The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1873-06-28
Cheap Men


from the cooper JOuruAl
In Scc,baer's Monthly for June, Dr. Hol
land has an article On the Atlantic Disas-
/ ter, in which 1t Is claimed that the excep-
tlonally low wages paid officers III the An
I glo-American service was the direct cause
Of the frightful loss Of life incident to the
sinking Of the Atlantic In other words
I the writer holds that this service does not
\ pay sufficient salary to secure a compe-
/ tent man for first officer and that no one
I but an incompetent will accept a situation
in the service except under under very
/ pressing circumstances The only conclu-
sion that we can draw from the article is
that low wages produce cheap men in po-
sitlons where human life depends upon
skill and efficiency, Is a criminal act that
| should be visited with the most condign
I punishment. We can heartily indorse
this sentiment. Cheap men not only make
inefficient sea captains, they make incOm-
petent employees Of all kinds, as well as
very bad citizens. Cheap men have very
little genuine manhood, very little intel
hgence, scarcely any Independence Of
spirit, and are, in all respects, class Of
beings who are a curse and not blessing
to the country in which they live They
are an unmiXed and unmitlgated evil an
evil whether they occupy the humblest po-
sition IN the land OF the highest place in
the gift of the people. No man makes a
greater blunder than he who endeavOrs to
economic by procuring cheap men to do
his work The Anglo-American service
offers no lnducement to competent men
No one except a cheap man can live upon
the salary offered. cheap man is EN-
ployed, and through his fault the ship
is lost and hundreds Of precious lives tx-
tingushed III a few moments Verify, we
think this economy did not pay. A man
ufacturer secures cheap engineer, but in
few days there IS a terrific explosion,
property is destroyed and human life sac
rhced. Cheap men are generally dear in
the end to those who employ them, yes,
very dear.
What produces cheap men Long hours
Of unceasing toll and consequent lack Of
opportunity for intellectual culture and
scientific attalnments. The tyranny Of
employers who take advantage Of men Of
large families that must be fed, and reduce
their remuneration, has also much TO do
with it. The man who is forced to labor
hard for ten long weary hours from one year
70 another, and who never sees a dollar
ahead, Is not likely to pay much attention
to educational, artistic or mechanical per-
fectlon. He sinks, III time. into a mere
human machine and performs each days
allotment, because 1T means bread and not
because he loves his calling. If he loses
his situation, he has nothing to fall back
upon. He Is unable to provide for such
an emergency and as bis family clamors
for food, feels constrained to accept the
rrst offer that Is made him He is, in
fact cheap man made so by low wages
and hard work He never advances in
his calling H knew as much the day he
lett his apprenticeship as he does twenty
years after. He Is surrounded with ms
ery and wretchedness, his wife Is haggard
and worn, his children are meanly clad.
his home is hovel ana his food is not
calculated to inspire him with a love for
the earth or those who live upon it. Why
should he labor to perfect himself III sci
euce Of art Could he do so we're he So
disposed Does his exacting lot not pre-
clude the desire, or disposition to improved
How different would be the case If the man
was adequately compensated for his labor +
If he had not to toll except IN accordance
"lIH pHyslologlcaI principles IN that
case the world would look brighter, his
family could he surrounded with comfort,
his home be made cheerful and happy.
He would have leisure and disposition to
study, think and advance IN worth and
intelligence, and become a capable and
competent mechanic-an ornament to so
cety and staunch pillar of the State
Dr. Holland Is right. Low wages sank the
Atlantic Low wages cause railroad,
steamboat and countless other horrors
Low wages mean misery, degradation,
cheap men ana utter extinction Of liberty.
while high wages mean safety in travel and
to life generally it means education, NOR
ality and the greatest intellectual perfec
tion as well as the greatest hope for an en-
during perpetuation Of liberty to the peo-
ne and thn Stntp