New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1846-05-14
VOL. VI. NO. 30.

per week aud il is not pretended ina. the Conpa
MES have any interest in The matter except 70 have
board cheap and the lsborers handy TO their work.
Ia fact many worknen board elsewhere than N Cor
poration boarding houses all nave the right to &c
who have relatives to board with. No inquiry ia
made by the Companies unless some Of The boarding
house keepers complain of being senderly patron
lied that they cannot live and pay rent. This pro-
duces requ;ston tina, the laborers shall board on
the premises according 10 the regulations. There
is no complaint that board is 100 dea--ratber the
contrary-but many OF the boarding houses are too
crowded, and lack accommodations essential 10
health and cleanliness We believe these are equal
to those enjoyed by aborers in cities generally but
they ought to be improved. We should thiak the
Girls especially who are mainly farmers dsus hters
and have been accustomed 10 ample sleeping room,
opportunities for washing, &c would remedy the
matter themselves by just uniting to pay 25 or 37i
cents more per week condition of having ample
and comfortable accommodations. There is no rega-
laion in the way Of this-nobody would wish 10
prevent it-and they would still earn more beside
their board than is earned By Working Women al
most any where else than in American factories
Will they no, think Of this
We fcar there is not care enough taken 10 provide
for toe Ventilation Of the factories We know that
ignorance and indifference in this respect is all but
universal bet this is noexcuse. The owners OF fac
tories are usually men Of decided intelligence they
understand the laws OF life and health they are
aware that the mills are often required to be kept al
as high temperature is consistent with health
that hundred human beings employed for day after
day in one room must have large and constant sup
plies Of fresh cir or their health will suffer. We
en;reat them 10 give heed TO this matter not
only in building new factories but with reference TO
those now existing. They should at least consider
that Ventilation is cheaper Than hospital treatment
which we believe in Lowell is afforded to those
who need il gratuitously.
The great master evil in operation a, Lowell.
however, aud too generally IN American factories,
is that of Excessive Hours OF Labor Al Lowell,
all hands are expected to begin work at A. N.
and to labor with bu; half hours intermisson for
breakfast and as much more for dinner till P. NJ.
making thirteen hours steady employment daily.
The working dav is little longer ri seasons
and little shorter nj others, but this is about the
average and it is entirely too much Il is
tax on human energies than formerly, because with
the progress OF machinery, the attention required is
more cor slant and the work more exactng. Many
OF the girls tend three looms plain weaving where
one was formerly thought enough--two certainly
so-n some a chain is TO be lifted at intervals,
requiring very considerable muscular effort and
though this may be more Eealthful than merely
mendng threads and supplying spools all day it not
the less contributes TO increase the fatigue created by
thirteen hours Of scarcely RENTED toll Most OF the
Women employed in the factories are still young;
a large proportion sirle of fifteen TO twenty
and when il is considered that they hereafter 10
become wives and mothers. il will be that the
preservation of their constitution is of the highest
public importance And il is not enough that they
should continue healthul and vigorous They should
have time FOR and be encouraged TO form habits Of
daily reading and study Yet what can be expect
ed of girls of slender forms and immature strength
no find themselves first at leisure little before
eight O'Clock P. NJ. after having been on their feet
with barely time for hasty meals since five, A. NJ.
Can they be expected now to apply themselves
with alacrity and perseverance 10 any means OF
mental improvement Surely not Hence must
grow habits of Indifference 10 books and of mental
friyoli,y. very mournful 10 think Of as character
izinc The mothers Of those who will rule the desii-
mics of our country in the next generation
Now we know very well that Wo men are more
unbes,thfully employed, confined moro hours and
far worse paid in many other branches of industry
than in Manufacturing We know that those en-
gagged in Sewing in our Cities are special instance
of ,his-that there are thousands on thousands OF
Household Servants for whom even Sunday shines
no holiday and who would be deemed upstart and
affected irthey should even indicate wish Tor men
tal improvement Ii is not a question whether
Manufacturing is worse than other employment TOR
women--we have often enough expressed our con-
vc,ion that il is not-that the introduction OF this
branch of Industry into New England has largely
contributed 10 emancipate Woman there from pc
cuniary dependence and 20 increase the reward OF
her homes, toll There is no question with as 10
the utility and advantage of sustaining and cherish
ing Manufac,ures-wc inquire only whether more
good may not be DONE more evil prevented while
we cherish them-and we insist that there may be.
Let our manufacturers spare no pains or expense TO
make the situation Of those they employ just what
i, should be-le, the Hours Of their Labor be re-
duccd ard every thing essential 10 their Health pro-
vided, without reducing their Wages-and then let
the Country be appealed 10 to sustain our own truly
Free Labor sgains, the cheaper vassal service OF
the Old World. Rely on il. though Tariff OF One
Hundred per cent. were deuonstrsbiy necessary.
the Couatry would cheerfully impose and untiinch-
ngly maintainit Who would not cheertnIly pay
bescarly cent yard more Cotton fabrics TO Sc
cure such result Who would how many
agents OF birmingham and Leeds went showing
aud rubbing their trumpery specimens through the
Committee rooms of Congress, while our Lsborers
were prosperous, heallhful cos'en,ed and happy
The Great National Fair a, Washington neSt
week will naturally draw together great number
of persons engaged in Manufactures from all parts
of the Country Why will they not come together
there and consider whether something cannot De
done. may not be done 10 limit and render uniform
the Hours OF I sbor in future throughout the Coun'
try? a voluntary resolution thus framed and acted
on would exert The force Of Law over the whole
Union. Ii would do more TO establish and secure
the Protective Policy Than reams Of undensble Sta
,:.,;., e,j cart.lnEds of convincing SpSeckes.-