Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1908-06-17
ALMA BACCALAUREA1E
Graduates Shown the Value OF
Being True workmen. Inspir-
ing Picture Of Honest Life.
PREXY's MAsTERLY ADDRESS
College Commencement Exercises On
ened Sunday Under Favorable
Auspices.

I Text; Whatsoever We do. work
hearty from the soul) as unto the
! Lord and not unto men, Collosians
3:23.
From the standpoint of religion men
are generally classified as saints and
sinners, in economics we say they are
producers or nonproducers: i'm socio-
logy they are social or unsocial; in the
industrial world they are idlers or
workingmen. An idler may he a
tramp or millionaire or prince.
Unless he works he is. industrially
speaking. guilty of the objectionable
sin. 1T he bears no share of life's
burdens. he is making those burdens
heavier for others. Idlers NAV be so
numerous as to make civilization i'm
possible. That is the difference be-
tween Africa and Europe. Until at
least the majority of the people can
be made to work the dark continent
Will remain dark. Frequently also
this Is the difference between rich and
poor The rich man has worked .and
the poor has remained idle. To every
man his work" is the motto of civil
ization. "He who does not teach his
son a trade runs the Jewish proverb,
teaches him to steal. "
Since the abolition of slavery in the
United States, all American citizens
have become workingnen. But let
me call your attention to the impor-
tant distinction between workingmen
and workmen.
Ihe working man maybe only hire
ling but workman never is. He
never regulates his work according TO
his pay. A minister of African des-
cent solemnly announced to his startled
congregation. ''Bredren. | have a five
dollar sermon and ten n-dollar sermon.
We Will now take de collection to see
which one YOU will have. 4" That
man was hireling only remarkable |
for his exceeding frankness. He is
twin brother to the other man. LET
him be white or black, who has one
rate of motion in working by the
day and another when working by
the job. Your real workman will
always do his best whatever the wage
may be. The man who will not be
as diligent and efficient when receiy-
ing 800, as when receiving ten times
that amount. NAV be working man.
hut he is not workman. honest and
true.
Imagine the President of the United
states issuing a proclamation to the
people to the effect that his work
will be in proportion to his pav. that
for a salary of 800, 600 he may be
expected to do four times the work
that he would do for compensation
of S25, 600. The principle remains the
same whether the work in question is .
public or private: whether the wages .
involved are large or small II ap- ,
plies to the president of a railroad. or
bank or college-to any workman .
or obscure. The charac-
Ter of the work may never be deter
mined bv the amount of the wage. I.
There is still another kind of work
ng man. who comes far short of be-
ng workman. It is he whose one ,
I'm mbition is to satisfy and please his i.
Employer 1t Is very plausible to say !.
hat the real relation between capital
md labor is that the one shall be satis-
led with the wages and the other shall
% satisfied with the work. But how if
he workman is not satisfied with his =
'wn work? Is he to be blamed If he
inds fault with any work short of the y
cry bestY
The majority of electors may Ie q
atisfied with that member of con- p
'ress who declines to give his in
Inence to important measures of Leg
station. because of an impending
eneral election-but how about the
nan himself, who went there as the
representative of the people TO do his %
cry best for the nation. The average 3
ewspaper man of our time is apt TO "
xpress himself in this fashion: II am ~
OF in the newspaper business for fun. "
T as reformer | am not publishing ~ -
he ideal paper. am rather publish -
ng such an one as my subscribers VI
rant. / am like merchant, I keep "
n sale such goods as the people will q o.
ny. II you want better newspaper .
lake the subscribers better. OF course 70 70
~ conscience is against advertising o'
Ambling and whiskey selling and i'm O. "
'oral exhibitions and many other -
,ings. that Oil the columns of my pa "
or. hut l can't help IL. Il is q part 10
my business. My customers want
'ese things and / am bound to please :"
'em." IL is hardly necessary to say " "
'st IL there are no higher princip Piles " ''
Continued on page two.) ne