American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1851, 1851-04-02
MACHINERY AND LABOR.

We often hear the complaint made ssma-
chinery is making the rich richer and the poor
poorer--it is destroying the labor of the poor"
We have heard the same remarks made fire.
quently, and by men who otherwise held cor
rect opinions upon almost every subject. The
only reason why people hold such opinions is
owing to the little attention they have given to
the subject We hold the opinion, that every
new and useful machine, invented and i'm
proved confers general benefit upon all classes
the poor as well as the rich
Severe bodily toll, day by day, as a work of
necessity, Is coveted by no man. I" In the sweat
of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread" was the
woe pronounced for transgression, and ever
since that moment severe toll, for q bare sus-
tenance, has been desired by no man. Every
sensible man endeavors to do his work with
the least expense of toll ; and foolish must that
man be who does not look upon the saving of
slayish toll in the light of a. blessing. It is
indeed true that the first effect of new ma
chine is to throw some muscular labor out of
the market, but this is no more than adding to
the number of laborers; but wicked must that
man certainly be who wishes for war and famine
to depopulate the world, in order that there
might be more labor at the common trades for
those who escape the bullet and the sword
The laboring man sees q machine doing the
same work he might have done, and it may ex-
tort an imprecation from his lips, but, in doing
so, he forgets that the machine is working for
him as well as for It's owner If all machines
were in moment to be banished from the earth,
in what condition would the human family be
placed? In the condition of the Australian
savage; and yet those men who would prescribe
one machine cannot be consistent without pro-
scribing all. This brings down the whole mat
ter to its radical Every person who reflects
1rnly fha - ;..l@
conclusion.
But we believe that machinery does not throw
people out of employment and make them beg
gars, (the most common argument against it.)
No, it only destroys the least mental of manual
employments, and coerces man to seek more
elevated and dignifed pursuits When rude
trades are superseded by machinery, others,
which are less laborious and more profitable,
spring up, phnnix-like, from the very ashes of
the annihilated trades. The fields of labor have
become more extensive with every improvement
in machinery. How many new callings have
been created by railroads telegraphs, &C., and
all for the general good. The labor saved by
machinery is saved to all men, and the mechan-
ical skill of nation is very good test of its
civilization. graa s SG i pa a0
Machinery is the friend of the poor. 1t has
made those things common which were once
the luxuries Of the rich. The day is past when
fine linen OF purple was the badge Of a Dives !;
or when Queen Elizabeth could consider pair
of stockings royal gift. The poor type-setter,
who once strained his eyes beside dipped can
die, now composes under the blaze of gas The
poor mans locomotion is cheapened, and thus
he gains a month in every year.
improvements in machinery enable the hum
blest operative to read his cheap newspaper and
book-a blessing denied him not many years
ago. The use of coal alone, as connected with
machinery, has given employment to hundreds
of thousands. The luxury of manufactures en-
genders new wants, which cause new demands,
and repay new labors. Can it be pretended
that human power is driven out Of the market :?
IL one hand can be made to do the work of ten,
the nine are left free to add to the same sort of
work or to turn to something else, or to rest, or
to read. Saving of labor is increase of leisure
Here is a chance for the working man, helped
by machinery, to bestow on intellectual advance
ment hours which he never could redeem be-
fore.-N. i. Scientific american.