The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-07-14
From the Pittsburg Morning Post.
The Manufactures.

One of our exchanges says that not far from IS ,OO0
900 yearly earned in Massachusetts by females en-
poyed in the factories and manufactures OF straw
hats stocks, &c About 10000 females thus annual
ly employed" This is average OF about W 40 week.
ior each female thus employed With strict economy there
iore each female averaging this amount would probably
be able of her hard earnings SO cents week or @
year. To do this she would be required 10 obtain her
boarding, washing and clothing at 81 90 week; which
would surely be very moderate allowance. She must
moreover be entirely healthy during the whole tlme or,
at any rate purchase no medicine. She must buy no
books INK or writing paper pay no S Ss vs oo
places OF instruction or amusement where she would
have to expend any money. She must not contribute
anything to relieve the afflicted and pay nothing to and
Hemans, or Sgourney, or Mabran, she must not
her mind, except in calculating the great worth OF
the almighty dollar and its most minute parts nor must
her fingers be exeed except in attending to her factory
work Or IN making her own apparel Her recrea'p pns
meals, in the brief hours between quitting time at
night and the commencement of labor in the morning
Her book must be the little straws threads and her
study how to put together the greatest number of them
in the long hours of her confinement in the factory; and
her song Gf her tired frame would permit her soul TO
raise note of melody would be hushed by the unceas
ing din of the machinery around her.
tonientment. as all know, is the Of happiness
But many things in this life necessary beyond those
which will barely protect from the weather. and
tain physical nature, in order to insure this even to
well balanced and cultivated minds How much OF con,
entmen then, how much Of enjoyment can be expected
factory from their childhood, have learned, and can
learn but little, if anything, beyond the rudments OF
those brancheso of education which are calculated to
pand the natural powers OF the mind, and fit the ndiv
dual for sphere of usefulness even in an humble sta
ton in lifei The amount must necessarily be very
limited
And here another thought arises, originating in this
subject Of course is only the children of the poorer
classes of citizens who thus required labor TO
support themselves Unless they realize more than
bare subsistence from their labor while they are pre-
vented from obtaining any knowledge beyond that per-
tanning to the business in which they engaged they
must remain poor-they must remain TO great extent,
disqualified for higher sphere of usefuness-they
remain as they are, risk all upon change in their
employment and chance for more of the enoyments
of life They have not enough OF these; and while
many others possess them they cannot be content Hence
there are presented incentives to dishonesty and vice.
which unfortunately frequent and srongtoo potent
for large number of those thus suated-tbey venture
upon the unhaowed path; and disgrace and misery
follow.
Though the quotation which have made aludes
especially TO persons engaged in other manufactures
than those of cotton and woollen goods yet our remarks
are, great measure applicable to these, and likewise
TO the various other branches of business in which te
males are employed With few, if any exceptions the
operatives better paid for their labor those
ferred to and in branches their compensation is
lower than that which is stated above Such a state of
things should exist and yet hope the day
when such injustice will no, be tolerated in country