Hillsdale Whig standard. (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1846-1851, 1851-02-18
Cotton Mills and Morals,

a late Providence piper mentions seventy
one mills as standing idle, ths greater part
OF which were within thirty miles of that
city. Some are running on half time-worh :
ing seven.ond-a- half hours day, and pay
ing half wages.
fhe causes assigned for this depression
are, the high price Of cotton, a glutted mar
kei, and the want of provective tariff. The
policy OF manufacturers in any country, is to
supply their home market first; when that ia
done, their surplus goods must be sent to
foreign markets, TO bring what price they
will, Large quantities OF foreign goods have,
accordingly, been sent hither from Europe
and this, together with tho product Of our
own factories, has caused the glut referred
10.
AZ to protection against foreign compoti-
tion, though it might keep our factories more
busy, and increase their profits, we do no,
suppose that any tariff would preven. the oc-
cuFrence, at times. Of seasons Of stagnation.
Alternate expansions and oontractions ap-
scar 70 be a nee essary law of great manufac-
turing operations A prosperous business
will soon be overdone, and an overdone bus-
ness mast. Of course. suffer pause. For
eign competition only makes SUSPENSIONS more
frequent.
There are those, and among them political
economists and statesmen, who regard these
factories simply in the light ofa pecuniary
interest. Their success or failureis in their
view. the success or failure of so much capi-
tai, and nothing more. This, however, is no
trivial matter, when we consider the millions
of money concerned, and the fact that the
owners of stock are not all persons ofprinee-
ly wealth, as some imagine, but. in many ca
ses, are people of slender means-wdows
aud orphans, it may be, whose all is invested
here.
But there arc moral intorsts connected
which far outweigh the pecuniary; and it is
the effect Of the thrift or embarrassment OF
these establishments on the morals of the
manufacturing population, that we are chiefly
concerned with in this article,
4 cotton mill of tho largest size employs
500 hands. Add to these an equal number
Incidentally or oollaierally employed-ou
ders they may be called, who are nearly az
dependent Oh the mill as the operatives them
selves and there are 1900 persons thrown
out Of work by tho shutting down of a single
gate. Many Of these are at loss to find
employment and homes elsewhere A large
proportion ofthem are young; and many of
them, especially foreigners, without guardi-
ans to watch over them, and without knowi
edge, are peculiarly open to such temptations
as want aud non-empoyment offer. The de-
moraliZing effect Of such movement, there.
fore cannot be inconsiderabie.
But take the single matter of l0ages. Tho
English say, we may sustain the morals of
pp
their wages: but that, with the reduction of
the latter, the former will degenerate. A re-
duction Of wages, however, cannot but be q
consequence OF a material and long oontinu-
cd, or oit-recuring depression of the cotton
business. Speaking OF the tariff. the gener-
al agent Of the - Company, who has boen
long in The business, and is very competent
man, remarked, the other day. that they
hoped for some relief from Congress in the
way of protective imports out added, signf
ieanty, "If Congress does not conform the
tariff to us, we must conform 10 IL" Howl
Evidently by reducing the pay Of their peo-
pie. The factories will go on at some rate;
for it is not to be expected that SO much cap
ital will be abandones; aud if they cannot be
kept in operation with tue present scale II
wages, they must pay less There is no 9TH
or way The consequence will be, that tho
operatives, instead of putting money into
the savings-bauks, as new, will bo impoyer-
ished and by these means. as a class, do
moraIized. For though there is no necessary
connection between poverty and vice, and
there are many creditable, and even admira-
Die exceptions to itSt ct as a general fact, es-
Decially where poverty exists in masses Of
people, such a consequence is a matter of
universal observation. Agur, in his prayer
or the medium condition, deproeGtes power
y a. being, even in an individual case. sub
Get To- peculiar temptations: and the tempfa-
ions are extreme in proportion as the poverty
s SO, ard are multiplied and aggravated by
social extension, sympathy and example.
Lot MS suppose that here, as in the manu-
acturing districts of England as elsewhere
n Europe, the pay Of factory people is redu
,ed to the very lowest degree compatible
With keeping soul and body together. Such
procedure touches, as with blight, every
'orsonai and social interest Of the subjects Of
|. Il touches their food and raiment, thor
est aud shelter their Sc eIf-espeot, and their
espocLa6ility ia the eyes of others; il do
troys their complacency and confidence in
heir employers; il shuts out knowledge
rom their minds. and petrifes their hearts;
invites some of them to drive immaral
aides, aud 10 sock a livelihood by means OF
ho vices ofothers.
But is there any danger that our factories
'ill ever como to such a pass as this? We
ope not. Yet why not, ifnecessity oompol
leml-if tho alternative be reduction Of wa
es, or cessation and a dead loss Of milionsl
. is not supsosable that they will evor como
} such an extreme condition all at once
he process if it happoas, will be gradual.
me downward step, and then another will
Q takon, as successive exigenoies demand.
u. az length, tho lowest dedth will be reach
d, and melancholy Prominence be obtain
q.
The FIRST considerable reduction will dis
iiss the best class OF the operatives. The
est educated and connected will return to
10 respectable and comfortable homes Of
leir parents, or betake themselves to other
and thoir places will DO filled
' others somewhat inferior IN intelligence