The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1900-05-25

The behavior of a multitude of la.
borers toward their employers during
the last three months may have in
duced some employers to neglect the
real Christian duties that they owe to
those whom they employ. Therefore
l want to say to you whom l confront
face to face and those to whom these
words may cone that all shipowners,
all capitalists, all commercial 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 man here who would consent
to go into life with those three prin-
ciples to earn fortune. 1t 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 bust
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 laborer to tell his
employer what he must pay implies the
right of an employer to compel a nan
into a service whether he will or not,
and either of those ideas is despicable.
When any employer allows a 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 i'm
agination in your laborer's place.
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 tariff set 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
pay promptly. There is great deal of
Bible teaching on this subject. Malachi:
ST 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 hireling
all night unto the morning" Colos-
slams: Masters, give unto your serv
ants that which is just and equal,
knowing that We also have a Master
in Heaven" So you see it is not a
question between you and your en-
ploye so much as it 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 year
visit at their homes your clerks and
your workmen. That is the only way
you can become acquainted with their
wants. You will by such process find |
out that there is a blind parent or n
sick sister being supported. You will |
find some of your young men in rooms
without any fire in winter, and in sum-
mer sweltering in ill-ventilated apart
ments. You will find out how much |
depends on the wages you pay or with.
hold.
Moreover, it is your duty as employer,
as far as possible, to mold the welfare
of the employe. You ought to advise
him about investments, about life in
surance, about savings banks. You
ought to give him the benefit of your
There are hundreds and
thousands of employers, I am glad to
say, who are settling in the very best
possible way the destiny of their en-
ployes.
Sir Titus Salt had wealth which was
beyond computation, and at Saltaire,
England, he had church and a chapel
built and supported by himself-the
church for those who preferred the
Episcopal service, and the chapel for
those who preferred the Methodist
service. At the opening of one of his
factories he gave a great dinner, and
here were $500 people present, and
N his after dinner speech he said to
these people gathered: 81 cannot look
around me and see this vast assem-
olage of friends and work people will
put being moved. ! feel greatly hos
bred by the presence of the noblemaa
at my side, and am especially delighs-
I'd at the presence of my work peoIa
[ hope to draw around me a populatias
hat will enjoy the beauties of ttr-s
1eighborhood-a population Of we'll
paid, contented, happy operatives.
have given instructions to my archi-
.ects that nothing is to be spared to
'ender the dwellings of the operatives
pattern to the country, and il my
life is spared by Divine Providence ]
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