age
of 65 there is for him or her an hon
orable pension given by the state.
There are no old men or women in the
poor houses of New Zealand. nor are
they dependent on their friends. The
state they have served so well takes
care of them when they can serve no
longer. How soon will the great re-
public learn this lesson in humanity
from that little island far across the
sea? Fifty years ago we called the
New Zealanders savages. They can |
now return the compliment.