The subject of loyalty cropped up once more when one of our farm laborers has his wife delivering a baby, their fourth. Expectedly, the farm hand, made a cash advance much, much bigger than the equivalent of the working days. The amount is supposed to represent his output for the entire week. To our mind, the disparity in the amount and the number of work days is out of the question. For as long as he remains true to his commitment to work in the farm until the owner calls it quits, a cash advance is always an option.

What is our take in tackling the issue of a laborer asking a cash advance?

Well, for one, not all hired workers are given the privilege. In our case, we made it a point to our subordinates that once you put yourself under our care, you are assured of “insurance coverage”. Of course, we are not referring to that kind where the laborer is covered with an insurance policy. Although we know that the laborer is an insurable interest himself, our assurance is that he can always turn to his boss if anything happens along the way while serving his daily chores as a farm worker.

This is the most important part of the working relation. We demand loyalty from our workers, because we presume they have no one to turn to except to his “amo” when an emergency crops up along the way. What is clear between the boss and worker is that anything that will happen to the family of the later will always be taken care of. Such emergencies like sudden affliction of ailments to any member of the family that needs financial consideration.

This is where loyalty comes into the picture. And what comes to mind is a famous poem by Elbert Kim Hubbard.

The full text of the Loyalty Pledge says: If you work for a man
In heavens name, work for him, 
Speak well of him,
And stand by the institution that he represents.
Remember, an ounce of loyalty
Is worth a pound of cleverness.
If you must growl, condemn,


And eternally find fault,
Why resign your position?
But when you are on the outside,
Damn to your heart's content.

But as long as you are a part of the institution, Do not condemn it.

For if you do,
The first high wind that comes along
Will blow you away
And probably you will never know why.