The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1868-11-07

men to emigr.te, and the employed should
remember eat amp rise In wages ebtaiug1
By al undue reduetionIo of THAR semploRkfI
profits maE Ultimately bring serious loss
upon themselves. Capital is always with
drawn from an industry when profits are
reduced below the ordinary rate, and capitAl
is the fund from which wages are Supplied.
lt, therefore, becomes evident that on the
one hand grave disaster may ensue h en-
ployers try to enrich themselves BY reducing
the earnin,. Of their workmen, or, on the
other hand, r workmeu augment their earn
ings by diminishing the profits Of their en-
ployers below the ordinary rate. We. there
fore, arrive at the eminently satisfactory
conclusion, that those agencies will produce
the most permanently beneficial influence,
which give additional prosperity to capital
lists and laborers alike. have already
shown that such an agency will be brought
into operation by the establishment of some
system of industrial partnerships. And
will now briefly glance at some other cir
cumstances which will exert a similar indu-
ence. II has been already remarked that
the active competition which England has
TO carry on with foreign countries renders
il peculiarly important to prevent any unne-
cessary burden being cast UPON her indus
try. Il may be easily shown that most Of
the serious burdens which the industry Of
this country has TO bear. are, either directly
or indirectly due to deficient education. Ii
is trueism 60 assert that ignorance il the
fruitful source of crime and pauperism.
The vast annual cost Of maintaiRing our
criminals and paupers represents 80 much
distracted from the profits OF the capitalist
and the earnings Of the laborer. And this
subject assumes a still more serious aspect
when Il is known that reduction in pro-
hts and wages NAV cause capital to be with
drawn from our industry. and may encou-
rage our best laborers TO leave these shores.
Experience has shown that the moral quail
ties OF man are developed by bringing bis
mental faculties into activity. If higher
moral tone and a keener sense of honor pre-
vailed, what an incalcalable expenditure
would be avoided, which is now annually In
Cured, because there are always some who
cannot be trusted to do their dutv withou:
being carefully overlooked. Education
powerfully promotes the acquisition OF the
most valuable industrial qualities il makes
the workman more skillful il also induces
him to recognise the duty Of setting aside
some provision for the future. Ignorance
and reeklessness generally accompany each
other. Let it not be supposed that because
dwell upon the econimic advantages Of
education, under estimate those advanta-
ges which are social and moral. So strong
~ an ] impressed with these, that | have
often felt that higher wages would eif'ct no
permanent Improvement in the condition of
considerable section of our population, II
they we're permitted to remain in their pre-
sent state Of ignorance. Extra earnings are
often spent, By those who cannot appreciate
rational amusements, in drink and tobacco.
dIminution in the hours of toll is q great
boon 70 those who can utalise leisure, but
SPARE time hangs heavily on the hands OF
those who can neither read nor write. MANY
painful fact R1ows that those who are sunk
deepest in ignorance and poverty, either
will not or cannot amply additional wages t.
raise their own condition. Any slight ad-
dition they may obtain to their income, such
as that which arises from a fall in eprice
Of bread, encourages earlier and more i'm
provdent marriages an increase of popu-
lation lie the result. Things soon become
as bad as they were before the only differ
ence really il, not that there is n wider diff
fusion of happiness and comfort, but .
greater number are called into being to live
the same life as their parents. In these re-
marks on education have chiefly considered
the subject IN its economic aspect. l have
been induced to do so, not only because eco
nomic questions are assigned TO the section
Of which ! am president, but because various
indications prove that really comprehen-
sive scheme Of national education will meet
its most formidable opponents In those who
object to the cost il may, in the first IN
stance, entail. II the state should exercise
its legitimate power and become the pr0tee-
tor OF children whose education is neglect
ed, We mnst be prepared to make an outlay
ia order TO provide the necessary educa-
tional appliances Those who have intro
duccd bills into parliament on the subject,
have, as vet, only had the courage TO deal
with one-half of the subject. Thus, the
measure proposed BY Mr.. Austin Bruce and
Mr. w. E. Foster was thought to be very
comprehensive but il would only confer
the power 70 enforce an educational rate,
and would altogether fail to reach those
children who are either prematul ely sent TO
work, or who are SLOWED TO run to ruin in
our streets. Something more Is required
than commodious schools and efficient teach
ers. When the schools have been built and
teachers found, il il absolutely necessary, il
we desire t. see the nation educated, that
the state should confer upon local anthori-
ties the power to proven. parents from in
hietng upon their Children the irrepa rahle
wrong Of allowing them to grow up in a
state Of ignorance. If the state js not pre-
pared to grant this power Of compulsiOn,
think we shall hnd 1t very difficult to meet
the arguments of those who object to the I'M
position of any additional rate. They will
be able to urge, with some force and plausi-
bllity "the rates are now so heavy that they
impose serious burden ur On industry, and
they often press heavily upon those who are
bravely struggling against poverty" 10
some districts Of London rates have almost
reached their maximum points. iemem.
Der few years since, when there was q
good deal Of discussion about the misman-
a cement going on in warehouses;, an inteli-
gent inhabitant Of Bethnal Green signifi-
cantly said, at is almost impossible for us
10 increase our rates. There are thousands
who are resting as it were just on the verge
Of pauperism, and an additional impOst
placed upon them may, at any time, in
duce them TO become the recipients instead
Of the payers Of rates." No doubt some
thing might be done to remedy this critical
state Of things by fairer adjustment Of pa
rochial burdens, for il now often happens
that that the chief burdens of pauperism is
thrown, not upon the wealthy bat upon the
wealthy, but upon the very poor II, how
ever, an educational rate were levied as
equitably as possible, the children who are
nos most neglected, would not then be sent
to school. Many Of you will corroborate
what am about to say, that both in town
and country there are numbers Of children
growing up in state OF complete ignorance,
who live in the neighborhood Of well man
aged and well supported schools but those
who object TO educational rates would be at
once conclusiveIy answered bv arguments
based on economic considerations, il such
rates were associated With q power to COM
pei the attendance Of children at school. 1t
could then be affirmed that the outlay in the
FIRST instance made tor education would in
evissbly act more powerfully than any other