ORGANIZATION OF MANUFACTURERS 275 



tain's declination of partnership was the only one which ever 

 came within my experience. None of the other mechanics 

 ever preferred salary to partnership, and they were wise. 

 Nothing can compare with that form. From that time for- 

 ward the union of the mechanical and business partners went 

 steadily forward until no manager of a mill was without his 

 interest in the business, as pertaining to the position, and no 

 board of management, or important committee, was without 

 a mechanical representative. Thereafter mill and office con- 

 ferred upon all important sales or contracts. The mechanic 

 and the man of affairs were in constant consultation and 

 fellow partners — one of the most profitable changes that ever 

 we made. 



There was another step taken in the same direction. 

 Men having others under their charge were given an interest 

 in the proceeds, or savings in cost, in their department. Where 

 it was impossible to decide the limits of a department, the 

 managers were rewarded by handsome bonuses beyond their 

 salary, based upon the general profits of the year. Thus, as 

 a rule, every man in authority became more than a mere wage 

 earner. He felt himself on the first step of the ladder which 

 led to partnership sooner or later, and was worth any two 

 mere employees paid only a daily or monthly wage and denied 

 special recognition. 



This plan of reward according to results for heads of 

 departments has already become so general and is spreading 

 so fast we may be sure it has proved its efficiency. There 

 are few large department stores or important houses in retail 

 trade which have not been forced to adopt it. 



This plan is probably bound to prevail to greater or less 

 degree in manufacturing concerns, and the sooner the better, 

 for the greater number of the workers capital can compensate, 

 and in one sense reward, by sharing its gains, the more har- 

 monious and therefore more profitable for both must the 

 relationship become. 



The great secret of success in business of all kinds, and 

 especially in manufacturing, where a small saving in each 

 process means fortune, is a liberal division of profits among 

 the men who help to make them, and the wider distribution 



