The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1905-04-13


conversations which involved an in
terchange of ideas never did last Ions
between Mr. and Mrs. Danville Par
sons. for one reason or another, prob
ably the former.
John Kennard's action was the sub
ject of more than one discussion In
the days which followed the publica.
ton of the Confederated Machine
Companies prospectus. Mason ant
Wilder attacked and defended II. tc
the amusement of their fellow mem.
bers in the Thespians. Miss Harlan
ands her father spoke of 1t, but tbs
latter seemed to grow impatient oi
questionings on the subject, and II
was not referred to again. Pat Mullin
and "Pupsey" Knox passed some words
about 1t at the factory in the pres
ence of an interested audience attract
ed by the word liar" which was
batted to and fro'with great frequency
by the disputants. Mr.. McMannis and
Mr.. Trundell held private conversa-
tion concerning II at the latter's Of
flee, apparently to their mutual salts
faction. Wall street read of 1t In the
newspapers, merely noting 1t as zone
Of Trundells things" and then the
little world to which it was momenta-
rily interesting, thought no more about
II.
Even at the shops the matter ceased
to be discussed, for the new order OF
things brought few immediate
changes. Except for the names which
gave place to the Confederated Machine
Companies, no one would have been
aware of the new ownership. But lit
tie by little the fact of cooperation
began to make itself felt in all the as
sociated factories. There was no long
er any necessity for expensive clerical
departments, agencies were largely
fewer statesmen were re-
quired, and one buyer took the place
of 20. The officers of the smaller
ceased to draw salaries,
and the companies themselves cut
down their interest charges. Better
was turned out at the same
Or lower prices.
Kennard watched the changes with
keen appreciation and growing conf
1ence.
Economy seemed to be the outcome
I'll along the line-good, sound, busi-
less economy, bearing harshly upon in
lividuals whose vocations disappeared
n the process, but tending, on the
whole, to the benefit of the vast ma
ority. In only one respect was the
lew regime disappointing to Ken
lard. He had looked forward to less
ming his responsibilities, but before
lis first inspection Of the allied facto-
les was completed he had greatly
Increased them. He had known his
yusiness world thoroughly prior to
he consolidation, but had merely
judged the result without full knowl-
,dge of the causes. He had long sus-
lected poor business methods In some
quarters, apd lax factory system in
)thers, but never dreamed of the amaz-
ng stupidity and recklessness which
lls investigations brought to light.
erial purchased and paid for with no
,erifcation of the weights received;
n another he located a waste of by
products equal to one-quarter the cost
,f manufacture, But 1t was in the
workshops themselves that he made
he most surprising discoveries. One
company had had seven men injured
by the same machine before 1t was
Effectively repaired. Another had been
closed down for two months by an
outbreak Of typhoid due to unsanitary
on their own premises;
third changed superintendents every
Is months-"to prevent any one man
becoming necessity" 1t was ex-
planned. In the squalor and filth OF
some of the city shops, meanness and
Ialse economy degraded and dispirited
the workers, until they labored more
like beasts then men, and with about
as much intelligence. A few OF the
factories compared favorably with any
thing he had seen, well ordered out
side and in, and directed with an in
telligent recognition of the relative
value of things.
Well-grounded economies, uniform
and Intelligent co-opera.
ton soon produced an effect upon the
onstrated that the new company could
and would make money. Ii was al
most certain to be a great commercial
success. Having satisfied himself Of
this fact, Kennard began to consider
what the company's policy should be
towards its employees. His attempt
to sound Mr.. Harlan on the subject
was without result. However, he had
little or no fear of the outcome.
The directors had been carefully
chosen to include majority OF Ken
nard's personal adherents. but as time
went on 1t was evident that the pre-
caution was unnecessary, for the board
was a unit who voted at his sugges-
tion. Mr.. Trundell seconded his every
motion. The four financial figure
heads Wed with one another in their
jealous support. and when at the end
Of the first quarter Mr.. Harlan pro-
posed vote of thanks for the efficient
which had resulted In a
complete systemization of the manu-
featuring Of the company, the motion
was carried with enthusiasm. II was
shortly after this that Kennard ven-
tured to throw out his first official hint
as to the employees. What was the
best way of securing for them a fair
share of the benefits thus far OBJ
tanned? II was too early to discuss
that, Mr.. Harlan considered. Per
haDs there weren't going to be nc