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756 



The Weekly Florists^ Review. 



August 24, 1905. 



Display of H. F. Michell Co.» Philadelpaia, at the Washington Ginvention, August 15 to 18, 1505. 



terest of his employees at heart, a sort of 

 enthusiasm is sure to pervade the estab- 

 lishment. I can cite instances that came 

 under my personal observation. The kind- 

 hearted master, who in the good old slav- 

 ery days, took a fatherly interest in his 

 human chattels, who fed them well, pro- 

 tected them, never abusing the helpless 

 creatures, was the ideal master whose 

 virtues are extolled to this very day by 

 the old Southern darkies. Such a master 

 seldom, if ever, had occasion to employ 

 his bloodhounds in pusuit after a liberty 

 loving negro. ' ' Like master, like man. ' ' 

 Faith and mutual confidence obviating 

 the necessity of the lash, the bloodhounds 

 and the vengeance of the slave. 



The ideal employer is he whose inter- 

 ests extend beyond the narrow sphere of 

 the counting room and the shop, who sees 

 in his employees the man rather than the 

 producing machine. Ever on the alert, 

 ever watchful over his own interests, he 

 realizes at the same time that the inter- 

 ests of his employer must be protected 

 as well, that the one subserves the other, 

 that one is impossible without the other. 



It is a noteworthy fact that some of 

 the men at the head of the great indus- 

 trial establishments in the west, such as 

 Procter & Gamble, of the ivory soap 

 fame, and Mr. Paterson, of the National 

 Cash Register Co., are approaching the 

 type of the ideal employer. The schools, 

 lecture rooms, clubs, hospitals, which 

 these gentlemen have provided for the 

 benefit of their employees, are most grati- 

 fying signs of an ideal state of affairs 

 obtaining in those establishments. The 

 result of these experiments prove most 

 conclusively that each and every employee 

 on the place takes a keen interest in the 

 Avork at hand, regarding himself, as it 

 were, as a part and parcel of a com- 

 munity, whose progress, as a whole, de- 

 pends upon the good will and the good 

 work of each individual member. 



Mr.. Paterson has indeed accomplished 

 most wonderful results. His employees 

 are a well-bred, well-cultured class of 

 men and women. It has been well said, 

 that no man has a right to demand that 

 which he cannot give in return. The ideal 

 employee, who, like Garcia 's messenger, 

 knows no obstacles and will face danger 

 withjhe fearlessness of a true hero, must 

 have a Garcia to serve. Admiral Togo 



won a naval battle, the like of which his- 

 tory does not record, because every man 

 under his command found in him the ideal 

 admiral, stern, exacting, and withal kind- 

 hearted and considerate. On the other 

 hand, the Russian sailors suffered defeat 

 because the men in charge of the un- 

 fortunate fleet lacked the qualities of the 

 ideal commanders. 



To sum up: The ideal employer is, 

 first of all, a moral man. Second, he is 

 broad-minded and considerate. Third, he 

 possesses in no small degree those quali- 

 ties or virtues, commonly called patience 

 and perseverance. Fourth, his own inter- 

 ests are inseparable from those of his 

 employee; and fifth, he regards his busi- 

 ness as a means, rather than end, ever 

 striving to mould hip life as his consci- 

 ence diclates, even aspiring to live up to 

 the golden rule, ' ' Love thy neighbor us 

 thyself.' ' 



THE IDEAL EMPLOYER. 



Bv Hkxkv Eu-hboi.z, ok Wavskshoko, Pa. 



[Awarded second prize In the convention con- 

 tent for the Beutty prizes for best essckys on 

 tills subject.] 



This society being composed of men 

 of various trades, as plant and cut flower 

 growers or both, wholesale and retail 

 dealers in plants or cut flowers or both, 

 seedsmen, siipplymen, noveltymen, build- 

 ers of greenhouse structure and boiler- 

 makers, and last but not least orna- 

 mental horticulturists, I presume the sub- 

 ject must be treated to suit every em- 

 ployer. 



First of all, an ideal employer must 

 be master of his trade; he must thor- 

 oughly understand his business, as only, 

 under these conditions will he be able 

 to judge work done and the ability of em- 

 ployees fairly. 



Second: The ideal employer should 

 have working capital enough to pay every 

 employee promptly in full for all services 

 rendered on days agreed upon, particu- 

 larly paying for all overtime due the em- 

 ployees; for if you try to squeeze here 

 and there a few hours, without remuner- 

 ation, out of your employees, they will 

 surely get square with you as soon as 

 your back is turned, and you are the 

 loser in this skin game. 



Third: An ideal employer should in 

 engaging men liave a thorough under- 



standing what is expected of each em- 

 ployee, and see that each one does his 

 duty. Have all difficulties adjusted at 

 once as sometimes a little misunderstand- 

 ing may create, in the imaginary em- 

 ployee, dissatisfaction that can upset the 

 whole working force. 



Fourth: An ideal employer should al- 

 ways be prompt, if he expects promptness 

 from his help; start promptly, quit 

 promptly, and, if really necessary work 

 has to be done before beginning or clos- 

 ing of day, pay promptly for same, ask- 

 ing no favors. 



Fifth: An ideal employer should see 

 to it that the Sabbath day is kept holy. 

 Have only the most necessary work done, 

 as a day of rest and recreation will put a 

 better crew to work at the beginning of 

 the week, and at the hand of your Crea- 

 tor you will be rewarded a hundredfold. 



Sixth : An ideal employer should be re- 

 served in manner, should shpw no favor, 

 be courteous, polite, but always firm in 

 giving orders and advice. Profanity is 

 an employer's worst enemy; like a child 

 imitates the ways and manners of a par- 

 ent, so does an employee adopt the ways 

 of his master. 



Seventh : An ideal employer should 

 encourage his employees wherever possi- 

 ble. There are many ways. Provide the 

 best of tools for every work. Pleasant 

 surroundings in workshop and homes. A 

 word of praise where such is due will do 

 wonders. Do not expect the skilled em- 

 ployee to also fill the place of the com- 

 mon helper. Have the trade papers and 

 other trade literature where the men can 

 get them at their leisure. Purchase the 

 most meritorious novelties to stimulate 

 the interest of your employees. 



And last but not least, to be an ideal 

 employer and have an ideal place of busi- 

 ness, it is necessary to employ ideal help. 

 This is very hard to find in this com- 

 mercial age, and as long as no institutions 

 are turning out ideal helpers, every em- 

 ployer will have to get along the best he 

 can. By following the foregoing advices 

 employees and conditions can be im- 

 proved ; as it is nine times out of ten that 

 the employer is at fault for the condition 

 of his or her business. 



In closing I wish to say a few words 

 to the florist section of this society in 

 particular. If you are master of your 



