American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-04-29

public debt; and we hope that measure re-
commended to the last legislature, will prove
wore acceptable to the next, viz: to register
2he voters of the State, and require one dollar
- De paid for each certificate of REGISTRATION.
This would add a large sum to the treasury
without sublecting any one to inconvenience.
THE FAcToRY SYSTEM OF TIE UNITED
STATES. The testimony elected by the British
Parliament of the operation of the Factory
system of Great Britain, has caused many citi-
1ens of the United States to consider the man.
ufacturing establishments of this country to be
ittle superior to prisons, where the poor are
compelled to work at a small compensation
and under many pTivatlons, for the benefit Of
the rich. Those, however, who are acquaint-
and the pay received by the operatives know
that nothing resembling oppression is prac-
Used.
At the late session Of the Massachusetts, leg
stature, committee was appointed to eX-
anime into the factory systematic hours Of
aoor each day-the treatment OF operatives
and their compensation. That committee re-
p0tted the result Of their abors on the eth Of
Earch Various persons were examined, and
rom their testimony it appears that girls VINO
labor in the factories can make excellent wa
yes We quote the following statement:
ssM!ss Elizabeth Rowe, has worked in Low
ell l6 months, all the time on the Lawrence
CORPORATION; came from Maine; she is weaver
works by the piece; runs four looms. "Aly
health, " she says, "has been very good indeed
g,1ce ! worked there; averaged three dollars
week since | have been there besides my
board; have heard very little about the hours
of labor being too long She consented to
have her name put on the petition because Miss
Phillips asked her to. She would prefer TO
work only ten hours Between so and so
work in the room with her. Her room is bet
Ter ventilated and more healthy than most 9TH
ers Girls who wish to attend lectures can 90
out before the bell rings; my overseer let's them
90; also Saturdays they 90 out before the bell
Fings 1t was her wish to attend four looms
She has a sister who has worked in the mill
seven years Her health is very good. Don't
know that she has ever been out on account of
sickness The general health of the operatives
y good. Have never spoken to my employers
about the work being too hard, or the hours too
long. Don't know any one who has been has
tened to premature grave by factory labor.
never attended any Of the lectures in Lowell
o. the ten hour system"
Three dollars week besides board, are
pretty good wages for a female, and We are moi
surprised that so many young females seek
such profitable employment. In few years
they can acquire handsome capital to com
meEce other business if they desire, or to aid ii
housekeeping when married. 1t is much more
rredltable for girls to be thus employed
than for them to spend their time in denes
and folly, as is the case with too many.
We make the subioined extract from the re.
port, and recommend it to the serious perusal o
those who indulge fears lest the factory system
of the United States should prove a source o.
corruption and oppression:
sit is hardly possible to draw a comparison
between the operatives in Great Britain ant
4hose IN Lowell. The one is manufacturing
,,opuation, in the strict sense OF the word, tn,
other is not There, the whole family 90 int,
lbe mills as soon as they have sufficient bodil,
strength to earn penny. They never conn
out until they die. Very little attention Is pai
20 their moral or physical culture, and as ha
been proved by facts ascertaned by commits
sioners appointed by Parliamentary can read o
write, and unless they have attended Sabbath
Schools, few obtain any knowledge ofthe Bibl
OF of the Christian religion.
In Lowell, but very few Gin some mills non
at alp enter into the factories under the age
6f;een. None under that age can be admitted
unless they bring certificate IRON the schoe
teacher, that he or she has attended school
,oast three months during the preceding twelve
Nine tenths of the factory population IN Lowe
COME from the country They are farmers