The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1913-10-02
TIME IS MONEY
Anonymous


Not long ago keen minded
writer of business subjects said:
During the next few years some
of the tidiest profits in American
industries viii be saved out OF op-
erations, cost and wage systems"
Cost and wages are related and
correlated with each other, each
acting and re-acting on the other
until standardized by permanent
market conditions.
Napoleon said that England was
a nation of shop keepers"
May it not be said with equal
truth that we are nation of man
ufacturers, statesmen and advertis-
ers." Competition has increased
the cost of selling and in order to
maintain profits business men in
general usually slash the payroll
and wage scale-employes are dis
charged and wages reduced all
along the line until labor revolts
and peace is secured by re-adjust-
ment of the wages or the introduce
ton of some system that appeals to
the employees as reasonable and
equitable.
What is a fair, just wage is a
question that is constantly agitating
the labor world and putting gray
hairs in the heads of trust mag
mates.
Henry Ward Beecher, in a ia
nous speech, delivered during the
summer of 1876, said: One dollar
day was a living wage for an un-
skilled day !aborer." And this was
true, for at that time it was COM
mon thing for laboring man to
maintain his family and rear chill
dren on a dollar a day. But alas,
times have changed; stranger sits
on the Republics throne-a dollar
a day in this year of our Lord
would not keep the modern kid"
in chewing gum and cigarettes.
OF course any discussion of the
purchasing power of days wage,
we must take into consideration the
relative degree of the cost of living;
this is well understood by that fa-
nous remark of Daniel Webster,
who was entertaining some friends
in and about Washington, and COM
ing to the bridge across the Poto-
mac river, related the story of
Washington throwing a silver dol
lar across the river, some doubts
being expressed on the pitching
ability of our first president, Daniel
said with a most winning smile:
A dollar went further in those
days than it does now.''
Never forget the man, ought to
be written in large letters over the
desk of the man who is responsible
for the systems used in any bust
ness. This is especially true OF the
man who is directly responsible fol-
any particular wage system.
Too many employers of labor
look upon their employees as SO
many sticks or automations who
have certain tasks to perform and
which are requited by a fixed
wage. These employers wish to ig.
more the human side of labor ano
forget that sentiment rules in the
howell as well as in the palace Of
the millionaire.
CoDtented men give better re-
suits than Indifferent men, and en-
thusiastic men give better result
than contented men. Men will
pride in their work. interest anC
loyalty in their hearts, are the mel
whose labor is worth the highes
wage. This may sound like senti
ment-it is; but it certainly is tn,
stuff that has a place in properl.
conducted business houses.
Labor is time and time is none,
in factory economy? Time is on
OF the most expensive things tn
business man pays for and is abou
equal, generally speaking, to cost Q
material and overhead expenses.
A man is paid wages in order t
produce certain results, and wage
is the standard by which men ar
judged in the world of labor; s
that when high wages abound. goo
work is expected, and where lo'
wages abound, good work is ez
pected, and where low wages al
found, corresponding grade {
work may be looked for.
The value of any wage systel