The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1907-08-09

Garcia?
You see that bookkeeper," said the
foreman to me in large factory.
Yes, what about him."
Well he's a fine accountant, but ii
I'd send him up town on an errand.
he might accomplish the errand all
right, and on the other hand, might
stop at four saloons on the way, and
when he got 20 Main Street, would
forget what he had been sent for. .
Can such a man be entrusted to carry
a message to Garcia?
We have recently been hearing
much maudlin sympathy expressed for
the 'downtrodden denizen of the
sweat-shop," and the homeless wan
derer searching for honest employ
ment," and with it all often go many
hard words for the men in power.
The Employers Burden.
Nothing is said about the employer
who grows old before his time in a
vain attempt to get frOwsy ne'er-do-
wells to do intelligent work; and his
long patient striving with help that
does nothing but loaf when his back
is turned. In every store and factory
there is a constant weeding-out pro-
cess going on. The employer is con-
stantly sending away help" that
have shown their incapacity to fur
Their the interests of the business, and
others are being taken on.
No matter how good times are, this
sorting continues, only if times are
hard and work is scarce, the sorting
is done finer-but out and forever out,
the incompetent and unworthy go.
It is the survival of the fttest. Self
interest prompts every employer 20
keep the best-those who can carry o
message to Garcia.
Can Neither Give Nor Take orders.
/ know one man of really brilliant
parts who has not the ability to man.
age a business of his own, and yet
who is absolutely worthless to any
one else, because he carries with him
constantly the insane suspicion that
his employer is depressing, or
to Cypress him. He cannot |
give orders; and he will not receive |
them. Should a message be given !
him to take to Garcia, his answer
would probably be, Take it your
SELF"
Tonight this man walks the streets
looking for work, the wind Whistling j
through his threadbare coat No one
who knows him dare employ him, Tor I
he is a regular firebrand of discon-
tent. He is impervious to reason, and
the only thing that can impress him
is the toe of "a thick-soled Number
Nine boot.
OF course / know that one so NOR
ally deformed is no less to be pitied
han physical cripple; but in our
plying, let us drop tear, too, for the
men who are striving to carry on
great enterprise, whose working hours
are not limited by the whistle, and
whose hair is fast turning white
through the struggle to hold in line
lowdy indigerence, slip-shod imbecil-
ty, and the heartless ingratitude,
which, but for their enterprise would
be both hungry and homeless.
Have | put the matter too strongly?
Possibly / have, but when all the
world has gone a-slumming l wish to
peak a word of sympathy for the
nan who succeeds-the man who,
,gainst great odds, has directed the
efforts of others and having succeeded,
inds there's nothing in It: nothing {
nut bare board and clothes. ! have
carried a dinner pail and worked for
lays wages, and / have, also been an
employer of labor, and ! know there
81 W DS odlu Oh boeh !
rhere is no excellence, per Sc, In
rags are no recommendation;
md all employers are not rapacious
md high-handed, any more than all
,oor men are virtuous.
This Man Wanted Everywhere.
MY heart goes out to the man who $
oes his work when the boss is a
way. as well as when he is at home. '
md the man who, when given letter (
or Garcia, quietly takes the missive, G
Without asking any idiotic questions, I
nd with no lurking intention or
hucking 1t into the nearest sewer, or b
+ doing aught else but deliver 1t, Il
ever gets laid on nor has to go on
strike for higher wages. Civiliza-
lon is one long anxious search for
lst snch individuals. Anything such 2
man asks shall be granted: his kind T