The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-02-20
FROM RHODE ISLAND.

FROM RHODE ISLAND.
MiIIs-The Profits of Capital the Rewards of Labor
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
AND Providence PLANTATIONS
Fbruary 5, 1851.
To The Editor o. the National Ena+ u
have just returned from Fall River, beaut
fu manufacturing village situated on the north
eastern arm of Narragsnsett bay. This place is
now point of great interest, on account of a
striken or "turn-out" among the laborers in
the cotton mills. This turnout" is perh9ps,
the most remarkable in the history of our New
Euglsnd factory system and it well deserves far
more attention than it has yet received from the
press or the pulpit. 1t commenced some three
months since and is so extensive as to suspend the
operations of some thousands of looms and to de-
prive from 600 to ; 600 aborers of work. The
manufacturers of cotton goods combined to reduce
wages in their mile, and the operatives imme-
dately refused to work at the reduced prices.
This st tie of things still continues and when the
mills will again resume, and give to industry an
opportunity to bless the community with its toll,
cannot now be foreseen. The capitalists assigned
as a reason for their reduction, the continued
high price of cotton, and the small advance in
manufactured goods Under other circumstances,
this would have been n sufficient justification
But it is hardly to be allowed when some Of these
mills had previously boosted that, owing to their
superior machinery, and to the greater intelli-
gence of their operatives, they could make cotton
50 per cent. cheaper than any other mills in the
country and previously to the strike they were
paying lie cents to mule spnners for 100 skeins,
l. M Nh -. L.
price. IL certainly seemed wrong for companies
making such boast, and paying such prices, to
attempt still lower reduction.
The almost universal opinion was, that as these
companies had been making enormous profits when
cotton was less they now ought at least to be con-
tent to suffer little as we'll as to compel the la
borers to suffer altogether. The whole Of THU
proves pretty clearly that the proposed reduction
was made out Of avaricious and oppressive dc
signs.
But another reason assigned by the manufac
tnres is if possible, sophistical and hearless
They say that they have been at the pains to con
struct tables showing the earnings of operatives
in the same branches mt Lowell Chickopee Woon
socket Blackstone, &c, and they find that th
average paid to their own laborers exceeds thu
average per day paid to any Of those laborers
that their own spinners Mt 3 LIP cents per 100
can earn more than Woonsocket spinners Mt = cents
aud 50 of their weavers This argumen, is spe
l cious aud seems rrefutabls But let it be observ
cd, that if Fall River capitalists have procured
superior machinery, that machinery has not 81
much friction, and will not only last longer, bu
will consume less in waste, and therefore will b
cheapest in the end. Hence, while they pay TO
twice Ms much, and pay only the same amount fo
the whole as others fer the half it. their ma
chincry will not cost, in wear and tear as much a
| others They then save half on the pay for the
work and have at the same time profit on dou
| bile the amount of goods manufactured. Thu
accounts for their hossted 50 per cent. cheaper
than other mills Now, if anybody can run
cotton mill and pay fair wages these men Can
But this is not the worst Of the matter Superin
teudents and agents have repeatedly offered wha
was equivalent to premiums for the Creates
amount of work in day; and when it has beer
a common thing for the lsborers to get almost thu
largest quantity done in day. then the agents
| baye made il n rule 70 employ no one who could
not turn off so much. They thus have stimulated
skill and Industry to acquire an unusual dexteri
ty til heir rstives en- perform far more work
ON The same machinery, and more than double OF
| the beat as the aforesaid tables seem TO prove
At this pOint reduction is attempted, on the Piles
of this hard-tcquired dexterity Can anything
be more eoolly calculating or more selfShly tyrnn
mic n To the laborer it costs more, both Of tins
and intellectual discipline to learn to work rap
| idly and If he can do twice "a much in conse-
qneuce Of these extra exertioDs, he is really de
serving of more than twice rs much wages, as IA
as his interests are concerned and, 30 far as hi
employer is concerned, he will occupy less space
and will consume less than two men employed Il
DO the work, and therefore should receive mor'
| than one
Besides these hypocri'cal reasons, the manu-
| facturers say that their workmen at the reduced
prices will still be able to ive--a reason for pay
ing less, which rests upon the unhallowed as
sumption that the laborer has no natural OF lega
or sJcni right to anything more than bare live
Tho, d This is the vital element of slavery, AM
il will probably continue to haunt the minds o
capitalists, and depress the hearts Of laborers til
the relations of capital and labor are materially
modified Now, capital of $4,000 will bring
without the cost of feeding or clothing, an incom'
Of $500 while sill which alone can enable
any one to use that capital, will bring only $500
TO its possessor, who must both clothe and feec
himself out of that amount. This for the lsborer
And here is found the main reason for reducing
wages-c0pl'Gi must pay per cent or more Sucf
interest is vastly TOO high; but upon this value il
based the whole Of the business of the country
Ii is doubtful whether revolution would chang,
this order Of things but till IL ia changed so thai
labor is higher and interest vastly lower, the la
poIuIs uiu'b NOEh NJ nu ttuUisusc disadvantages
When shall we learn that we have not done al
for man, where we have given him wholesome
food and comfortable clothing II your horse OF
your OK has sufficient hay, oats, and water and i:
well sheltered, and not overworked, il is all hi
nature requires. But when you give man
sutiiciency Of meat, and bread, and potatoes, and
allow him good bed aud decent garments, you
have not half supplied his wants, even if he is not
overworked. But when you depress his wages
so that, by working II or i6 hours a day, he car
earn only enough to supply his animal wants
and then undertake, as the Fall River capitalist.
do, to say that he can earn livelihood you utter
bitterer irony than any hend in hell would dare
utter. This Is the problem of the age, to learn
to make MAN Of more consequence than PROPERTY
We In our discussions, and especially in our le
gislation, assume that the one thing TO be pro
tected by arbitrary law, by calculating cunning
and by crafty foresight is property; aud in The
middle Of the nineteenth century, our statesmen
and divines are continuing ways and means to pro
tect the petty hoard of sticks and straws which
our selfish prudence and our greedy avarice hsv,
collected while at the same time we are utterly
neglecting 10 protect the vast mine of capabilities
and powers in our orn souls which has afforded
us all that is really valuable.
| Yours once more, RICHARD RMswoop.