26 KANSAS INIVKRsri'V (JT ARl'KRl.V. 



The tinn was first established in 1H77, incorporated in 1883, and 

 began profit sharing in 1886. Its factories are in St. Louis, Mo., 

 Mound City, 111., and Leclare, 111. The number of employees 

 varies from 400 to 500, and the wages range from $1.25 to $1.50 per 

 day for common labor, and from $2.00 to $2. 50 per day for skilled 

 mechanics. The company runs full time with the possible reduc- 

 tion to three-fourth's time for perhaps a month in mid-winter. 

 About one-half of the company's works are located at Leclare. 

 Here the factories are well built, heated with steam and lighted 

 with electricity. The compan}' owns 125 acres of land. 15 of 

 which are reserved for factory uses and no for residence purposes. 

 There is no attempt to build a model town, as there are no 

 models for houses or modes of action for people. It was held 

 that in every respect life should be as free from restraint as on 

 a farm. But the streets are well laid out. They are paved with 

 cinders and sprinkled in dry weather. Plank sidewalks prevail 

 where needed, and shade trees have been planted on all the streets. 

 Water and street lights extend wherever there are dwellings. 



The company has made it possible for employees to purchase land 

 at a ver\- low rate and build their own homes, pacing for them in 

 monthly payments. Should a person desire to move from the town 

 the company- takes the property from him without his loss. 



The plan of profit sharing adopted varies somewhat from that 

 of the example just given. It sets aside one-tenth of the profits for 

 a reserve fund, one-tenth for a provident fluid, and one-twentieth 

 for an educational fund: then the balance is divided equally 

 between employers and employees. The reserve fund was set apart 

 to meet the loss of a bad year and to equalize dividends when profits 

 were small. The provident fund was created to take care of the 

 sick and disabled and the families of deceased laborers. This 

 latter fund is in the hands of a committee of five of the employees 

 elected b\ the employees themselves. Special rules are made for 

 the control of the expenditure of this funtl so as to meet all the 

 requirements of the capitalist. There are no conditions attached 

 to emplo}'ment and profit sharing except a man's capacity for work. 

 There are no agreements respecting unions, time of service, nor 

 the manner of (putting. Finally the manner of division was modi- 

 fied so as to yield 2 per cent, on wages to every one per cent, on 

 capital, and the earlier practice of setting aside 10 per cent, for 

 provident fund, and 5 per cent, for educational fund was displaced 

 by paying out whatever was necessary for these funds and charging 

 the same to the gross profits. 



The results of the first year's business after profit sharing was 



