1900 Harry Johnsons Bartenders Manual (Mixellany)

— 36 — upon by the proprietor who is only actively engaged in wasting his own money. Therefore, bartenders should do what is best to protect themselves, and join together in an association of mutual help and endeavor. The members should ask only for wages that are reasonable, and never try to annoy their employers by threats of a strike, but have every difficulty, that may occur between the boss and the help, settled in a sensible manner, so that the business may not suffer by it. As soon as the men begin to dictate to their employers regarding wages and length of hours, they will fail, because they are not in the right, and they will not have the sympathy of the public. Our hours are always necessarily longer than those of the ordinary mechanic, but one should not be kept working in a continuous stretch of many hours. There are cases, naturally, where a man is obliged to stay on his post a few minutes longer than the allotted time, but no proprietor has a right to make a bartender work as long as he pleases, just because he thinks his "dispenser of drinks" is a slave. I have stood behind the bar in twenty years' active service, in various cities, and have been in business myself for twenty more years, so I have had the experience, the knowledge, and the feeling of parties to both sides of the question of employer and employee. A man who is fortunate enough to be a proprietor should be pleased to help his bartenders to obtain an organization, in which they may be financially and socially improved. Furthermore, bartenders joining an association of this nature, will find it of great advantage, as they can help each other in case of sickness, disability or death. I have known hundreds of good bartenders who, meeting with misfortune, became entirely destitute of friends and means. A new association should not start off under the impression that it can immediately begin to help largely its members, who are in need, with