Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-09-18

W
and the mechanics cottage were in
such close touch that the owners look
ed upon each other as brothers and
members of n large family. in which
the employer was the elder brother, or
head Of the house.
Employer and employee in olden
times used TO live together In com
munity In the same confidential rela-
tionship that Andrew Jackson held to-
ward the people Of his plantation. One
night Mt evening prayers the wife Of
his overseer happened to enter the
room. Mrs. Jackson beckoned to her
to come and sit by her side. An i'm
portant national official, visiting there
at the time turned to one Of the friends
and asked Docs Mrs. Jackson treat
all her employees as courteously as
thatT' yes answered the friend,
land If Mrs. jackson had not done as
she did the general would have arisen
and given to the woman his own
chair"
But though the relations in oldcn
times between the employer and the
employee may have been very friendly
and fraternal, do not believe that the
heart of the capitalist today is natu.
rally any less kind and loving and
helpful than that of his predecessor.
believe that most of the trouble be.
tween the employer and the employee
Is directly attributable not as many
suppose. to the capitalists hardness Of
heart, but to the infinite misfortune
that now the employer rarely If ever
comes in direct touch with his en-
pioyce.
Ry the time the capitalists money,
which he gives for labor, reaches the
employee the money as well rs all the
sweets that ought naturally to come
as result of that labor is scattered
right and left. The superintendent
who can run the mill or foundry at
the lowest cost gets the biggest salary.
The big officers of the trusts get their
millions. The little men, who do the
hard work, receive pittances which are
hardly enough to allow them to exc out
a bare physical existence. The capital.
list ought to see that the money he pays
and tina; 1t IS not lost on the way to
their pockets.
Prosperity Must Re shared.
Men and women of the capitalistic
class, these labor agitatons and trou-
bles will never be settled until you are
willing to share your prosperity with
those who are working for you so
o., AL T.
troubles will never be settled until
man willing to work can earn enough
money not only to care for. his chill
dren while he is alive. but to fit them
for becoming self supporting after he
is dead.
Hunger Is demoralzing; it IS mad
dening when it is witnessed driving it's
fangs into those a man loves. Howso-
ever honest man may be, his princi-
pies are in danger of failing If his wife
and children through no fault of his
are starving / heard of one case that
must be typical of the impulses Of
many w3o are controlling them with
difficulty. 1t occurred a few years
ago, when the silver mines of the west
We're closed down. A man walked in
to the village store and drew a pistol.
Then he flung n bag of -four across his
shoulder as he pointed his revolver at
the men, saying; when l could find
work, / was always willing to work,
and then | paid my bills. But now /
cannot find work, and my babies are
starving. ! am going to get them
something to eat. l am going to take
this flour home. If any man tries to
stop me, | will put a hole through his
heart" That may be anarchy, hut
that will be the anarchy this country
will have to face If the time ever
comes when the laboring classes can
bread. The world does not owe lazy,
good for nothing loafer any lodgings
better than the poorhouse or the coun-
ty Jail when he is alive or any burial
place better than grave in the pot
ters field when he is dead, but the
world does owe every honest. faithful
man who Is willing to work the OPP
portunlty to work. and, furthermore,
capital does owe this to lis employees
when the good times come and CAPT
tai prospers then wages should be in
creased and labor should prosper also.
Now" answers some capitalist,
'you are advocating Il lot Of high
sounding nonsense. You are practicSl-
ly saying that every capitalist should
become a philanthropist. He should
turn his business into a cooperative
concern and let his employees share as
much as possible in his wealth. That
does not 20 in business. Religion and
business, like oil and water, do not
mix. Business is not run upon the
principle of the Golden Rule, but upon
the law OF supply and demand. We
hire where we can hire the cheapest
20 we can manufacture the cheapest.
We sell where we can sell the dearest
We make all the money we can. Then
If we want to be phllanthropists and
not business men, we give away as
much as we please
Mix Gospel with Business.
My capitalistlc friend, your state
mcnts are wrong. The gospel and bust
ness do financially mix well. The cap
italist who practices the Golden Rule
In business and let's his employees
share In his prosperity will twin OUT
every time. What was the history OF
George w. Childs? There never was a
man who received happier financial re-
suits from practicing the Golden Rule
than did he. When Mr.. Childs, a
young man, took hold of the Philadel-