New-York daily tribune., 1844-02-16
There never was, perhaps, more remarkable

| tho nOpular SenSltIveness 10 Lile ABUSES VI 49,
Labor and utter indifference to the abuse OF o'iiei
Labor, all around U.s. We speak OF this not az
all to paliate or apologize for abuses IN rae.1,
ries. Let these be corrected we VIII 90 oui -"
mart toward it. But listen to the oracle
mo in the bar.room or the caucus on fac.oiy "
preston, then follow him home 10 sec 's
hole in which sleeps and lives llie ''t l;.h
nrenares his food, and mark the terms IL "'iion
che ;s addressed. the light In when sne Is IL
parded. See if he regards the waiter al puoiio
hotel the driver of coach, as hiaii VI so''ie-
-, Iass than a man. See if he is as careful
mi to trench on Humanity i'll the various call
mos which minister to his own convenience and
comfort. See if he insists that the poor WIDOW
who makes up his linen shall be paid price to
enable her to live in comfort. If he does, you
have fallen in with remarkably favorable specl-
men of his kind.
But to return to Factory Labor: Amanusc-
turer reduces the wages of his workmen, ana lfie
whole land rings with it. Perhaps he has been
paving more than his rivals in business and mas
that he cannot stand it: perhaps he has INTRO
duced improved processes or machinery, which
reduce the work fully in proportion to the reduc'
ton of wages perhaps the Currency has con-
tracted and every thing has fallen IN money
price, or his business has fallen ott-but no mat
ter for all or any of this. The land rings with
denunciation Of his extortion and rapaclty. Is a
child chastsed or oppressed in factory-or any
act Of Injustice done there-how fierce the burst
of Indignation Does factory make large
dividend-it is trumpeted over the land; but the
wears when no dividend is made pass without re-
mark. and the establishments which lose money
and often fail are never talked of. If large
dividend is made, it is proclaimed that wages
should be raised; but the dividend falls Oft, and
who saws the wages should be lowered! Yet a
farmer or shop mechanic hires as low as possible
and cuts down next year, with or without reason
and nobody but the sufferer says one word ne
NAV abuse hired man or boy; but who ever
dreams that this is an argument against Farm
ing or Mechanics! -
Vet aoa;n. The popular fury is often blind as
a bat clothing dealer hires shirts made at a
shilling each, and the press abuses him as Shy
hock. grinder of the faces of the Poor. 1t never
thinks of asking how much better off the shirt
makers would have been if he had declined en-
blowing them-neyer seems to consider itself
called on to devise the ways and means Of en-
poying the Poor more advantageousy or sub
sisting them more comfortably-it is enough for
them to assail with opprohrious epithets any one
who does it-And yet we are sure all possible
abuse and denunciation of those who employ La
Dor too cheap will never be worth straw; the
only effective remedy is to devise means Of en-
ploying all to advantage.
Legislation to correct such abuses can seldom
do much good and will often do great harm-
The Edinburgh Review states that many child
rem, driven from the factories by the law which
forbds their employment therein over eight hours
per day, have been sent by their parents into the
mines, where they could earn more money! and
where they are kept at hard work, amidst every
discomfort and corruptng influence, thirteen or
fourteen hours day!
But we must stop. This whole subject of
the degradation and inadequate reward for Labor
forces itself upon the consideration Of our age,
and tcM be discussed. 1t sonot to be put aside
by noisy denunciation of two or three classes the
disease is universal, and the plaster must be as
large as the wound. Making laws respecting
wages or hours will not do the business-laws
and lawmakers are of precious little account in
the voice of groaning Millions and seek the means
of redressng their grievances as visionary, inf
del, or deluded, and bid them keep quiet till after
this or that Election, will only silence those who
have nothing to say, and no heart to say any
thing if they had When shall the wise and good
be united in considering what measures OF Re
form arc requisite, not to raise the price OF shirt
making, diminish the excess and irregulanty of
hours of labor exacted Of millners or promote the
well-being of factory girls, but to elevate the
diton and increase the reward of Labor univer-
sally? To what topic more important shall this
be postponed While the labor of any OK is
worth his living, is it too much to believe that the
labor of any vigorous and willing human being
may be made so Let us think OF 1t before de.
Gliding in the negative.
Gy MIR. VAN BuREN, the Richmond Enquirer
says 'by authority ,oilI not decline being can
didate for next President. Glad to hear it.
NJ Miss CURTIS, one of the Editors Of the
Lowell Offering is now in our City, and pro-
noses to call on some of our citizens for subscrlp-
tons to that work AS the first periodical ever
established and filled entirely by Factory Girls,
we regard it with deep interest apart from its
contents, which are usually excellent, intcllectu-
ally and morally. We hope it will be extensively
taken and read.
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