Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-01-28


company In Massachusetts, imported from Eng
land operatives for their mills and the super
intcudcnt, short time after the introduction
oi the Ignorant and cheap help, found the ma
chiucry could not he run only ninc-tcnths rs
fast as it could be with American operatives
and, also, that it was more liable 70 be out OF
order under the management OF the imported
help. than when run, at fall speed, with their
former operatives And he further states, a.
his opinion, that the best cotton mill in New
England, with operatives who are unable TO
write their names, would never yield the pro-
priotors q profit, and in n short time tho ma
chincry would be worn out, and the mill-owners
would be left with q class OF persons not able
fo earn sufficient 30 pay for their subsistence
Another superintendent OF q cotton mill says
hy substituting o learned for m ignorant class
ol operatives, he was enabled TO add twelve
per cent 10 the speed Of the machinery, with
out any increase Of damage or danger from the
acccleration.
1t is our opinion that the experience Of the
farmers and mechanics in this country must
coincide with the statements given above.
What farmer or mechanic has not found great
difference i'm the amount and also in the
quality. OF the work done by his hclp2 Has
he not also found that, aside from the strength
and skill Of a lahoror in some particular work,
the workman of intelligence and thought gives,
In the end, the best satisfaction. and, on the
whole, is the cheapest help
Man is 10 earn bis bread by the sweat OF his
brow. and be also is made 20 think, " What.
ever, therefore, God has joined together, can
not safely be separated Labor and thought
are so intimately connected that man is only
manly when De is able % realize the purpose
for which hc is made, and, at the same time,
only when he uniulds nll the powers Of bis
body, mind and heart. lie must be dlligcnt in
business, and also .eryont ia spirit, or active 10
thought
Much is -uid in these day. Of reform, ia re-
gard to the fitness Of men for particular trade
or vocation. IL is said that some men are
made up round, some square, and others tri-
angular, and that there are places in the trades
to which these men are fitted, and thoy cannot
successfully work in any way OF business than
the one made for them We will admit that
some men succeed 10 some particular vocations
better than in others but does it necessarily
follow that no one man, if properly educated
and trained, will not succeed In two or more
different callings? Let q man be well edu-
cated-giyc him a competent knowledge Of the
arts aud sciences, and a veil-deyclOped body
Now what prevents this man becoming a skill
fol workman in any one Of the trades Of the
common lablror? llecan make good farmer,
carpcster, blacksmith, or he can become dis
ungushcd in all of these he readily compre-
bends the theory Of these trades, and all he is
obliged TO do is 20 train his muscles to execute
the biddings Of his intellect
The whole secret Of success in this or that
employment is, 90 give our undivided attention
to the work, and applying all the powers Of the
mind and body to the subject for the time be
ing Abraham Lincoln was, in turn, a good
mitsmap. schOol-teacher, lawyer, political ora
tor, legislator and President of the United
States Salmon =. Chase distinguished himself
as o pedagogue, lawyer, legislator, iinancieI
aud Chief Justice Of the United States Court
and we think man may be equally successful
in any of the departments Of labor, provided
his mental and physical powers arc so developed
as to comprehend what is to be done, and he
has strength and skill to execute the work
As producers, it must be evident to all thai
men OF intelligence, understanding the nature
of the grains to be raised, and also the fertilizer,
TO be used, will produce, year after year, a bet.
ter article md Il more abundant crop than the
farmer who has no thought on the subject, and
has no knowledge Of what is required 10 pro.
duce The grain desired IL Is said that French
chemist raised specimens Of the different cereals
by placing washed snnd in rs many enrthan pots
as he wished 10 produce different grains and
on Analysing the seeds and stocks Of the wheat,
barley, etc, he adds to each parcel Of pure
sand quantity OF the materials found in these
grains. The farmer, like the chemist, should
what elements enter into the com.
