Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1906-02-23

After going about three miles, 1
lound good water and soon secured
work with an extra gang on the rail
ROAD l used to wonder why the old
time hand was so slow with his work,
put soon learned the philosophy of
IL. The foreman and the various
straw bosses on public work are men
VINO, as a rule, get more wages in
such employment than at anything
else they are competent to perform.
such men make great bluff at hurry
ing up things at the same time, if a
man wants to lose his job just let him
get in and do about as much work in
one day as the others will do IN two
days and then not work hard and he
VIII get his passport to the paymaster
about the second day. Why? Be-
cause some head man may come along
who is really interested in getting the
work done, and the straw boss knows
1t, and he knows that such hand is
liable to be made a straw boss, even if
vacancy has to be made to give him
a place; or, if not, still such hands
lnsensibly influence others and the
job cannot be made to last. So Mr.
Straw Boss gets up some excuse, and
down the road" is the order. I found
that the way to hold the job was as 1
have indicated-do as little as possible,
but keep moving.
soon found more congenial work
helping to build a large cotton-oil
mill, and, in order to get my pay
promptly, l had to get fired. If 1
asked for my time, I would have to
wait until next day and lose about a
day going after my pay, so just got
a move on myself. The work was not
hard, so actually did nearly a full
days work in one day. When / got
brisk, an old Irishman, who had
taken liking to me and was working
with me, said "Faith, old mon, and yez
will get caned if ye kape up your
lick" 1 was sent to carry big oak
trees alone. told the boss that I
could not lift one, and he said eff you
cannot do the work, go to the office
and get your pay" and he gave me
my time. The next morning l was at
work for the man who would own the
mill when it was completed. held
my job until the work was finished.
1t was here that I saw another
illustration of the value of union
when the grievance is just. 1t was a
very warm day and our water boy was
little swelled up over a new watch
he had and started to carry water
around at intervals, but they were not
frequent enough. Several of the com
mon laborers had quit and gone to the
water shed for a drink. Some got
scolded, and some of them were fired
for repeating the trip. Presently the
foreman of the brick-masons shouted
for water, and received from the
water-boy the answer that it was not
time. The foreman simply said,
"Boys, am thirsty" and down all
came and walked deliberately to the
shed to get water. The foreman made
howl and was very promptly in
formed that not another brick would
be laid unless plenty of water was
furnished, and not only that, but that
all the discharged laborers must be
re-instated. No brick mason would
have put brick in that wall if the
demand had not been complied with
[ next went to st. Louis with a load
of cattle, sold my return pass, and be-
gan locking for work. I soon found
a good JOB, easy work but long hours,
weighing piece-work in a big rolling
mill Here [ worked under the con
ditioDs that obtain in the modern in
dustrial world. The general manager
the superintendent and all the heads
of departments were only hired men
7 state without qualification that
man without a pull will not be pro
NOTED so long as the place above hin
can be filled by man with pull
The more efficient a man becomes
in a subordinate position, the longel
he will be kept there by the men abov'
him. The reason of this is that th'
superintendent wants to make goo(
showing so as to secure his job wheE
the directors meet.
In this mill, about 1900 men Wer
emnIoyed. and it is safe to say tina
tbree-fourths of them spent all thel
wages. except enough for board AM
clothes. for beer. Most Of them wer
bard-working, good-hearted men, ant
among the skilled wOrkmen one toun'
a high degree of Intelligence. M.
work was easy, and I soon found tina
the application Of little bookkeeping
/ and knowledge Of weights and cuol
t measurements would enable me .
! keen nv records and loaf half Of To
time. I taught some Of the othe
weighers my system, and they toC
took it easy.
2 Now, the average mo" 70 su0ooou -
e advioe-giver will say that such Wor
brings its reward, and that the en-
nlover shows his appreciation by Pre-
+ motion and increased pay and a
!. that. ,,
one day the general manager cam AN
"a