The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-12-03
.DR. TOLMAN'S LECTURE
PACKED THEATRE CONFRONT
 ED THE SPEAKER SUNDAY.
He Made an Able Argument for Social and Industrial Betterment. Rev. Edgar Gardner Murphy
 Introduced the Lecturer.

Before and assemblage that filled the Montgomery Theatre from pit to dome Sunday afternoon Dr. William H., Toi-
 af Nsw or YorS % most interesting lecture on social ana lnous- trial Betterment.
 pr. Tolman was introduced by Rev. Edgar Gardner Murphy, rector Of St. John's who smoke eloquently of the noble
 work in which the distinguished lecturer is engaged.
 The lecture was given to Montgomery through the courtesy of Robert C, Og- den of New York. Hirscher Brothers generously gave the theatre for the oc- casion. The audience listened to< the ad- dress throughout with the most marked attention and appreciation.
 Dr. Holman said:
 "One of the great needs of the times | has come to be a point of contact and
 communication between the many organ | izations which, inspired by the growing | altruistic spirit are trying to make their | communities better places to live in. If | we profit only by our own experience. we
 It is much wiser to profit by the sue | cesses and failures of others and so ges our tuition free.
 "The form of industry determines, per | haps morey than any other cause, ths | type of civtlization.
 "The industrial revolution, therefore, which came with the introduction of steam was sure to be followed by a so-
  | have already taken place. and others are to follow, attendant on the substitution of the factory system for home indus tries, the redistribution of population and
 massing 1t in cities, the creation and con- centration of capital the organization of labor. and the like.
 The air is full of interrogation points.
 New conditions have created a multitude of new problems-social, industrial eco- nomic municipal, domestic, sanitary, ed- ucational, moral-and new occasions are taching new duties Society is gradual
 ly gaining self-consciousness; l. e.. 1t Is becoming aware that its interests are common, that it's life Is one, that its
 members are members one of another.
 A Social Clearing House.
 We need, therefore, a social clearing
 house: and to supply this need Is one of the chief aims of the League for Social
 Service of New York. The experiments of recent years have thrown not a little light on methods of social betterment,
 but this light is, for the most part diff
 fused The League for Social Service of New York is a lens to gather up these scattered rays, focalize them and reflect them wherever they are desired; and this 1t does largely through it's monthly mag aZne. Social Service"
 In discussing betterment movements. Dr. Holman said:
 European civilization. the product of many centuries, has been in advance of
 us Iu recognizing the need for Industrial | Retterment institutions. Many of the 1 promoters of these movements have been l men of scholarly attachments, culture | and refinement. They worked at these | solutions because 1t was pleasure. | Then. too, there was the altruistic spirit. a genuine desire to make the world | better place to live in.
 | 'Today the situation is changed. Our | nation is prosperous. We have great
 captains of industry who have amassed | greater wealth than has ever been heard
 of in the old country: Capital and labor | rraia v fAnpaG | is now needed is a recognition ot the | identity of their interests, and the next
 step toward it's realization Is to make
 use of the experience of the older coun- 1 tries in their practical forms of indus
 trial betterment adapting them to local | conditions.
 "One object of the Department of In
 dCstrial Betterment is to supply the l the experiments made by other industrial l concerns in Europe and America, Dy l means of a weekly bulletin or report. ! Each commercial member becomes one | of our clients whose interests we seek | to promote in every possible way. The 1 fee for commercial membership IS SZo | year, In return for which the member re- | ceives the weekly report serVlce, special ] reports on any phase of Industrial Bet | torment, the use of the Press Bureau and
 the Bureau of Information"
 Easier to Form Than to Reform. In conclusion the lecturer stated: You business men have not time to
 work out the solution of these problems
 From these object lessons which We have l shown. you can see that we, The League | for Social Service, and its monthly re-
 view. Social Service are fighting your
 battles by bringing about better feel ine, a fact which will enable you to i carry on your enterprises with greater | security and harmony. To bring about 1 this security for you, we need your sym 1 pathy and financial cooperation. Are
 you willing to give us your backing? A
 strike means money-loss, worry, falling i away of customers, and great bittern ess | of feeling between you and your em-
 ployes. If only a part of the money-los.
 which a strike entails could be used ir [ bringing about feeling of identity of 1 interest between capital ard labor, yo,
 would be repaid tenfold for the suppor
 of this movement. The industrial prob
 lems are hurrying us on to some wisC
 settlement, or contain large clements oi 1 unrest and disturbance. It Is the part oi | wisdom and prudence to meet the situa. | ton sQuarely for the sake of discover. ing the principles which, adapted to loca l conditions, will promote social and in dustrial peace. In the great commercial l awakening Of our country, a policy o. | industrial betterment will be of incalcul
 able value in shaping forward move
 ments. Your city should profit by tn l exnprience Of nj ftpr cof,a rntf nifiea who. 6l