The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1869-05-29


/ nave, since writing that document. re-
c3lved from England several works on the
same subjects, and they fully confirm all
saId. Ali that | stated, and now state,
give for the warning Of the people Of my
own State and country, that they may wal
OF the evils Of the foreign factory system by
the shield Of a lhvral and intellectual cul-
ture-by improving the habits, refining the
tastes and utilizing the capacities Or this
rapidly increasing class of cur population -
SO that their own individual elevation shall
add its strong support to the general
good, and tue elevation Of the whole Com
monwealth."
Further along in bis report appears al ax-
tract of letter TO Mr. Oliver rom a person
familiar with factory life IN Massachusetts, !:
"rhe princip PIE Of slavery, disguise Il as Re
may,' has always existed and always will
The manufacturer Will pay biz help a. little
as possible, and keep them at work as close.
y as possible, and all he intends they shall
have Is enough to ieed them, 70 clothe them
and TO keep them in hear. as long as he can
proftably use them, and then. lhe supply
having answered the demand, thev may 70
their way. Certain parties are called the
great manufacturers Of New England, and
tiOas; yet the man OF the family that has
beer ID their employ and come 0ut of il with
more than enough for decent ntermeut,
is yet 10 be found Now, when snch a par
ty begins work, he buys water power, ",
IL he uses steam, he selects a spot where
help may be handy, and then quietly buys
all the land in The vicinity, and, ~ soon III Ivy
begins the very foundation Of his mill, he
starts what Is called the store, aud every
body buys at the st0te, and II seems 70 Ivy
very handy-the store does-and so il IS
for i is helping the manufacture 10 Put in
his foundation and buld bis MIL w the very
money he ptld his people for their work
and which they pay back 20 hIm fcr sup
plies at the store with a good percentage Of
profit, and from being their debtor, they
have, before they know it, become his. And
such as this is what the matter is and is
the gres' lifting lever which lifts him up bv
the f9Ics Of others muscles. Everybody at
work in the new city buys, aud must buy,
at tue store all needed supplies, household
and personal. When payday comes round,
the employed get no money, but only a re-
ceipt or a store credit for future supplies
Usually, they are III debt t. the store, and If
they want to leave the place they find
themselves tied down By tie fetters " such
debt, ana they cannot leave The result is,
helpless crovd Of workers, the oppression
Of low wages, inevitable poverty, and dis
guised serfdom-a rich master, poor ser
want and a mean population. Such is the
story n manufacturing IN Old England, and
such is he story of manufacturing in New
England. Let the people Of Massachusetts
see 10 it, that the evil be q muzzied one here,
and they themselves be protected against lis
biting, By the shield ol an education that
shall keep il from eating into the bowels Of
the body polite"
After referring at considerable length to
the wages of operatives and cost OF living IN
England, the commissioner produces the
same facts concerning manufacturing cities
and towns in Massachusetts,, reckoning IL
hours as the standard days work, aud refer
ring more particularly to establishments in
the W tstern section Of the State: