Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1844-08-13

MACHINERY.-Amost every paper we
of some new labor saving machine. In al
NEST every department of labor, we find that
the slow process of individual hand labor, is
being superseded by that of machinery, and
work which gave employment 10 numerous
| able-bodled men, is accomplished in many
cases by one woman. What is to be the re-
suit of this What becomes of these men
who have been trained from youth TO par
tlcular business and find themselves thus sud
denly deprived of the means Of subsistence.
We find in no instance that this machinery
results either directly or indirectly TO their
benefit. 1t falls, as matter of course, into
the hands of the wealthy employers, who
have never yet hesitated to use j: solely
to their own interest. We fail to perceive,
SO far as the welfare and happiness ofthe mass
are concerned, particle of good which has
resulted from the use of machinery. 1t is
true we have more articles of elegance and
'hoiS vi convenience, DuL CGHlldSt
our condition with that of our fathers and
forefathers. Instead of the general comfort
and contentment of tina. day-the general
prevalence of good order and moralty--and
the general sociabilty and good feeling which
pervaded all classes, what have we? The
extremes of every thing except virtue. The
extremes of wealth and poverty. The use
less palace with it's worse than useless luxu-
res, and the howell with squalid poverty and
its attendant miseries. The good feeling as
we'll as morality of society are gone. An
unnatural strife appears to exist among men
on the one hand to add luxury TO luxury, OH
the other, for the bare comforts of life. We
consider machinery as the main instrument
in conducting to this condition of things. BY
the great facility with which articles of eve
ry kind could be produced, an unnatural
thirst for''gan was caused, The machines,
of necessity controlled by the few, are used
as instruments of oppression to the many.
The world is alive with them; day and night
they continue increasingly their operations,
and the world is running over with their
products. But is there less of sorrow, of
suffering and degradation abroad. Alas, no;
for sorrow, suffering, and degradation are OH
the increase in every walk of life.
But was it for this end, that man has been
enabled by his creator, to press into his ser
vice, the elements. We think not. A go-
rous result will yet be accomplished by ma
chinery. Every machine, with its never cea-
sing clank. may be considered powerful in
structor in urging man to his duty, and its
instructions cannot be disregarded. From
the hurry, strife and toll which now animates
mankind, these machines will force leisure
by the ovcr-abundance of their production.
Such must be the result of their operation,
and with leisure comes thought, and with
thought, new and better action. They will
themselves demonstrate the folly of the pur
poses for which they are now used, and in
stead of being engines of oppression, leveled
against one portion of mankind, they will be
used as the servants of all.
We doubt not, at the present time, the IN
reduction of every new machine, is source
of evil, but we hail them results OF the
onward march of science, which will eyentu-
ally elevate man to his true sphere.