692 



SCIENCE 



[N.S. Vol. XXV. No. 644 



great corporate bodies in whieli the vested 

 property rights have passed into possession 

 of the general public by the distribution of 

 shares and bonds, there is an indication of 

 a tendency toward the creation of a class 

 distinction in labor as well as in property 

 control. It is not at present so apparent 

 in its results as it will doubtless appear 

 later when the very prosperous conditions 

 of business and consequent increase in pri- 

 vate fortunes and lavish expenditure shall 

 inevitably be affected by enforced economy 

 of a more stringent commercial situation. 

 At present all forms of labor are employed 

 with increased compensation and with a 

 serious deficiency in many directions. But 

 there is an evident tendency toward a lower 

 valuation of mere manual force and an in- 

 creased valuation of mental agency. In 

 corporate control success depends, in some 

 directions altogether, on the personal quali- 

 fications of a superintendent or manager, 

 and the right sort of men are much sought 

 for and difficult to secure. The pressing 

 need is for managers of executive capabil- 

 ity for manipulating men and methods, and 

 it has developed so suddenly, it is all too 

 soon for the production of an adequate 

 supply. A great business corporation can 

 be created in a day ; but years are necessary 

 to produce men who can manage its de- 

 partments. 



Class distinction in labor will appear in 

 the elevation of skilled labor, the thor- 

 oughly trained man of science of executive 

 ability, and the manager, and the degrada- 

 tion of brute force as it is embodied in 

 the individual whose possession consists 

 only in what nature has conferred on him. 

 What will become of the latter as the labor 

 of his hands is more and more completely 

 replaced by machinery that can do hia 

 work better, is one of the great problema 

 of the future. It wiU be a question of the 

 survival of the fittest, and one that has a 

 lively interest for the youth who is now 



deciding what his future shaU be, for this, 

 and other similar phases of social and in- 

 dustrial life, will be brought prominently 

 into view during his generation. 



A feature of modem progress that has 

 an intense personal interest to every indi- 

 vidual in active business life is the tenure 

 of activity. Formerly the connection with 

 affairs of business was coincident with life 

 itself. But the old-time methodical, slow- 

 moving habits of the last generation of 

 business men whose attendance in the 

 counting-room included the daily working 

 hours, has given place to close connections 

 by telegraph, telephone, limited trains and 

 other inventions that tax human enduK- 

 ance. The father attended to his corre- 

 spondence, writing all his letters; the son 

 takes up a pen only to sign checks and 

 documents. The youth of the present day 

 must amass his fortune, make his reputa- 

 tion, get his enjoyment and pleasure in 

 business affairs and be ready to resign his 

 place to another at the age of fifty or sixty 

 years, at just the period of life when the 

 normal man should be in his prime, and 

 able to render his best service by reason 

 of his experience and mature judgment. 

 This is a serious limitation for young men 

 who have spent eight years or more of 

 their lives in gaining an education, 

 although the graduate of the school of 

 science has an advantage over those who 

 select other piofessions that require three 

 years or more of additional preparation, 

 which with subsequent office practise 

 render it scarcely possible for the young 

 lawyer or doctor to start out in business 

 for himself much before the age of thirty 

 years. In taking a position immediately 

 after graduation in the manufactory, the 

 man of science is making his way while he 

 is gaining his business experience. Ten or 

 fifteen years at least are necessary to de- 

 velop the productive capacity of any man ; 

 and the remaining few years permitted to 



