The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1900-06-28

for 80 many beads of sweat" In other |
words, the bridge Of sympathy is brok-
IN down at both ends. That feeling |
was well described by Thomas Carlyle
when he said: "Plugson, of st. Dolly |
buccaneerike, says to his |
men: Noble spipners, this is the hun
1redth thousand we have gained,
l mean to dwell and plant my
The 6 1905 is mine, the
daily wage was yours. Adieu, noble |
spinners! Drink my health with this
groat each, which give you over and
above.'" Now, what we want is to re-
build that bridge of sympathy, and !
put the trowel to one of the abutments
to-day, and preach more especially to
employers as such, although what
have to say will be appropriate to both
employers and employees.
The behavior of multitude of Ia
borers toward their employers during
the last three months may have in
duced some employers to neglect the
those whom they employ. Therefore
l want to say to you whom I confront
face to face and those to whom these
words may come that all shipowners.
all capitalists, allcommercial firms, all
master builders. all housewives, are
bound to be interested in the entire
welfare of their subordinates. Years
ago someone gave three prescriptions
for becoming a millionaire: First,
spend your life in getting and keeping
the earnings of other people; secondly.
have no anxiety about the worriments,
the losses, the disappointments OF 9TH
ers; thirdly, do not mind the fact that
your vast wealth implies the poverty
Of a great many people" Now, there
is not a man here who would consent
to go into life with those three prin-
ciples to earn fortune. It is your de-
sire to do your whole duty to the men
and women in your service.
First of all, then, pay as large wages
as are reasonable and as your busi-,
ness will afford--not necessarily what
others pay, certainly not what your
hired help say you must pay, for that
is tyranny on the part of labor unbear-
able. The right of a laborer to tell his
employer what he must pay implies the
right of an employer to compel man
into a service whether he will or not.
and either of those ideas is despicable.
When any employer allows laborer
to say what he must do or have his
business ruined and the employer
submits to it, he does every business
man in the United States wrong and
yields to the principle which, carried
out. would dissolve society. Look over
your affairs and put yourselves in inn
agination in your laborer's place, and
then pay him what before God and your
own conscience you think you ought to
pay him.
"God bless yous'' are well in their
place, but they do not buy coal nor pay
house rent nor get shoes for the chill
dren. At the same time you, the en-
ployer, ought to remember through
what straits and strains you got the
fortune by which you built your store
or run the factory. You are to remem-
Der that you take all the risks and the
employe takes none or scarcely any.
You are to remember that there may
be reverses in fortune and that some
new style of machinery may make your
machinery valueless or some new style
of tariffeset your business back hope
lessly and forever. You must take all
that into consideration, and then pay
what is reasonable.
Do not be too ready to cut down
wages. As far as possible, pay all. and
paw promptly. There is great deal OF
Bible teaching on this subject. Malachi:
81 will be swift witness against all
sorcerers and against all adulterers
and against those who oppose the hire,
ling in his wages" Leviticus: .Thou
shalt not keep the wages of the hireline
all night unto the morning. Colos
/ slams: Masters, give unto your serv
ants that which is just and equal
knowing that ye also have Master
in Heaven" So you see it is not {
question between you and your EN-
ploye so much as ii is question be
tween you and God.
Do not say to your employees: "Now
If you don't like this place get another.
when you know they cannot get an
other. AS far as possible, once a yea
visit at their homes your clerks AM
your workmen. That is the only wa,
| YOU can become acquainted with thei
wants. You will by such process fin
out that there is blind parent or
sick sister being supported. You Wi
find some of your young men in room
) without any fire in winter, and in sun
mer sweltering in ill-ventilated apart
: ments. You will find out how muc
depends on the wages you pay or will
. hold.
: Moreover, it is your duty as employe
) as far as possible, to mold the welfaI
: of the employee. You ought to advis
him about investments, about life il
: surance, about savings banks. Yo
: ought to give him the benefit of yo,
E experience. There are hundreds ar
E thousands of. employers, am glad |
2 say, who are settling in the very be
l. 4 L. - La