The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1870-06-18


CONCLUDED. L
That the position of the workman will
ever b. as desirable as that Of the weather.
classes seems, as far as we can see, highly
inpDbablo. Some people are shocked
when such a proposition rs plainly enunciA-
ted. They have sort Of hazy idea that
the external conditions Of our existence cab
not be inconsistent with the perfection and
happiness of man. They have been taught
that this is q world where only man is vilh,
and it sounds TO them immoral to talk as hf |
there was any insurmountable obstacle 10
an ideal state of society except what they
are accustomed to term our fallen nature. |
The fact is, however, that this is very far
from being the best of all possible worlds,
and we must look that fact in the face H'u-
man society might arrive much nearer per !
lection, both moral and material, if theFe |
was not so much hard work to be done. LII
must be done by some; and those to wh9m
il falls to do it will inevitably have less
pleasant life than others. But though TO
annul or entirely alter the influences Of lhe
world external to ourselves is beyond cur
humble powers, We can generally ether
modify them to some extent, or, what comics
to the same thing, modify ourselves to sait
them, if only successive generations Of Hien
addrefs themselves wisely to the task jhst
as an individual may by care preserve his
health in a pestilential climate, though The
can 90 little or nothing to alter the climate.
And Sc, though there will probably always
be much 10 regret in the workman's lot, I'VE
may look forward to improvements Which
will give him a considerable amount of cent
fort and happiness ] will enumerate sdne
Of these which we may reasonably expect
will be reached when present struggles hIe
over, and when employers and workD4en
alike have learnt to shape their lives and
conduct by the precepts Of a rational rsli-
gion.
Employers, though exescising their Cwu
judgment and free action in their industrial
enterprises, viii never forget that their arst
concern must be, not the acquisition of an
enormous fortune, Lut the well-being and
comfort Of the laborers dependent on them.
Hence there will be an end Of that reckless
speculation which sports with the happiness,
and even the life, of workmen and heir
familes-displacing them here, massiDg
them there, treating them, in LhOrt, as mere
food for powder in the reckless conflicts OF
industrial competition. We shall no longer
see periods Of spasmodie energy and frahtic
Over-production first in one trade, then 10
another, followed by glutted markets, com
merclal depression, and cessation of em-
ployment. For capital being concentrated
ID comparatively few hands, it will be Dos
ihL Co employ it with wisdom and foresight
lcr tho general good which is quite out of
the question while the chieftains Of Industry
are l.sor-aui1cd multitude, swayina TO
and flo IN the markets of the world as
blindly and irrationally as a street mob 1t a
fire. Thus the workman will be abl4 10
count on what is more precious to him than
anything e-steady employment, ands on
income which, whether large or small, is, al
all events, liable to little tiuctuation. The
demoralizing effects Of uncertainty in thi'
respect can hardly be overrated. Large
numbers of workman at present, front ne
fault Of their own, lead as feverish sanC
reckless an existence as the gambler
When this state of things ceases, we may
look forward with confidence to remark
able development Of social and domestic
virtue among the working class.
To give the workmen due independence,
he ought to be the owner of bis abode,l or,
at all events, to have lease of it. In s1me
instances at present we find men living in
houses belonging to their employers, iFom
which they can be elected at a week 8 no
tice. This is often the case among GOLFERS
and agricultural laborers, and what grind.
ing tyranny results from it, need not ;tel
you. 1t is not desirable in a healthy. in
dustrial society that labor should be mfgra
tory. Ordinarily, the workman will lon
tinue in the same place, and with the same
employer, for long periods, just as is the
habit with other classes. Fixity of abode
will naturally accompany fxity of wages
and employment. Here, again, we may
expect an admirable reaction on social ,anC
domestic morality.
A diminution Of the hours Of work Is fell
by all the best workmen to he even nort
desirable than an increase of wages Al
Of you, ! am sure, have so Thoroughbred
sidered the question in all its bearings,i thai
[ am dispensed from dwelling ont %
length. | merely manI.----ts ruat i may
M L--rrUxrd | undervalue it, IL The
working day could be fixed at eight fot six
days in the week, and a complete holiday
on the seventh, the workman would have
time to educate himself, to enjoy himself,
and above all to see more Of bis family.
Let US consider how far the State can in
tervene to render the position of the work
man more toIerabIe. That ought to b the
first and highest object Of the State, and
therefore we need have no scruple about
taxing the other classes Of the community
to any extent for this purpose, provided we
can really accomplish it. But Of coutse it
must be borne in mind that by iniudieious
action IN this direction we might easily de-
feat our own benevolent intentions. For
instance, it is conceivable that such taxation
might become so heavy as to approximate
10 effect to the establishment of Commun-
ism, and the springs Of industry and frugal
ity, ID other words, the Great u Of capital.
would be proportonately affected A gain,
the State must not afford help to worl-men
in such shape as directly or indirectly to en-
courage on tie one hand idleness, ar,l on
the other a reckless increase of the pc ula-
ton. For example, it must not interfdr he to
lower the price Of food or houses; bed ause
common sense and experience alike shoSy US
that such interference would rapidly pau
perism the class it was intended TO beheft.
But there are, | believe, many waIs il
which it may add most materially to! the
comfort and happiness of the poor viii bout
as all relieving them from the necessity of
exercising prudence and industry. Az re-
CARDS their physical comfort, it may carry
out sanitary regulations on a scale hitherto