West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1904-06-16
SAGE RAps VACATIONS
Finsncier Opposes Them and
Discusses Systems Injustice.
SEES NOTHING LEGITIMATE IN 1T

Thinks the "vacatfon nabits 4. the
outsrowth OF Abnormal or Di.tort-
ed business Methods--rf There IL
Any obiigation, lac Claims, It L. on
Clerks Part = Relieves Change OF
work Heat Incorporation.
During the eighty.cight years OF my
career have not once taken a yaca.
ton. says Russell Sage In tho Inde-
pendent
young man said 10 me the other
day, mir Sage. would you not have
taken vacation if you had worked
for somo one elseY'
replied that l would not.
nave never been an advocate OF
what some term tho vacation habit"
When / was u boy the practice was not
In vogue. AS u matter OF fact, | was
so glad TO get chance TO learn bust
ness that the idea OF asking my EN-.
ployer to make me n present OF two
weeks OF the time that belonged 10 him
because he had paid FOR It would have
been preposterous. Besides, was
eager TO advance I'm business ana
could not see how l could do this by
wasting valuable time.
Neither did any OF my youthful asso-
ciates take vacations, and l am sure
you Will agree with me that the fact
did not retard their progress when 1
say that among them were Thurlow
Weed the king maker; Horace Greeley,
Governor Seward and George Jones.
the founder OF the New York Times.
These men were constantly at work.
and they We're history makers.
l think the vacation habip' IN the
outgrowth OF abnormal or distorted
business methods. fail to SEQ any
thing legitimate IN Il.
Let us assume that an employer aud
his clerk make an agreement TO ex.
change just remuneration for reasona-
Die services, and each one keeps his
part OF the agreement Are they not
then quitsf IL there is any obligation,
think II is on the part OF the clerk.
who ayails OF the credit, skill aud or
ganization OF the employer 20 learn a
business and advance himself along a
path which has already been prepared
for him. What right has he. then, TO
demand or expect pay for two weeks
time for which he renders no equiya-
lent, not considering the serious I'm.
convenience TO which lie often puts his
employer?
suppose we We're TO reverse the CON
vcntional order OF things and instead
OF the clerk demanding two weeks pay
gratis tho employer should demnnd
two weeks work without pay as con.
dition OF retaining the clerk In his om-
ploy. What a tremendous howl would
so upl
1t may be urged that tho clerk by
his vacation gains I'm health and vIgor
and is thus enabled 10 render better
service to his employer III this claim
Were true. he would be Justified I'm ask.
Ing for vacation. In fact, he would
not have TO do so, as his employer
would for his own gain and OF his own
accord send him away thus to recu-
perate.
But Is IL not absurd TO suppose that
a man who can work for eleven and n
hnlf months cannot as well work tho
whole year1 Is Il not equnlly absurd
to suppose that q man can I'm two
weeks recuporate from the wear and
tear Of years work, II there be such
wear ana tear? On the contrary. I
have too often observed that men VIII
while on their vacations make inroads
upon their vitality and purses that can
not be repaired in the following eleven
months and two weeks.
Then, again, the loss OF time, the dis
organization OF business, that result
from the absence OF valuable man
from bis desk are difficult TO repair.
A man sometimes must spend weeks
catching up with work that has &c.
oumulated while he was away for n
fortnight.
II n man viii only take an interest In
his work, love e. he will not need any.
thing else TO recupernte him, and men
who learn 70 love their work invariably
succeed.
A man should work easy" be eco
nomloaI Of his time, conserve his forces
and not worry. It's worry and not
work that makes tho hair gray.
The doctors may recommend a change
OF afr for man when he's sick, but
why be sick1 Sickness ~ an irrepa.
rable loss OF time II had a thousand
tongues I'd preach "Snvo time with
them all. les infinitely more valuable
than money.
We read OF Gladstone, who got all
the recuperoiion he needed by simply
changing bis work. He didn't quit
work and 90 idling about Timc was
the most precious thing IN the world
FOR him. and by ayailing Of every min.
ute OF Il be practically did the work
OF ou army Of mon