The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1917-01-19
OUR BUSINESS MEN
ASK FOR PUBLIC
COOPERATION
Leaders Point Out Partnership
Between Capital and Labor.
SAY INTERESTS ARE MUTUAL

Our Future Prosperity Depends on a
Better Understanding and More Prac-
teal Application of Get Together
Spirit In Industry-Must EIimsnste
Trouble breeders and Agitators.
A better public understanding and
appreciation.of the needs and problems
of our American industries is conceded
on every side to be one of the impor-
tant national requirements for the de-
velopment of our future industrial
| prosperity. Few people seem to I'M
derstand that the majority of our busi-
ness men are fair minded, reasonable
| beings, legitimately engaged in the de-
velopment OF our economic resources.
/ In the opinion of our business lead
erS this misunderstanding leads the
public, through the legislators, into
thoughtless and unnecessary acts OF
repriSal against all branches of indus
! try, which are often inimical to the
| best interests of their own community.
To cure this lamentable condition it Is
first essential that a closer degree OF
cooperative action for the common
gocd be established between en-
,plOyees and employers. The first step
In this direction is to eliminate the
selfish, destructive agitator. This hap
py event would greatly facilitate a
general get together spirit among en-
plOyers and workers.
|. The Work That Men Do.
The nation is confronted with more
work than ever before-ships to build,
factories to enlarge, railways to COM
plete, new foreign business to be at
tracted and help to be- exte nded to the
unfOrtunates on the otht side. There
are about 80. OOO,O0Omen at work: If they
work ten hours a day that is 900, 0OO,-
600 hours day or $4,000, 100000 hours
year. If they work eight hours it Is
"A, SS0OOO,O00, or a difference Of 49,
72C,OO0OOO hours a year. At eight
hours a day this means that about
z, 100000 more MEN must be employed
to do the work that could be done by
the 3O,OOO,OOO. and where are they to
come from?
i During the past year there has been
a unified and standardized banking cur
rency system tried and not found
wanting. But there are yet other steps
to be taken before the ideal of eco
nOmic unit is worked out.
/ There are 662,O0O stockholders OF
railroads in the United States. A large
proportion of them depend on the earn
| ings Of the carriers for meager In
come. Many of these stockholders
have less than $1,000 a year income,
| and they are unable to earn more, be-
ing elderly persons or women. Thou
| sands of them are former employees OF
the railroads who depend upon their
stock dividends to pay their rent an4
their grocery bills.
Labor and Capital Are Partners.
The manufactured output OF the
| United States amounts so $2S,OO0 OO0,-
900 in value per annum. This Is three
times the amount OF the yearly output
of the ranches, farms. orchards and
4
Of the mines; Il is larger than the CON-
| bined manufactures of any two for
eign nations. Labor received. as its
/. share of the fruits of industry, wages
amounting almost TO seven billion dol
| lars in the single year of 1914. Does
not this prove that the interests Of
employees are joint with those who
employ them and that a real partner
ship exists?
| Today there are over 10OOG0,OOO peo-
pie in the land who must be fed
clothed. sheltered, kept warm and
many of whom travel for health, pleas
ure and business. The railway systems
ere In many places overtaxed in doing
| this work.
| What will be the conditions when
there are 100000 people to be
served?
This means an addition OF at least so
per cent TO the number of tons OF
freight moved one mile and the num-
Der of passengers moved one mile.
| There was total mileage of 41,9SS
in the hands of receivers in 1915. the
total capitalization of which was 81
pa 100000. In that year alone 20,143
miles of road went into the hands of re-
ceivers, and these roads had total cap
iitalization of S1.O1O. sos. 62S. This COM
pares with 4.222 miles in 1914 with a
total capitalization OF S199.571.446, In
receivers hands. This is not q healthy
condition: 1T is malady that affects
directly and indirectly every one In the
country.
| Railways 90 not belong TO few rich
men or bankers. There are at least
100000 owners OF the securities OF
American railways. There are $780,
900 men approximately employed In
The railway service. The insurance
companies have 81 500 100000 invested
in railway securities representing 3d.
100000 policy holders: sa sings banks
have SS00,0O00OO invested In which
banks there are 100000 depoStore.
From 1909 TO 1913 the States en-
ed 6O.O01 and congress enacted ~;
new laws which involved the g. sid
Grafton OF more than ono-half ilion
legislative propositions or an annual
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