Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-12-29
PARTICIPATION OF WORKERS AS
sHAREHoLDERs IN EVERY
BRANCH OF BUSINESS HIS WAY
a. SETTLING QUESTION.
CITES INSTANCES
WHERE PLAN WORKED
HrEEL KING SAYS DAY is COMING
WHEN WORKER GIVES SKILL
AND EMPLOYER CAPITAL TO
FORM PARTNERSHIP.

New York. Dec. 2S.-"In the future
labor is to rise still higher. The JOINT
stock form opens the door to the par
ticipation of labor as shareholder IN
every branch of business. In this,
the writer believes, lies the final end
enduring solution Of the labor ques-
ton. Nothing can stand against the
direct management of others. We are
only pioneers whose duty is to start
the movement, leaving to our success
sors its full and free Development as
human society advances
These are striking statements found
In an article by Andrew Carnegie in
the Forthcoming January number of
The Worlds Work made public today.
An editorial note states that the arti-
Gle was taken from Mr. Carnegie'S
new book, problems Of Today ana
that it is published in the magazine
because of the remarkable-it might
be called even Observation-Disclosures
that he makes of the continued i'm
provement in the position of labor till
profit-sharing does its perfect work
4 4 aiid Che iaborer and the capitalist be-,
come the same man.
Tells Of steel CO. Experiment.
Mr. Carnegie tells OF the beginnings
made by the Carnegie Steel company
many years ago by making from time
10 time 40-ndd young partners, who
paid for their interests in the business
by their notes, payable only out of the
profits OF the business. Great care,
Mr. Carnegie says, was taken to admit
workers Of the mechanical department
which had hitherto been neglected by
employers. Speaking further on
the combination of many steel works
into the one United States Steel Cor
poration he says that the problem pra-
sented was not altogether new, for in
dividual and corporate management
have co-existed since joint-stock COM
panies were formed. The former h~a
undoubtedly great advantages over the
latter. Able men managing their own
Z works, in competition with large bod
les OF shareholders employing salaried
managers, were certain to distance
\ their corporate competitors and did SO.
Nothing can stand against the direct
a management Of owners
Il Says Every Corporation Could Do It
q Going on to speak of the experiment
y of the United States Steel Corporation
4 in interesting It's officers and employees
1 In its shares Mr. Carnegie says that
every corporation could we'll afford
to sell shares to its saving workmell
! giving preference in repayment al
cost as first charge in case of dis
aster, just as present laws provide first
for the mechanics lien and for home
stead exemption. This is due to thu
workingman who necessarily buys the
shares without knowledge, and is ask
ed to buy them, not solely for his owl
advantage, but for the benefit of the
company as, well-the advantage o
BOTH
The writer points out that "just as
the mechanical world has changed an!
improved, SO the world of labor has al
vanced from the slavery of the laborel
to the day of his absolute independ
ence and now to this day when he be
gins to take his proper place as TIL;
capitalist-partner of his employer. w,
may look forward with hope to the da,
when it shall be the rule for the work
man to be partner with capital TIL,
man Of affairs giving his business ex
perience, the workingman in the mil
his mechanical skill, to the company
both owners of the shares and so ia
equally interested in the success Z,
their joint efforts, each Indispensable
30 that without their cooperation sue
cess would be impossible"
Not over-sanguine; Gives Proof.
Replying to the possible charge o
being over-sanguine, Mr.. Carnegie d.
ciares himself convinced that th
huge combination, and even the moo
crate corporation. has no chance /
competition with the partnership
which embraces the principal official
and has adopted the system of pay
ment of bonus or reward throughou
its work. Tae latter may be relic
upon, as a rule to earn handsome div
dends in times of depression, durin
which the former, conducted upon til
old plan. will incur actual loss. an
perhaps land in financial embarras:
ment.
BY way of illustration he cites tn
case of the Filene Stores of Bosto,
which he says. "has gone farthest /,
all in tha diraotior nf rnalipo ifa an