position Of the article he wishes to produce,
and then, with knowledge Of his fertilizers,
he may be lust MS sure Of a favorable result as
the chemist. 1t not uniroquontiy occurs that
the farmer, for the want OF chemical knowledge
combines for II fertilizer two or more sub
stances that neutralile each other and the
lertlizng properties escape, in the form Of gas,
so that lie has lost his labor, and the materials
used have become worthless, or nearly so /;
yet, without suspocting any loss in his mix
ture, he applies it TO his soil and. because he
does not realize what he expected, the I'M
| learned but honest farmer condemns all nrti-
! iginl fertilizers and adheres to the old method
Of enpching and tilling his land, while his
ncighour who has, by study and observation, SO
iniormed himself that he can give an intclli.
gent ronsqn for every movement he makes e
enhance the productivvs.aas of his soil rean,
an abundant harvest.
In most branches Of human industry Their
can be a division Of labor. The making o
pins consists OF drawing, Strengthening an
cutting the wire in heading, pointing, trim
ming and packing the pins. Each process
performed by different persons. The laborer il
one department may not possess any particula
knowledge Of either Of the others. These seye
} persons, each in their appropriate work, an
continuing gear after year ia the business, b.
come expert in his particular trade. 1t wi
readily be seen that, in the manufacturing c
pins, or any fabric, the divisions Of labor ina
be successfully conducted by persons who AT
ignorant Of letters and of all-the processes ca
cept their own. And it is equally evident tina
: the proprietor who wishes to excel in his bus
ness must not only have u very minute know
edge Of the raw materials, and of the work i
, each department. but he must be able to con
{ prehend the process AS a whole.
Farming, from its very nature, is u,
susceptible of this division of labor Fac
season brings its own appropriate work, an
the farmer not only learns one process in th
: art, but he must become skilled in all the opel
ati0ns Of farming, and also he should have a
intimate knowledge Of the materials he use
and the character of the articles he produce,
IL thus becomes evident that the farmer, /
+ order TO conduct his business in the most SUE
/ cesslul and profitable manner, must be skilf,
in the practice, and have "A mind well store
with the theory of agriculture. And as a
successful practice is founded on theory, it 70
! lows that the farmers, as n class, need a nor
extensive knowledge Of the natural science
/ than any labOring class in the country Wit
! an educated class Of laborers at the loundntio
Of our industrial pursuits, We may look for in
proyements in tho mechanical and agricultur,
arts that have not yet been realized, in the
D Imagination even, by the most sanguine adyC
Gates Of Advancement in the knowledge of III
practical arts.
e In human society there are two forces COT
tinually at work first, the inherent force ,
the mind to project itself outward, and brin
: all things under the control of its will Sc,
ond, the external force, striving to confne III
c action OF the mind within certain limits, an
give it prescribed forms or impulses in certai
! directions. The external force manilosts itse
in the form OF laws and penalties in the Gu,
d toms and habits OF nation. In China, f.
hundreds oil successive generations, man ha
remained the same IN thought aud actor
, The same customs prevail now as centurit
{ ago. The dead grandlathefs seem 10 reappea
D 10 the grandsons thus the last generation is
s fac similo Of the first. Through the nauen,
] Of their Institutions, the minds Of the Chine,
I assume the same social, political and religion
5 forms, as certainly aud on the same prinoipl
Of pressure, MS the feet of their ladies becom
hooi-like by wearing inclastic shoes FIJI
! degradation Of the human faculties is cha
: aeieristie feature Of large portion Of the cas-
, ern world.
+ The laborng classes of Europe have len
, suffered under the burdens OF an eiletc civiliz,
ton. The laboTers, even in England, are will
out education She has refused to give h,
operatives the stimulus of mental training
and her country swarms with bcggars an
4 vagabonds.
J The Puritan, in his own experience, feelin
this burden 10 be iusupp0rtable, sought plaC
where he could be free to develop not only hi
own mental and moral faculties but he desire
: to secure TO his posterity the same priyileg,
The English Puritans believed that the Chri
tianity Of tho Bible taught that men Shout
! ] ftal kglth all flair mind 4