Evening journal., 1910-02-17
THURSDAY. FEB. II 1910
DUPONT coMPANY'S REPORT.

II HE DUPONT Powder Company is inti-
u mately connected with the welfare of this
city that any report of its progress is most orat-
flying. The annual statement of the company
shows that it is in highly prosperous condi-
ton and gives our people an idea of the vast
GAtent of this industry whose products go to all
parts of the world and have the reputation of
being the best OF their kind. Everything con-
sidered, the company has made a wonderful rec
ord showing an increase of business as COM
pared with the preceding year, although
President DUPONT says, the volume of business
was not equal to that of the banner year Of 1907,
when the tide of prosperity was at flood. How
ever, the increase in business is but another evil
dence OF the returning good times throughout
the country, for the powder trade by many is
considered good barometer showing the ten
dcncy in the manufacturing world.
One part of the report of President DUPONT is
particularly interesting as showing the relations
nhetween large corporations of this character and
fnef employees. President dupont says the
company is gratihed to note the substantial in
terest being taken by the army of employees
IN the work of the company. The employees are
becoming shareholders, thus, to a limited ex-
tent, making the company a cooperative con-
cern with all the disadvantages of ordinary CO.
operative schemes eliminated and all the advan-
tages of sound business management retained.
In addition the company is distributing shares
OF stock as bonus to worthy employees. The
president says, "we believe this plan has great
value in properly rewarding exceptional merit
in cases not calling for increases in salary"
Some other large corporations are following the
same plan, which is doing not little towards
solving the vexed problems OF labor and capi-
tai
The report of the president also refers to the
pension system by which those employees who
become disabled or who have reached advanced
age are cared for. Those who through 10 fault
of their own have ceased to be able to serve the
company are therefore retired on a pension, and
not thrown out without any resources.
The expense to the company in this matter
must be very large. Owing TO the hazard of
are to be expected in these cases, but the PEN
soning system extends to other employees as
well as to those who are in peril of explosions.
The fact that the DUPONT company thus cares
Tor its employees suggests in passing that the
company without legal compulsion puts in force
an employers liability act And if this COM
pany does so, why should not other corporations
which employ men in hazardous occupations be
liable for the injuries received by their employees
through no fault of such employees?
Outside the mere business prosperity of the
powder company its relations to the city should
receive some notice. When one looks at the
great dupont Building and considers that the
company is to make additional improvements,
one is likely to believe that the real forward
movement in Wilmington began with the erec-
ton of this immense structure. Ii certainly
opened the eyes of Wilmingtonians as we'll as
4 visitors and former residents of the city when
ey happened TO return and it has been an in
Sspration to work for a greater Wilmington.