The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1877-10-11
From Factory to Farm.

There are in this, country alone 100,-
900 planning machines, which, when in
operation, do the work. Of 10000, 900
carpenters showing laboriously the old
fashioned plane; for one of these ma
chimes will turn out just as much fin,
ished work per diem as 100 skilled men.
The number of sewing machines in the
country is about 100000, capable of
performing the work of 100, 100000 sew
ing girls, operating with needle and
thread by hand, land a single factory in
Massachusetts averages the production
of 5000 pairs of boots and shoes daily
throughout the year. When running
full, the 100000 cotton spindles of
Fall River manufacture more yarn in
one day than 100000 persons could do
in the same time, the latter operating
with the old-time spinning-wheel. To
issue 100000 copies Of a newspaper
daily, using the appliances of 80 years
ago, would require the making up of
100 ''forms' and service of 1000 COM
positors and 900 pressmen, inks, &c.
All this makes clothing and houses and
reading and the other necessaries of life
cheap, but it has reduced the demand
| for skilled mechanical labor to a mere
fraction of what it would have been had
''the human machine" been left to do
! the worlds work alone. And now the
country must shape its studies and its
labors to meet the changed condition of
things. The young man who stands up
on the threshold of active life querying
what he shall do, finds the professions
! f,,ll Ia o. Ill
swarming with bankrupts, and the way
to the factories and shops crowded with
idlers who only want an opportunity to
work. Il-.- .t.r.. .. a .-....
But the fields are not full. If our
counters are filled with goods for which
there is no demand and our cities are
full of houses for which there are no
tenants, there is no glut of food in our
markets, and there is call for all which
labor can coax from the earth, and for
every thing the intelligent worker can
gather from the soil. There is one in
dustry which is not full. New Hamp-
shire, which passes for an agricultural
State, produces but three-fourths of the
food she consumes, and leaves thousands
of acres of her soil to grow up to the
bushes or to return less than half the
crops they should. And while doing
this, merchants stay behind their coun-
ters until the Sheriff locks the door,
mechanics stand about the street-corners
and complain because they can get nc
work, and young men grow into enron,
ic loafers because they can't 90 find an
opening" And what is true of oul
State is true of others Isn't it about
time there was new departure, turn.
ing from the factory to the field, from
complaining and suffering idleness te
cheerful, earnest, producing work
on the farmP-Mirror and Farmer.
As one of our merchants was going
to church with his wife on Sunday
morning, she suddenly stopped and put
her hand to her head. ssWhat's the
matter?" he asked, startled by the look
| on her face. "Oh! I've got on my
brown hat" She burst into tears
" Why, Martha, what is the matter witt
you?" "Don't you see what is the
matter?' she returned, sobbing. 'sI've
got on my brown hat with my striped
silk. Oh, what will people say?''-
DanburV NeUs.