ABSTRACT
Mr. Church’s comparison of the best-known wage-paying methods and their respective results in unit earnings and costs was prepared some years ago. The topic was temporarily supplanted in immediate interest by more comprehensive considerations of school, systems, and doctrines of management. The practical instinct of employers has, however, always realized two controlling elements: first, that expense burden has a vital connection with the question, and that an actual reduction in time taken means a reduced total or works cost, though it does not mean a reduction in wages cost; secondly, that after a certain point is reached, excessive earnings on the part of the man are out of proportion to the benefit from reduction in burden realized by the employer. Before proceeding with a comparison of the data afforded by the diagrams, it may be desirable to give some details of the Rowan variety of premium payment.
