Final answer:
The statement about Scrooge being a good employer is false, as he is known for being miserly and treating his clerk poorly in 'A Christmas Carol'. The reference to a businessman's self-consolation about hard work being its own reward is unrelated to Scrooge's behavior.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement "Scrooge is a good employer and treats his clerk like a father would treat his son" is false. In Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge is depicted as a miserly and cold-hearted employer who initially treats his clerk, Bob Cratchit, poorly. Cratchit is subject to low wages, a lack of coal for the office fire, and an overall cold demeanor from Scrooge. This treatment is unlike how a father would treat his son, as there is little warmth or fairness in Scrooge's behavior towards Bob.
On the contrary, the businessman's feeling that "hard work is its own reward" reflects an individual's self-consolation in the face of hesitance to request a deserved raise. This sentiment implies that the businessman believes in the intrinsic value of his work, regardless of financial recognition, which may be a comforting thought but does not necessarily relate to whether his employer values his efforts proportionately.