Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1867-09-13
g scgIl
WHAT q LAB0Rf

WHAT q Labor
To It's present inhabitants, at least this
is a new country. Tia wilderness and lux
urlance Of nature must be tanned and prun-
ed 0il &c E tll 5ha highest needs Qt the race.
One a.E Is that as a people we are prac-
Ieai We praise labor; Ba admire Muscle. We
reward Il with political hon0rs; 1ur preach
arS preach muscular Chrsuamtyi cur
young men-nay our old neH--e9ntesE tor
the meed OF victory IN base balii tae race Is
to the swift and the battle % the strong
gymnasIumS and callsthanie schools are
part Of cur educational institutions, aud
brain work Is s5 i discount, o. rather mus
ole rules.
So long as shis pride Of bodily strength and
physical energy, is kept IN It's proper place,
al Is we'll, but are we not encouraging a san-
Gment which IS unjust TO the braIa workers
Of the raee2 Il IS true chat the crowning
glory OF a maa i has phgshaa2 are tlle
! lab0rurs tho muscle men, the 5n!y ones WHO
Iabor2 Do not others who stand IN the
pulpit or On thaE ros5rIn vino study in IL
braries, experiment in laboratories, think
investigate. and write N parE0E and sano-
dIm, actually labor Is The protector and
director less a worker than be Ehg delves
and digs7 We think not. All honor to
the we'll directed muscle which expenda II
self in transforming the wilderness, IN I'M
proving our homes, and in constructing ma
chIlgry aud other appliances for human
comfort ami happiness: but At the same
time, justice 10 Ehe thinker, che writer, and
speaker. who elaD8ratGs 6he crude idea and
transforms from the shapeiess ore Of Thought
the coin Of the mind.
The inventor Knows how often bis nights
are passed IN sieepiesaness, and bis lays n
lhstraCtness. IN order TO eiuCldaJ9 and per
fecG has uniformed ideal. The editor knows
how hand and brain become exhausted Ia
che effort 10 lead, or even 10 keep up with
, the never ceasIng march Of improvements.
The mind and body are Too intimately con-
nccted for che exercise Of one not to weary
the other The thinker feels a iangu0r OF
tha body as well az al exhaustion OF The
mind after protUacUed intellectual work
The writer calls into play a set OF muscles
which are among the most easily 5Ired. The
almost unceaslag movement Of the hanG
and arm in the act OF writing Is scarcely
SURPASSED II any merely manual iaBgr-
8ack and forth across the page and Irom
inkstand 60 paper, for hours, the hand musG
60 until the wearied muscles refuse re per
form their office. The constrained position
IS next il exhaustive tendency 90 an en-
forced confinement IN the stocks Often the
body becomes so tebIltaEod Gha5 when che
Eriter is released his appetite is gone, aad d
.lnguor which t0rDids healthy sleep sue,
caeds
But apart from the bodily waarness IN.
3uced hy the buCilY ezertiOn, the 0gerstraIn
ad brain REACTS On the body and produces q
sense aT physical STRAIN not az all G4IereRl
frem tnat experiences 1y the muscle worker.
The enforced action Of the VIII, which com
{ peIs concentration OF Thought on one SUD-
ect, produces incense wearlness and pam ID
body Then 5he trequanU diversion OF che
attention from one sIulaet 70 aups--~s COM
puls0rv on the business man, Who overlook
the 5ifFeraus departments Of has business,
and the requirements of many persons, who
jntrude upon him every moment during tha
day, Is anything but c0uduCIye % ease tho
A0ly.
Ezeept for those who perform the SIM
I plesr and most mechanical labor there must
be BRAIN work with muscular aZertlon. The
uaGhiukIng worker only laI works. Ills ID
the a10r Of the slave sr the Ok. with DO IA
sentivg bur the hour or release and the Lr25-
lcatiou Of appetite The mechanic 4
though sflI 0f she process winch he machine
/ he tends is celebrating He observes Iu5
I failures and shortcomings and 7aTaigh1wgy
sets the brain at work 10 improve EAe de-
wee Or 1e finds employment Cor mind 10
/ iev,sIng an improved tool. Hence come
some Of cur mast raiuel Inventions. Is
this brain Thought 90 labor Does It NOT
weary Il would be Ridiculous to argue
otherwise
To return Co the mental laborars, who
/ among the people o ge faster Their hair
grows gray aaG their bodily functions refuse
GheIr office 5O0Her Ihan those of The merely
mechanical laborer Theirs Is the harder
.ot for the mind driven for hours n oae
ar4oz, refuses TO stop aE beck or call, and II
( becomes master Of che auervatad body and
denies il rest while the mere muscle work
ar inds rep0se rs soon Us the strain On ll.G
muscles is relaxed
He Is the hardest .a50rar who drives cht
BRAIN only, aud hl Is the most reasonable
( worker WHO iudig,oUaiy divides tine raspgn
+ 5ibiHtIes IaG duties Of lie betWsen BRAN
and muscle. Scientific AaefIcGa