Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1917-02-14
OUR BUSINESS men
ASK FOR PUnLIC
COOPERATION
Leaders Poin' Out Partnership
90 ue3l Gapi!al ana Labor.
SAY l.lTcn.ESTS age RITUAL

Our Future Prosperity Depends on .
Cet.er understanding and More Prae--
ticsI Application Of Ge:- Together
Spirit In inJsa.ry--.iust Eliminate
Trouble Eree.ers and Agi@ators.
4 better pubic 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-
yelopment of our future industrial
prosperity. Few people seem to I'M
derstand that the majority of our bust
ness men are fair minded. reasonable
beings. lesitimately engaged in the de-
vcioonent Of our economic resources.
In the opinion of our business lead
ers this misunderstanding leads the
public. through the legislators. into
tho:l~~ntlcss- and unnecessary acts Of
rcprisal against all branches of indus
try. which are o'ten inimical to the
best interests of their own community.
TO cure this lamentable condition it is
cooperative action for the common
good he 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
,;t,it am
ployers and workers.
The Work That Men Do.
The patton 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 extended to the
unfortunates on the other side. There
are about 80. 100000 at work;if they
work ten hours a day that is 100000
600 hours day or 100000 hours
a year. If they work eight hours it is
74.Se0,00O,CO0. or difference of 49,
Tc0.OG0nnO hours a rear. At eight
hours Cay this means that about
100000 mere men must be employed
to 60 the work that could he done by
the 100000. and where are they to
come from?
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 66o.O00 stockholders of
railroads in the United States. a large
proportion of them depend on the earn
ings OF the carriers for meager in
come. '~ny Of these stockholders
have less than $1,000 n year income,
and they are unable to earn mere be-
ing elderly persons or women. Thou
sands Of them are former employees OF
the railrcHes who dcrc"d rron their
stock dividends to ray tli'ir rent and
their rrot.erv hills
Labor and cspisal Are Partners.
The manufae tIred output Of the
United States amounts to FeSGnoHoo
900 in value per annum. This Is three
times the amount of the yearly output
of the ranches, farms. orchards and
gardens: it is dozen times the output
of the mines; it is larger than the com
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 real partner
snip exists?
Today there are over 100000. 900 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
are in many places overtaxed in doing
this work.
What will be the conditions when
there are 15O.OOOOOO people to be
served?
This means an addition of at least 80
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 1883
in the hands Of receivers in 1915, the
total capitalization of which was So
2G4.000,000. In that year alone 20,143
miles Of road went into the hands of re-
ceivers, and these roads had total cap
italization of SCHOLARSHIPS. This CON-
pares with 1922 miles in 1914 with a
total capitalization Of $199,571 ,446, in
receivers hands. This is not healthy
condition; 1t is a malady that affects
directly and indirectly every one in the
country.
Railways do not belong to few rich
men or bankers. There are at least
100000 owners of the securities of
American railways. There are 1,800,-
600 men approximately employed in
the railway service. The insurance
companies have S1.50O,O0O,OOO invested
N railway securities representing 3d.
100000 policy holders; savings banks
have SsC000oG00 invested in which
banks there are 100000 depositors.