The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1874-06-13

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point Of gain, and tell me if it is not Of
the most vital Importance that the State
should know whether its producers are be-
coming more or less productive The his
torian will determine this fact for future
generations but il we had bureau Of
laber statistics III operation, the statistIcan
could determine it for us now it could be
done almost Immediately The only diff
ference between the statlsticIan and histo-
rian Is that the latter travels over an ex-
tended period, while the former brings
facts to bear upon particular time. As
Prof. Schlozer says statistics is history
at a stand, history is statistics i'll state Cf
progression While history concerns
itself with the narration of series Of occur
rences which are to be found in the annals
Of a country, statistics show the practical
bearing of the facts Of history upon the
condition uf men, deals with these hlsto-
rical occurrences that may have contributed
to nix the political and social conditions or
form the character Of a people. 1t may
perhaps b. unnecessary u ask what would
he the condition IT the world without his
tory, but ! think It pertinent To- ask what
might ne the condition Of the world if our
hllfNN lthN ~ SftllS is NseS thS
a. sharply outhuvd, and AS exhaustive as
that of history. Ii the moralists, social
philosopher "r rrhglunist would advance
morality and social and individual virtue,
must favor the establishment of labor bu-
reau If for .Iu bthcr reason than To deter
mine e. what extent the employment Of
women IN factories contribute To- the de-
basement of that sex. Jules Simon as
cribes the immortality of France to the
necessity which drove the mother from the
home. and forced tier into workshops and
factories Have our statesmen any idea
uf the number Of mothers, who, instead of
occupying their proper and legitimate
sl.here. arr prematurely wearing out their
hvrs IA factories and shops
Have they any idea Of the effect this un-
holy system will have upon the future of
the STATE | think it quite safe to say
they have not. and equally as safe 10 say
that without an adequate conception of
these things they are not qualified to legis-
late As wisely rs the best interests of the
State demand. If the humanitarian would
elevate and advance the physical as well as
the moral status of mankind, he must favor
the creation Of these bureaus in order to
determine what effect long continued eXer-
ton has not only upon the physical sys-
tenn. but the moral being AS we'll If ten
hours If severe labor each d y has vast
ing, dvteuoratlng effect upon the muscular
and debasng, brutahzIng effect upon the
mtellectlhg man. the State should know 1t,
for il Is " the utmost consequence to the
State that the muscular and moral man
hood Of the citizens should attain the
bt.vb..af I.4.rr..4 # Wall
developed men strong III bone and thew,
brawuy armed, large chtsted men-are,
when educated, AS gigantic IN mind as IN
body and, SIT, It Is men of this stamp
that makes a state strong. grand, power
ful and enduring. But 1t may be well
doubted whether our factory and workshop
systems of labor and the development of
such men. | am of the opinion such a race
of men Is not possible, never will be pos
sible as long as workmgmen are doomed tO
toll and i've as at present.
This Is not MY my opinion alone, there
are hundreds ~ thousands, nay. millions,
who believe as do We may be wrong.
but the mere denial not Of our views but of
plainly apparent facts by those who are
directly interested III the results of our
labor, will not satisfy us nor should it
satisfy the State. 1t Is the duty of the
State to investigate, examine and ascertain
the whole truth Statesmen should not
forget the wurds of Sir William Jones
what constitutes State
Not cities proud, with spires and turrets crowned
Not starred spangled courts
Not these. but men. high h-minded men,
With power far above dun brutes endowed,
A. beasts excel cold rocks and brAmhes rude
Men VIII their duties kupS,
And knowing dare MAINTAIN,
While sovereign Law, the States collected will,
Sits empress eroWning good, REFRESHING Ill
If the philosophic legislator, who believes
the mIllenIum will be reached through ed
ucationa perfection, desires to hasten the
advent of millenal era, he must advocate
the establishment of labor bureaus, If for
nu other reason than to determine Why it
ls that there Is in the State Of Ohio l8, 825
children between the ages of ten and tif-
teen years who cannot write their own sig
nature.
Without the aid of statistical bureau
| claim the cause to be traced to the pow
erty of the labOring classes. Some fathers
lind is 90 difficult 70 procure bread for
their families that they are forced to take
their families from the school room and
uTiNt IIelll lIlIO IllLtS. ohlOlJS.
or out in the streets to earn their own hv-
ing before they know one letter from an
other. Other parents are unable to pro
cure the needful text books, or the neces-
sary garments to hide their children's
nakedness, and instead of attending school
they crouch and hide III their novels of
homes, grow up III ignorance, become the
vagabonds and loafers from which our vast
l. ! H..
recruited This assertion may be doubted
aud denied. But, sir, the existence of
these 28, 825 illiterate children cannot be
denied the fact that the ignorant man
makes a worthless man and dangerous
citizen cannot be denied nor can the
assertion lie denied or refuted that the
best interests of the State are advanced
and secured by the education and enlight-
eminent of every citizen. For can 1t be de-
MED that it is the paramount duty of the
State to ascertain and remove the cause Of
this illIteracy.
We should not forget that the last fed
eral census proves nothing clearer than
that our agricultural population has nearly
If not quite reached its acme. Though the
State increased in population during the
last decennlal period about One-thlrd Of
million, yet in eighteen agricultural coun-
ties the census shows an actual decrease in
population. In the balance Of the agricul-
tural districts, the increase is merely nom
inal, while in Cuyahoga, Hamilton, Lucas
and other counties having large manufac
turing cities, nearly the whole of the one
third Of million increase may be found.
Now, sir, the lesson taught by these facts
should not remain unheeded. All further
increase in the population and wealth Of
Ohio depends upon her mineral and manu-
featuring interests To develop these,
vast armies Of laborers, skilled and un-
skilled, must be employed. All future ac-
cessions and accretions to our population
will necessarily be of this class. The city
of Cleveland increased in population and
wealth during the last decennial period