Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-12-11
THE RUTLAND HERALD.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER II, 1873.
INDUSTRY a DUTY.

IS #
There Is no more patriotic idea that
ever entered the mind of a citizen or
any country, than that of securing
greater prosperity for the industrial
classes of that country. The necessity
for labor, that is the common heritage
of all men, although ii may have been
imposed in the first instance as punish
ment for transgrcssion, has now become
the greatest blessing of humanity. We,
all of us, talk at times of the desirable
ity Of life of ease, and freedom from
labor and the exacting cares of business;
but whenever in the perplexity of our
daily life we desire such lot in life we
know not what we ask. Perhaps we
could for a brief season enjoy relaxa-
ton, but we do not believe the man
lives who can set down and contemplate
the useless drone who has nothing to do,
and who does nothing for himself and
his kind, and wish to be like him. The
necessity for constant activity at times
oppresses us, but were it removed and
men should allow themselves to court
life Of indolent ease, the world would
commence rapid retrograde towards the
ignorance and barbarism of the dark
ages, and if continued would reach
lower level than the history of the
world reaches.
There are now in the world a large
number of idlers, or those who allow
themselves to remain idle a portion of
the time, and who in the division of
their time leave a part of it for perfect
inertia, where they can have an exist
ence, but be free from care, labor or
thought. This is a dead loss to every
body, and the man who can invent an
expedient by which this waste of idle
ness can be lessened, will be benefac-
tor of his race Manuel labor is not all
there is of industrial activity. Man is
social being, and time spent in intelli-
gent conversation or in reflection may
be the most profitable disposition that
can be made of it, while study and re-
search that shall prepare man to do
better work and conceive higher schemes
for the progress and improvement of his
race, are not only profitable but can with
very many be the best employment of a
life time. The great diversity of mind
and constitution with which men are
endowed, make it essential that they
should travel in different paths, and de-
vote their energies to different pursuits,
all of which remove all excuses for in
dolence and idleness.
The subject of compensation or wages
is an important one, and it is essential
to true prosperity that there should be
a lust balance of rates between the diff
ferent industrial branches in order to
secure fair play. Wages should be kept
at the highest renumerative point, so
that the workingmen may not only reap
the full reward of his industry, but also
because it gives him just advantage
over the non-worker, who is thereby
compelled, as he should be, to pay more
for the necessaries and luxuries of life,
which he is too lazy or aristocratic to
produce or earn by the exertions of
brain or hands. The workers of the
world must support the idlers, and when
they get large cempensations, it places
everybody on better equality, and
compels the non-werkers to pay literally
for their support, and unless the idlers
have an abundance that they have in
herited from more industrious ances-
try, they are forced by the necessity of
living to do something and become in
dustrious workers themselves, and become
valuable as self-sustaining citizens, in
stead of drones and membranes upon
the industry and progress of the world.
Free America now stands at the head of
the nations for having the smallest pro-
portionate number who live on the labor
Of others, and one great cause for it is
that here the laborer is worthy of his
hire, and he receives larger compensa-
ton for his work; this, of course, raises
the price of what he produces, and it
requires more money for man to avoid
useful labor here than in the cheap labor
countries of the Old World, and, conse-
quently, reduces the numbers who can
live without work.
The signs of the times are encourag-
ing for reaction in the depression we
have been suffering for few weeks
back. The general shrinkage of value
and reduction in prices, which began
then have now ceased, and prices tend
upward. The danger of gen eral stop
age in manufacturing business or re-
duction of wages, has passed. In many
places operatives are suffering for want
of work, or are compelled to work on
short time or at reduced wages. But
many establishments that suspended OPP
erations are starting again, and those
that partially suspended are resuming
their wonted activity before the panic.
1t is, therefore, gratifying to feel assur-
ed that no Rore workingmen are likely
to have the bitter alternative presented
to them of 10 work or less pay, and that
while there will, be room for,,all to work
who desire, the compensation paid for
the labor of brain or hands will continue
to be so well paid, and prices win range
so high, that none can afford to be idle,
if they have an unnatural desire to.
When all are active and business is &C
tive, there will be nothing but prosper
ity in the land, and an expression of a
desire for idleness will be regarded as
about as reprehensible as that of de-
sire to CONT larceny or robbery.
THE VERMONT VALLEY RAIL