Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-09-07
TIE RUTLAND HERALD
SATURDAY. SEPTEMBER Q, 1871.
what Labor Is doing for the Race.

what Labor IL doing for tho Race.
Tn recent article attention was caiiec
70 the "E.timate put upon labor by Mod.
err Society,"" showing its demoraiiz'ng
and enervating effect upon the present
and coming generation. 1t may not be
unavoidable to consider another phase OF
this subject. and apply test to labor
Jud 20 it by its operations, benefits, and
effects, asking the question What has
labor done and what it is now doing for
man2
The people are clothed and fed, convey
ed by land and water, sheltered from
storm, and warmed by our hresides, In
structed, amused and refined by the pro
ductions of labor. Labor builds roads,
bridges rivers, tunnels the Hoosac, and
Thames. Converts granite and clay into
stately edifices, builds the humble cottage
home of the peasant and grears the mag.
nifcent palace Of royalty-with patient
toll it bores down into the bowels of the
earth and brings marble, iron, coal, cop
per, silver and gold to the surface. La
Dor manufactures the products of land
and sea into every conceivable article
that the want of man requires or his
taste desire. A few strong, thinking
minds work away in the laboratory OF
science and wind, water, gas, caloric,
electricity become the ready servants
and powerful agents of humanity, per-
forming such wonders az the feeble gods
of antiquity never equaled.
Labor stretches forth its hand, and from
ocean to ocean, the waters are covered
with the fleets of commerce, cleaning
wealth from torrid sands, and everywhere
gathering up the riches of nature and
civilization The earth brushes aside
her wild wood forests, and spreads out
the broad fertile fields Of plenty, Cities
with churches, and schools, libraries and
picture galleries, merchandise and halls
of Justice, in fact all the comforts, refine
ment, and elegansies of civilized life,
spring into active existence, concentra-
ting intellectual energy and stimulating
ambition.
Labor walks forth In its imperious
might and pyramids rise in everlasting
grandeur, the Parthenon crowns the Aero
polls with unequalled beauty, and the
maiestic cathedral of st. Peters reverent-
ly points it's spire heavenward
California and Australia reveal their gold
en- treasures. and Golconda unbosoms her
richest Jewels, and the great Kohinoor
flashes forth its mountains Of light, spark
ling and bright.
Labor also chisels the marble of our
quarries, by the genius of a masters art
Labor works patiently at the easel and
the canvas is radiant with almost divine
sweetness. 1t brings up pearls glistenine
with fresh beauty from the ocean bottom
of truth, and on the wings of thought pen
etrates the heavens. In fine, everything
beautiful and useful in art and valuable
in science, is the result Of labor. Were
the earth at this period of time brought
back to its primitive state, entirely
stripped of the works of man, with its
vast population starving and freezing in
Russian SHOWS or sGorching in Afric''
sands-homeless - shelterless, starving
despairing-huddled together in naked
mi,ery, the appalling spectacle would
but partially impress on the present gen
GRAFTON the value and Importance of labor
Who then shall say in this day of demon
aliziug tendencies and wonted degrade
ton of labor, on the part OF the leaders
of modern society, that labor is not digni,
fed or reputable-that labor which sup.
ports, refnes and elevates the race? Let
the foppish and sentimental adherents
and advocates of the glories of that mod
ern fashionable society which despises la
Dor aud the laborer, and would ostracist
them from participation and enjoyment o.
tho so-called higher circles. look around
them and see what labor has done, is now
doing for man, and then shrink into thei
own butterfly nothingness, beside the dig
nifty and power of labor.