, 1870-08-28
THE LABOR QUESTION.
An 0ctoEcnurlansA View OF tho Sub
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The Newport II, ~ Mercury publishes tho
following interesting article, written by gen.
tleman now over 90 yesrs Of age:.
In latter received by tbs writer from tho
late James Robinson, OF South Kinsstown, II.
l.. dated secoad month, ed, 1870, he says ::
:" IN 1897 hired good hands to labor upon the
fafm for three dollars per month, and in hay
hatseEt for tWeuty cents per day. That, how
ever, waa souethiug lower than common but
FIVE dollAss per month wAs the more general
wages fer appEoved laboreEs, and 20 through
the season." There WAS then comparatively
no tariff, no machinery, no Irisa, uo COLTS IN
the country, LaboreEs aud Amecllanics lived
mostly on pork, corn breld aud milk porridgo,
lodged In upholstered, unpainted shauttes,
and ireased in tow cloth in the sumner and
hired to woik on NV farm foE the soason two
Perry for 25 cents day for ali work s1ccpt
moving, for winch paid them 50 cents per
day. There vnro then no moving machines,
no, Lorne rakes. no horse NY
where up to O'Clock at night. Ia tl,1t year
brilt small factory and hirot abte-bodied
neM to work in it 1t IS per month with board,
Women I hired for Is cents pei wesk% and
Farmers produce and food generally uers
much cheaper than now, but al nanulse.
turtd goods much higher IN price.
4, this tune, u little before, lAaor-saving
machinery began to be introduced into Eng
land and this country, aud u terrible outcry
sEote lest it should stafve out the lsborsss,
Aud in eome instances it WAS broken to rieces,
aad its introducers threatened With violence.
Steamboats, also began to he introduced, and
sailors thought their occupation about ended.
Arxrl<, =, Jrkh 5f1H
tipp,-illAt was not only to bankrupt surnpiks
corporations, but Cause tho anniAiiation OF AL
horses.
but, strange a. it mar seem. as machinery
incre lsed, labor and farmers produce rose IN
value. while manufactured goods fell to .
steamboats, multiplied on tho rivers, there WAS
an increased demand fol eeArnen to convey
the produce they brought to the cam.
r,ercial depots, to domestic and Tor
eign markets, sn1 60 continues. So
with necessity for horses. such was the i'm
petus given to business and travelling, thst 1oO
ho1ses ware soon required to convey paesen-
gers tu tho depots where a single pair were
wanted before to draw the old ''Ay hap
stages from Boston 10 Providence, or fru11
Dan to Beeraae.a. And now mechanics and
lat.rers uf nil kinds had begun to take .
higher stand in society. to drink tea and cof-
fec. to eat ,caiie 5read, aud live IN comforts
bic hired houses, when new danger threat
enrtl them.
A terrible famine occurred in Ireland, and
millions Of Ten csrt = day laboEers besan TO H.
yade cur country. Ruin stared our OWE labor
e5s in tho face, but 10 and behold, strange as
it nay seem. through the weird elects Of
Eonle benehceut encAantct't w.nd, 90 fa1 from
lesseninc the price Of moro sklful labor, the
cheaper labor OF the Irish only increased u to
fal;uloas extent. md cur artisans soon Pc
}txA1 1v,f ff,ai~ eNcy TtNh1E
orpame1ted houses In this winter, anu to spend
their fuunmcre At fashionable watering places.
The Irish now afford the only men and Women
of ali work, and these are getting so fearfully
scarce ttat it1s perfect =Gony to live On
but 10 and behold: uov that tho march Of
empire aud civilization has finished the circuit
OF The world, tic returning tide threatens
lator with new and most terrific danger
-Four hundred millions OF Chinese arc aboat
to iuvsde ne. who will work not for g or Is,
as good, fai,h1rl Yankee hands were glad to
do half century ago, but for the p!tta1ce Of
S25 per month But let every sou and dauGh-
ter OF toll take courage and judge the future
by the past. Hitherto labor his ccspel the
Whole benefit arising from improved machinery,
1t has more than divided with capital the
| prdtiss and conyenienccs OF steam aud ral.
] The advent Of the 11ish foa1-foldel the wages
| and made botees Of the Yankee lxborars, and
| row that tho sous Of E1in have become en-
] Hcbteued and prepared by their instructive
! ana IberxIldng experiences in Araerica, they
too. in turn, Will DO lifted On the shou1deea Of
The coolies, through the new impetus gisez
| tr their introduction to industry and the aKts,
| into hiche. posiuona than they have hitherto
| occupied, and al who live by honest l.1,o,
| viii 30 on progressing in IN increasing ratis
| Of prosperity, as sure as 1Aat the literal de
yiseth liberal things, a1d II liberal thing
| shall stand" for sneh il tho law OF hura1usy
| the universe and God.
! THoNAs T. HAzARo.
Al tnia price thousands Of young women We.
then Glad 10 dnd employment a h5ase 9r ,sso; @
I vcrs. Hum huns, The lowest priced loEa 81
| tons were then worth from TWENTY-FIVE 70 tn:r3y
! th-ec GEMS per yard, whilst cotton sneennG
showing saat weeks WORK you'll purchase !es 5
| taao ysru Of the CHE Q: The had 51ta v
toc othe=. Now yonnK women can t.oa
three TO SIX dollars pcr wees, whilst eot.Ns
s,e,lnz sell at frrE: Is II 20 tents Pc y.si tan
other goods IN rzoPortiGn'. thus denonstfatiat
htyond denial thst the Wages EetetveA fos
l weeks work At the Present uulc VII purchase =
| uan5 yards OF manufactured Geao*iS - 3eG
| WORK Wcut1 have done 1ts3 JeAr's ago. Aau =
We fsve political econou'.ts who asset sas: n
I x,ffer ~ fha hnpr{c9u G.VeYrment since faa