The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1836-12-28
From the PHILADELPHIA Gazette


LABOR SAVING MAcnINERy.-There are
many sensible people, who for the want of
examining the subject, have embraced the
idea that the invention of labor saving
machinery is prejudicial to the working
classes, and instead of feeling reioiced at
every important improvement which is caf1
culuted To abridge human labor rs they
would do iflhey rightly understood the mat
ter, they deprccate the ingenuity which is
the author of so much supposed mischief.
A few words to such persons may not he
misplaced at this time, and we solicit the
attention. of mechanics and manufacturers
especially to these remarks.
Every implement or tool now in use by
which any trade is carried on, is n labor sa-
wing machine. IL there were no spades,
hoes, shovels, or ploughs, men would he
obliged to dig the earth with their fingers,
or scratch it up with sticks or stones.-By
such means a man with constant labor
could scarcely get out of the soil as much
as would keep him from starving, and his
whole time would be so taken up with ras-
ing food, that he would hardly be able to
clothe himself. II there were no dis,afi's.
: spinning wheels, or spinning jennies, cot
ton, fax, and wool, would have to be twist.
ed with the fingers instead of being spun,
and after il was spun, without looms Il
could not be made into cloth except by the
slow process of Plating, which would tako
a long time TO make enough for n suit OF
clothes.
| Ever since the primitive state of man,
the efforts OF the human mind have been
constantly employed inventing some mode
by which his wants, whether natural or
artificial, could be supplied by less labor
than before. For every body must per-
ceive, that just in proportion to the dim
mutton of labor that can be brought about
in producing suiliciency of one thing,
more labor is at command to be applied to
the production of some other thing, and
that in proportion to the quantity of useful
things that can be produced, must the COM
forts Of the whole community be augmented.
IL these propositions were stated of u single
family, no one conld for moment doubt
their truth. If it were said for instance,
thnt family would be better off and have
more enjoyments if some of its members
were occupied in pl0nghingy sonie in spir-
ming, some in weaving, and some in ma
king clothes, than it all of them were o.
bliged to scratch the ground with their f,-
gers, for even sticks and stones thus ap-
piled, would be labor saving machines, in
order to get potatoes enough to eat, every
one would perceive that the introduction
of labor saving machines had benefited
them ALL Aud why shonld the same not
be apparent IN reference to a community,
which is nothing but large family? IL
would indeed be difficult to assign "a reason,
for none exists, and nothing is more certain,
than TINT every invention which diminishes
human labor is n benefit to the human
race.
Ii is true however. that 10 q complicated
state VI society, individuals engaged in par
ticular branches Of business may suffer
temporary Inconvenience from the too sud-
den introduction of machinery. But this
suffering cannot last long.--The capital
saved by the new process constitutes a
fund for the employment of The same pco-
pie in some other pursuit, If not in the very
same business. The reduction in the cos
of producing the articles to which the ma
chincry is applied, so increases the con-
sumption, that much larger quantity is
required, whilst at the same time demand
for labor springs up, in the manufacture of
machinery.
The history of labor saving inventions
from the earliest ages, would probably
show that their first introduction was al
ways regarded with hostility by the labor-
: ers to whose trades they were applied, and
that none ofthe evils anticipated from them
; were ever realized. In order to see their
operation, let us take the case Of The art OF
Printing. Before printing was discovered
. all books must have been manuscript, aud
t the length Of time required TO copy vol.
q ume must have rendered them so dear
p few persons could have afforded to bu,
: them. When types we're invented ,h
e scrbcs Of lla, day must have thought ,hu
D ruin starcd them all in the face, aud the,
would no doubt have joined in reguls
: trades union, TO put down any contriynne
d that was calculated to interfere with IN
trade Of copying But what was the rcsul,