Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1878-08-03
LssbOr-Saving Machinery The Best
Friend of Workingmen.

The burning and breaking OF farm ma
chinery, especially of reaping, and NOW
ing. and binding machines. is form of
outrage never known in the United
States until the formation of the ma
tionar' party, and the commencement of
lis systematic work of stimulation. by
speeches and documents, an ignorant and
dangerous hatred of those who have sue
ceeded in aceumuIating anything, much
or little. And it is noticeable that. wher :
ever the ''Nationai" party and its doc
trines are pretty well established. this
torn of violence has broken out. We
have accounts Ct such outrages in Ohio,
Indiana. Illinois. Wisconsin. Missouri.
Minnesota, Iowa and Michigar-all states
in which 'Nationalism" has acquired
something OF fOOthOld. BIT leaving
the political aspect OF the subject ont oil
the question. we wish to say something
on the economic phases of this labor
saving machinery.
Were it not that these outraceS against
rhe use of laborsaying machinery prove
that here is a large class of preitNdiced,
unrefecting people who are the w inns
OF Very false ideas on this subject. IL
would seem useless i'm this cou4trv.
whese lnven ions and mach nerv have
raised it 10 one Of the grandest positiosls
among nations. to argue at all over tAle
pialn iaet that iaf or-saving machinery
pnu Invention are not ONLY the best
of the country as a whole hniss
",so e"e hest friends of fhe WORKING
o o,"a,. IL self-evident that. il the |
tions were str;olen Improved inven-
civilized world would thereby be moved
back into barbarism. But, this aside,
every educated person knows that in all
countries where labor-saving machinery
most abounds there the wages OF labor
are the highest; and i'm all countries
where labor-saving machinery is least
used. their wages are the lowest. Fur
Their. fn all countries where labor-saving
machinery abounds workmrn live best,
and are surrounded with comforts and
luXuries which can only be enjoyed bv
the rich in countries where machinery is
little used. Further. wages in all coun-
tr es are exact proportion to The Increase
of labOr-siving machinery. The history
and statistics OF the world prove this.
The United States is peculiarly the eoun-
try of invention and labor saving ma
chinery; and workingmen. receive the
highest wages in this country and live
the best. England employs more labor
saving machinery than anv other Euro
pean country; and she pays higher wages
TO labor than any other European coun-
try. France next; and so on. till Won
get to Turkey and Russia. where the
least machinery is used. aud where wages
will scarcely keep soul and BODY togeth
er. In China. japan anh India macbin
cry is but little used !. wages half cent
to five cents day, and millions starving.
Two centuries ago. before England used
much machinery, laborers worked hard
fifteen hours aday for three pence or less
and skilled artisans for six pence To n
shilling day. In the United States.
when many now living were Young.
eight dollars month was considered
good wages for carpenters. and less for
common laborers. Everything was then
done by hand labor; and workingman's
home had a table, fire-helrth. benches.
and little other rude furniture: one
suit OF clothes was expected to last a
whole year the fool was of the coarsest:
and the laborer never had any money TO
spend. LabOr-saving machinery produc-
ell employment, and has steadily increas-
Ell wages.
Not only does labor-saving smachinery
produce high wages. but il also EMPLOYS
the largest number of workingmen. In
countries where there is little machinery
there is little labor hired. England, the
United States and France swarm with
workingmen, because machinery en-
ploys them The more factories, mills.
mines, workshops and foundries there
are in country. the more men. women
and children find employment for wages,
and the easier it is tor working man to
make living.
But let us appeal to statistics-the sta
tislics of the United States. We will be-