The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-08-19
Refutirg u Eailacy

other corpora ions as a rule
squeeze down the wages and privil-
eges of their employees to the lowest
possible notch. to read of such gem
erous act as that recently performed
by the Denver and Rio Grande rail-
road, which distributed 1000 shares of
stock. with a market value amounting
to 81, ,o00, 900, among old employees of the
road. Even section foremen were
among the beneficiaries. The old Off
cials of the railroad, who retired when
the line was sold some six months ago.
rightly concluded that the employees
had had no little hand in accumulat-
ing the wealth of the corporation, and
therefore decided that they should
have a share in the profits. Generosity
like that. If more widely adopted by
prosperous concerns, would go far to-
ward harmonizing the differences be-
tween capital and labor
Is it, them the rule that the large
employing corporations squeeze down
the wages and privileges of their em-
ployes to the lowest possible notch?"
Is not this really the exception, util-
ized by demagogues to breed discon-
tent and sometimes accepted as the
rule by others who omit to investi-
gate? There Is much in the indus
trial situation Just at this time to
tempt the managers of corporations to
squeeze those of their employees who
are foolish enough to imagine that the
best way to increase their own wages
and privileges is to make Improbable
the business of their employers. But
most Of the men in high places in our
large corporations are too intellgently
conscious of their responsibilities as
do any squeezing just for the sake Of
| showing their power. ON the con-
trary, the signs are many that the
best executive intelligence of these
much-a bused corporations, when un-
occupied in fighting self-defensive bat
| ties against the would-be Napoleons of
| trades unionism, is being trained to
\ solve how best to promote genuine
community of interest" between the
employing and the working interests.
We have seen how rapidly in the
| past few years the idea of an old age
| pension system has spread among the
managers of our railroads. First
worked out by the Pennsylvania sys-
tenn, it Is now in force in half a dozen
of the large American railway systems
! and is practically certain to come into
general vogue. The various relief
| funds and insurance schemes connect
| ed with American ralrOadinS have
been voluntary concessions from the
employing interests and have usually
come on their initiative. Proit-shar.
ing. too, is becoming more genera
every day. When the foolish. If not
criminal strike of the Amalgamated
association was sprung, the officials ot
the much -malgned steel trust had al.
most completed framing the plans OF
a project Of profit sharing that would
have included on generous terms every
one Of the thousands of men in It's
| employ The strike will cost these
men millions of dollars in loss OF
wages; do great injury to the com,
pany, and necessarily postpone, if MOI
permanently prevent the establish
ment of a cooperative investing
feature.
Merely as a sample of what may h'
seen in the papers almost any day
when the strike microbe is not rob
blng the American workingman of hi!
sanity or hardening the employer
heart. we quote from a Pueblo. Col
letter TO the sun: For the benefit o
it's $1,000 employees and their families
an; because it believes that the invest
ment would bring good returns in NOR,
efficient labor. the Colorado Fuel anC
Iron company has established a socio
logical department. II will spend ten
of thousands of dollars yearly in pro
viding better educational facilities ant
means of social diversion for the mel
employed in its mines and mills ant
for the wives and children of thes
men. The proposed work Of the de
partment will be conducted along 81,
lines. as follows: First--Establishm
of kindergartens, night schools and in
struction in domestic economy, Sec
ond-Co-operatio with and improve
ment of the free public schools. Thir
The establishment of regular course
of lectures. Fourth-The institution q
Libraries, reading rooms and art ex
hibits. Fifth-Encouragement of tn
II.
: ali sorts. S:iXth--Assistance in organ
izing entertainments and social gath
erings. In the matter of education
! is the intention of the company to Civ
5 its employees in isolated mining camr
> all the advantages so far as possibl
I that they would have in the large
= cities. Lecturers will be sent frol
= camp to camp and use will be made {
, travelling Libraries and art exhibit
I Books and reproductions of works {
= art will be sold to employees at co.
!, price, 1t is the company's intentio
= to encourage the establishment of clut
e providing a suitable building in eac
= camp. 1t is hoped in this way to maE
e II no longer possible for the men
: say that they are forced to spend a
I their spare time in saloons becau.
Y these are the workingman's only club
e Women's clubs also will be encoul
= aged and the department will lend
- hand in getting up musical entertain
n ments, dances, etc" In short, as II
G president of the company says: "N
believe that by making the mems su
roundings pleasanter and by increasir
q their opportunities for intellectua