Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1843-11-07
From The Phdldnr.
EXPOSITION OF VIEWS IN RE-
GARD TO INDUSTRY.


to the great political movement of this
country, commenced in 1866. We will
now proceed to explain our views in rela-
ton to the grand question Of LABOR and
INDUSTRIAL REFORM.
LABOR, productive, creative Labor, IS,
together with the natural fertility Of the
earth, the sole and only source of riches
and temporal ptospcrity-is the means, and
only means by which man supplies him
self with things necessary to his physical
wants and the appliances OF con- Tort and
pleasure; by Labor, and Labor alone, man
feeds, clothes, and shelters himself; by
Labor Lo controls and governs the mate
rial world, and extends his dominion every
Nature and her creations, obeying the
command 10 " rcplcnsh the earth, ant sub
due il: aud have dominion over The tish OF
the a, and the fowl Of the air, and over
living thug that moveth upon the carth;"
a command which implies the universal
cultivation and establishment Of the sur
fac Of the Globe, aud which, when rightly
fulfilled, will ill the earth with prosperity
and abundance, AMI make il grand scene
OF material beauty and harmony.
Labor and its Organizations are the great
practical questions, the primary and most
important questions, which should occupy
the attention Of men Of science and OF
statesmen. Upon the Organization of
Labor, that is TO say, upon It's mode Of pro
Sccmi0n and the conditions connected there
with, depend the primary interests of man
kind, the physical happiness OF the race,
public aud private prosperity, and the
wealth and power OF nations. This grand,
this capital question lies at the bottom Of
all social questions; it affects the mo- i'm
por;ant interests or soci ~, its temporal
condition as Il 50 its moral condition, and
on It's solution depends the improvement
and elevation Of the laboring masses;-and
vet this great question remains almost to-
ta!iv neglected. At present, rs IN former
ages, this fundamental question, the orLd-
n .ation of Labor, upon which rests the
whole Social Edlice, Is overlooked by sci
enco and politics for minor and subordinate
questions Under all governments and
among all Nations, Labor has been left
uaorg1ni.cd, mnrcguIttcd, and without di-
rcction; it has been dcspised and contem-
ned and given over to ihdirldndt effort 10
be prosecuted without regard to collective
good. 1t has been held subServient TO
powers winch have had n other interest
in it than to spoiate it, and Cypress il by the
subiugation and degradation OF those who
performed it. The Military power, and
Inc Financial power or that Of capital, have
ever been the masters Of Labor, and they
have done nothing Tor il, but to keep the
mass in subiection, poverty and gnor-
ancc, in order to have II prosecuted Tor
the boncit Of the minority who wicId those
powers.
Labor, to give 1t It's more comprehensive
title, PRoDUcrIvE INDUSTRY, by which we
understand, especially, agriculture, manu-
lac.urc5 and the mechanic arts, has during
the whole past history OF the world until
within n century or two, been completely
under tie dominion of the military power.
In antiquity, Labor was prosecuted by
Slaves. who were prisoners or the dcsccn-
dents of prisoners, taken in war, and was
exercised under the rudrSt and most brutal
conditions Performed principally by poor
and degraded slaves, the odium which was
cast upon it by this and other circumstpn-
ccS, caused it to be looked upon as degra-
ding aud dishonorabIc and unfit for free
man to engage in. \ striking example OF
the light in which Productive Industry was
.hCld IN ancient times is furnished by his
tory in the fate OF the Roman Senator,
Ov,nIus, who was condemned to Grath by
Augustus for derogating from his dignity
by conducting Il manufacturing establish
mcnt
In antiquity frcomcn gave themselves VI
10 pleasure and intrigue; Statesmen anC
Warriors considered only conquest and the
spoliHton of nations by war, and PhlioSo
pJ"rS deemed speculatlons upon labor ant
lis organization, unworthy of their atten
uon, ii indeed they ever thought of the
qIcsUon.-Such was the condition of La
Dor in antiquity, desplscd by the small mi
nority of frecmen, and prosecuted by ar
ignorant and degraded mass.
During what are called the Middle Age
Industry was prosecuted manly by Seris
the modified slaves of feudal Barons, and
in their hands it was as degraded, despiscC
and neglected as in antiquity.
In Modern times, in the age in which
we live, Industry is prosecuted by Hire
Laborers, who have personal freedom, which
was not possessed by the laboring mass o
Antiquity and the Middle Ages, but wht
ars still doomed to- mental scr,itude, which
again is only modification Of serldom, 4,
Scr,dom was Of Slavery; but the tenure o
control has changed, and instead of being
subjected to the power of the Sword, the
laboring Glasses are now subjected TO the
power Of Capital. Their time and the
fruits OF their toll are as much at the dis
poSal of this new power ii Society rs they
ever were nj that Of the military power
ludnsdry has been immensely developed in
modern times, particularly within the last
MY years, by the discoveries Of science
ana Tho invention of mechanical art, and
mas received some degree of responsibility
win me personal cnlranchisement of the
mass WIN their partial elevation and the
spread ct intelligence among them: In,
still Industry remains without Orrosj.o-
ton, and Is prosecuted without mcrb,d or
order, or any regard to the coIlectiva
- wants of society, OF the welfare of ,boso
engaged in il. Ii is conducted IN the mos,
desuIiorv manner by individuals, without
concert of action or mutual understanding,
without unity. and under circumstances the