The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1868-06-06

ran Anfs 1sb sciENcxs.
In discasing mo power investsd an he
aboring elassss ~ means Of thsi inventive
rsnias, Ne inast not Overlook Ne fact that
snpisal aassmss 40 faznish the y sans while
ID msehonies lsRnisA the bsslns. As to
I'D point, " ID woll o saksisyus , Co We see
ms che snkirs profts Of tho skilled msehan.
ios employed In performing the work Of
factory or shop, do not amount, generally,
10 one-fourth Of the income Of the stock
holdsss, o. propfistors. Hsaee II l. easy 10
SEQ thAt those who furnish the brains have
very mach The worst Of the bargain. And
We might ~ well assert here that very many
of The most successful and wealthisst man
ufassurins establishments, owe nearly all
their success to the skill Of some few men,
who have delighted more In their proficiency
and skill, than locking to the whsrewish Of
providing for the sass and comfort Of their
families. And the result Of which d. thsir
children after them, have but few opportu-
mites Of improvsment, and 90 consequence
follow In The footsteps Of their parents, and
become hswers Of wood and drawers Of
water. Canaot thousands Of Woodworking
msa testify to the truth Of this? Do they
NOS know that thsir choice Of business pre-
dudes the possibility Of acquiring wealth
under the present system Of labor S-not
only 90, but the procuring OF competency,
from the tact that they have no time " get
rich-thsy are too busy for this--too busy
making their employers rich. A president
Of corporation or manufacturing company,
says Mr.. 4. or Mr.. b. is splendid workman;
and this Is in part payment for valuable
services rendered for making Improvements
which have enriched the concern. We must
confess that we cannot live conf Ortably on
this kind Of pay. The workman ought 70
have learned long since, that praise Of this
kind will bring famine to his family and
enhance the wealth of the institution, from
the fact that many persons are stimulated
10 greater exertions in the production OF art.
Let the mechanic be asked how many de-
vices be has wrought out, which are indis-
pensable in the workshop Of his employer,
for the manu- acture Of his goods, and the
answer can be truthfully given when he
saws, al am the author of my employers
wealth, and am at this time continuing my
IabOrs for simple wages, and living in . rent
cd house" And also, let ne ask you II,
with the accumulated wealth Of your en-
plOysrs, you are treated otherwise than as
lab0rer3
1t is to be supposed that laborer ought
to earn his wages, and work for the interest
Of hin employ all exact But there
IL no Law, human or divine, which makes II
imperative upon any one to exhaust ootf
brains aud muscle, without adequate CON-
pensasion. Yet, it 10 to be expected, judK'
ing from the past, that many will continue
down TO the end If time, using all OF theil
skill and energies in Augmenang tn'
we.lth of others, to the exclusion OF thel
own welfare, and especially their mental i'm
provement and that Of their families F; whii'
at the same time the penalty for such dere
LECTION Of duty meets them in the face every
time they visit ths.r impoverished families
It ought 10 bave been apparent to the labor
err, long since, that his employer makes 1t hi
continuous study to devise means wherewitf
he NAV secure greater results from his la
borers while little OF nothing has been dom
20 counteract this Increasing evil SO long
As no higher estimate is put upon skilled
labor, the wol kingmAn must expect to De re
eoSa,zsd as q part Of the machinery O.
the shop, aud cannot, Of course, compiair
in consequences thereof. There is no dis
guising the fact that many look upon labor
no matter how ingeniously done, as menial
and only consent to mingle in any form viii
1t because the profits produce aggrantize-
ments. The reader may say that it is easy
to ind fault, but is more difficult TO provids
. remedy. In some respects this 10 true
but If he subject 10 properly investigated
the fact will be found otherwise, because
there Is no social law that compels person
although mechanic, to admit that he IS in
mean business. The difficulty seems 10 ex
let in admitting this point. The rem edY IL
simple and sffsc.ual; and consists in pro-
perry defending the position occupied, not
outstanding others may hsve positions
more popular, although obtained BY fraed
and deception. The workman Of this eoun-
try have the strength to control and may
make their business honorable. And until
they take this ground and maintain their
rights and dignity, bat little good will be &C.
complishsd.
.