The Penn's Grove record., 1917-12-14
The dupont Company
it, Origin AMI C-ea: Benefi; to
the Cause of Democracy
By THE EDITOR

from France IOf the DeneII OF his
health, like the ancestors of many of
us, because they were republican
democrats; because they disapproved
of king craft and had the sympathy of
king killers, when it became necessary
to abolish democracy. He be-
longed to the society of Economists"
in Paris and would have helped Turgot
establish a French Republic on the
the many factional revolutions, one of
which put Mr.. dupont in prison. The
mob attacked his house and took
everything in it.
He told King Louis XVI, who lost
difficulty, sire, is that your realm has
no constitution. You have to decide
Everything to yourself"
Mr.. dupont was greatly beloved by
Benjamin Franklin who, through
shrewd diplomacy, got Frances sup
port in our Revolution. Thomas JEFF
ferson induced him to come to Amer
lea in 1893. He and two sons came
over and settled in New Jersey and
later moved to Delaware where he
first started his powder mill in 1904,
the picture of which appears on the
eighth page of the supplement with
this edition of the Penns Grove
Record.
This industry has been passed down
thru several generations of duPonts
whose minds and muscles have not
A~deteriated like many families with
wealth, but have increased in know
ledge and efficiency in 113 years.
Where is there another family in
America who maintained such a rec
ord to increase industry and efficiency
thru family blood descent? Where is
there another on earth except the
Rothschilds, the bankers who got their
start by honesty? Should not such
men have the admiration and emula-
ton of others, instead of envy?
Powder making is an extra hazard
Gus business, but the .duPonts who
work at the business have the reputa-
ton of not asking a workman to go
where they feared to go. Francis G..
dupont, the first in charge of Carney
Point, was fine, e~asy-going Christian
gentleman, a deacon in the Protestant
Episcopal Church. Other duPonts' of
younger generations who were in
charge on Carney Point have the repu-
tation of being easy BOSSES" in fact,
too easy for the best business eff
fciency.
There has been for 113 years some
men in the family who studied the
fundamental details of the chemistry
and mechanical part of the industry
and thereby retain control by being
master in initiative and business eff
cheney, Notwithstanding they were
heirs to millions and might live with
out work. But how long such would
last if trusted to other minds and mus
cles would be only a question of time
as history has recorded. Eighteen
years ago when the river was blocked
with ice and freezing gales were blow
ing Peirre S. DUPONT trudged thru ice
and snow from Penns Grove to Carney
Point to study and work at the smoke
less powder industry just then devel-
oplng. How many poor men sat be-
side the stove and never ventured out
TO stem the chilling winds and said:
eff | were heir to thousands | would
not do as he does" How many say
now with envy: eff l we're as rich as
he, | would not exert my mind and
muscles to do as he does"
The point we wish to make is this:
The captains of big industries are cap
tains because of their knowledge of
the details gained by close application
of mind and muscle while others were
slumbering. They understand the
philosophy of life is to work al your
vocation, no matter what your heir
ship may be or what you have earned
by your thrift. Also they know the
philosophy of Benjamin Franklin:
Leisure is the time of doing some
thing useful; this leisure the diligent
man will obtain; but the lazy man
never"
Labor has always received so much
higher wage from the DUPONT Com
pany that laborers have never found
it necessary to organize. The du
Points at the head of departments have
retained the democratic spirit of meet
ing the workman, giving the utmost
warnings and instructions and provid-
ing greater safety precautions that
are asked for by the Labor Depart
ment of the State.
The greatest provision is made for
the injured, and personal visits to the
homes of the mourning when fatal ac-
cfdents have occurred, has manifested
their sympathy.
The owners of the land comprising
Carney Point and adjoining received
twice the market value. Having a
thousand acres to hastily expand the
smokeless powder industry to meet
the present worlds emergency shows
the business sagacity of that large in
dustry. While higher prices had to
be paid for the powder, yet the fact
that there were men in America with
the readiness and ability to mobilize
the scientific skill needed should COM
mand the admiration of the worlds
believers in Democracy.
Samuel Pierre dupont, the immi-
grant, may be classed as one of the
would-be founders of the French Re-
public as to economic and political
thought. The DUPONT Company has
been one of the important Industries
in the development of the nation in
supplying needs for development of
latent and the preservation
of the Union, not only as to powder,
but as to efficient commanders of men.