The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1916-12-29
Profits and Bonuses

EulIoE FarmngJOn llmeS.-
Sir-The press of the last few
weeks announces that this and tina
industry throughout the length AM
breadth of our country are making
the hearts of their employees glad, by
bonuses and other wage increases
reaching into the millions. But the
name of the st. Joe Company does mo-
appear either at the head or foot Of
this class of industrials. 1t seems
that only one interest is fostered il
any way by that gigantic corporation
and that is the st. Joe Lead Co. Wher
the true status of that company's
earnings for the years of 1915 and
1916 are brought clearly before the
eyes of the public, their action, or bet.
ter their non-action, is bound to APP
pear as being very niggardly.
For the months of March, June
September and December, 1915, div
idends of 5, so, 25 and 25 per cent
were declared on each share of their
stock, and when it is remembered that
this company owns 1,409,405 shares
of stock, of par value $40 each, now
worth about $50 per share, you have
some idea of the immensely of their
great earnings. The year 1916 even
showed much greater gains than its
predecessor. The months of March,
June, September and December of
1916 show dividend percentages of
25, 25 rs and 125. Just 20 in their
outstanding capital amounts to the
phenomenal sum Of seven million dol
lars, of which sum three million five
hundred thousand dollars are placed
to the dividend profits, and the same
amount to the surplus fund.
When we consider this unprecedent-
ed prosperity on the part of the COM
pany, and knowing that the poor la
borer who delves down into the earth
is the producer thereof, then we again
say, that anyone possessed of the
least conception of justice and right
would be impelled to divide at least
a mite OF these great earnings among
the real producers thereof in recog-
milton of their faithful services.
That at least one of the largest of
these stockholders, Mr.. Robert Holmes
of st. Louis, Mo-, is in favor of rec
ognizing that ample justice be done
to these employees, is fact. He has
on many occasions both publicly and
privately declared so. Mr.. Holmes is
one among the very rich men of our
country who is willing to mete out
even justice to the honest toiler. He
realizes that the great cost of living
entails many additional hardships on
the laboring man, and he also recog-
nizes the fact, that the wives and
children of these men should be al
lowed to enjoy some of the better
side Of life, not that this Croesus of
st. Francois county, alias New York
City, should revel in all of the luxu-
ries of life, and these equally as good
and meritorious ones of the sons of
toll be put off with only the crumbs
that fall from the tables of these New
York rich.
The properties of this company in
our county are producing unprece-
denied dividends now and have been,
but the day will come by and by when
the fate of the once rich Doe Run will
overtake this and all the other similar
companies of our county, then, why
not, before all the vast mineral wealth
of our county is exhausted and hied
away to New York or some other dis
tant city or country, that the favored
few may roll in wealth? Why not
recognize the needs of the honest toll
err? Why not recognize your duties
to our county and State?
d, A. d.