New-York daily tribune., 1858-07-12
INDUSTRIAL REFORM
ORGANIZATION OF AGRICULTURE

To Me Editor Of The ~ y T,bsae
SIR Ipropose to men of liberal and progressive views,
who are interested in the Improvement and elevation
Of the Race ard who convinced ha. II is only by
fundamental changes in the organization OF Society that
spv nrac,ica ana real good be effected an enter
prise which if carried out successfully will change the
whole existing Industrial System, and in so doing,
change the su.erstructure of Society, of which ths
system IN the basis.
When We consider the varied and terrible evils
which exist in Society around u.s. especially those which
grow out of the present state OF Industry
such ss the poverty Of the masses aud excessive toll
aod brutal dIugery to which they are subjected the
business cares snd apxeties of the rch the reverses
of fortune and the unforeseen ruin to which they are
exposed the violation of the higher sentiments of the
,ou in the desperate and selfish strife Of the business
world the emptiness and insnify Of the practical fe
of men, the hopes blasted and the fe-fsiures of so
many beings when consider these and other evils,
We mu.t feel the necessity Of some radical reforms in
the organiz alton of Society which will attack the dis
eaee of the ROOT, and by e1terminating the causes,
extermnste the Effects.
How are such reforms to be effected Whsre and
how is a beginning to be msdel What plan is to be
followed in an undertaking so great and difficult!
A beginning. answer, must be made in the Indus
trial System which, stated, is the basis OF the
Social Organization. The present system is false; we
must begin the work of reform here we must change
it, and establish a true system in its place.
Industry is the source of WEALTH and HEALTH for
Mantle two primary conditions of mis- happiness aud
moral elevation. II falsely organized, it
entails upon him Poverty. with it's attendant evil, Ig
norance renders him slave to Nature and sinks him
into materiaism ard ssnsusity. If rghtfully orgau
lied, it secures to him wealth and power frees him
from the dominion Of matter, gives him the means of
education ard spiritual development, and, asa conse-
quence Of all the uteror progress and Improvement
of which he Ia capable.
II ls evident then that the first great work to be
undertaken is TO organize Industry ughHy, taat 10,
on scientfc pr,nciples; by this means We lay true
foundation on which to build further, and to secure
the ply sicsl and moral elevation of Aan.
But Industry is not simple thing; il Is complex in
its nature, and composed OF several branches. Inc
fo,loWipg the seven principal ones:
Agriculture. Manufacturer.
Tue Domestic or Household System.
transportation. Mining.
Commerce. Banking.
We cannot change these al at once; We mus. pro.
coed progressively and in undertaking an Industrial
reform No must begin with those which are elemen-
tary al are the basis Of the others. The two funda
mental branches Of Industry, those on which all the
others depend are
Agriculture.
2 Household or Domestic Industry. If these can
be properly organized it will lead rapidly TO the or
gsnization OF the Others ana tn1s 70 an mtsK,a In
dustrsl Reform what will facilitate the opsrsnoo
the fact that Agriculture is not mon)pozed and 10
tha hands of the rich and uhusntlAl, like manutac-
tuIes banking and transportation; reform can 90
undertsken in that department without meeting wi.u
the opposition of capital and powerful sslsh otersss
The enterprise which We propose has then tor Us
object the
Organization Of Agriculture.
Organization Of the Domestic System.
ha atIQ
branches of the Industrial Mechanism for the follow
ing among other reasons:
Agriculture is the primary and most important
source OF production.
Agriculture furnishes the raw materials on and with
which the other branches operate.
The Household Is the primary sphere In which the
Transformation and preparation OF tnOee ma.elio' Ao
human use take place.
Agriculture is the great field of human labor and
activity.
The Household ia the m.in field Of the social Life and
relations Of man. and the care and esnog OF she
We could scduce other reasons, but these are sum
cent 20 show that Agriculture AID the Hou.enoa arc
tee bases Of the Industrial system and 10 fact o tno
whole Social Organization. Ii they are imperfecuy o1
falsely organized, they derange aad vitae oil h7o''
sity that organization in al its department.
We spesk Of them i'm perfectly or falsely ofssu-
zed though, 10 fact It is not strictly correct ior
are not organized at ALL but are in an ncohe'ent sso'
0eetltuc OF y eteu OfueI olu cOnUH7ivn'
Agrcul prosecuted Ii al Ignorant, ineinoiel.
ard SLOW enly mar by isolated families. who nc'e
not tenth part Of the knowledge, c>p'al ana Tuo %
resouroes necessary 10 carry 1t on properly. luey
scratch specifically the soil rather tnau cmlva- ~
gather yetr after yesr the same tcauty crops, ~oiA %
iu plenents which scarcely qusdrupe tns Po.oi
the human hand. and Lee gres. desl of tnel ~
rsiny days ana Winter noLths-for waIt OF c'no'H"
sion with the mechanic arts.
This most important branch OF INDUSTRY IS piooe
cuted al the preeeIt day by the mas. OF fsInei' ~
tearly o. rude msnnsr as i was 2,Wc yeals sko
among the Greeks and Roman. Tue reaper,
&C., and the scientific discoveries which nave osou
uscs date back bu, yesterday, and are sPPN'o OD'
BY very few. wh;oh
have taken place in Manufactures, We are ieu ~ eo
psrisor TO understand what could be dooe Io As W.
turs. In the former, the workman at toe Ploeo ty
can with the aid Of the powerful macainey on
has been inventsd-the power loom sponins Jonny
and the steam eagine-execuie in one deP ePnh n On
amount Of work which, eighty YeArs sSo, 80 s,;.
req aired over ~ 600 men Let capital 500 genius %
applied TO agriculture and il can be 90 ina
sp analogous progress can BE- effected IN H. sne sss'
nearly IS sonderful obtained - Al. ,,oSuo.
With he present system Of agriculture, .ns p.ouucs
of nation mus, be email and the persons 80 ~
/. Door P,lticsl economists write theories ~ 10 sne
cause CT poverty, ard s re nedy TIE pfimsy e.usS
to be found in the defective sod mlsefsoe .uIeI !
which this great branch Of industry Is prosscuIooi
remedy in its scientific organic ston aho 'ue 0PPh
cation 70 Il OF machinery on q vsss ecsle -.
A to the HOUSEHOLD OR DoxHsric oisiHM,
in az imperfect state e. Agriculture osvo1i OF
sys.em combination and other principies u orssoz%
ton. -
"Rude Nature assemblies human beings oy couples
in savage huis. This is an ascend - l~ .ns se'
proc uction Of the species, not Tor ine~ eoc 90
q - If. Th;s ,,r,nnie,vs syutem u believed UNI.