The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-03-11
The Problem Of LIyeIihood-HoW
are the Evils Of Overpr0duction
IN ha Remedletl.

The Problem Of LlVelih0od-H0II
are the Evils Of Overpr0ducti0n
10 be Remedled.
To The Editor Of The PHILADELPHIA Record.
/ think We are pretty much all Of one
mind by this time that business Is dull
that the markets are easily overstocked
by the use OF improved machinery, and
that unless something Is done TO abridge
The hours Of labor in workshops and fac.
tories and In other branches OF business,
if practicable, this state Of things Is like
" 10 last. ThoSe.who are out Of employ
ment may wait till the crack Of doom for
the "sood time coming II the improve
ments made in machinery cannot be turn.
ed 10 the workman's account. Under the
present system, or, rather, want Of sys.
TEN, a few are doing the work that ought
to be shared by the many. Mechanical
science has so far outstripped political
and social science in this country that 1t
wonld be strange, indeed, II it did not
make itself felt sometime. In spite OF
our improved machinery our people
work more hours per day than the Eng
lish do, Notwithstanding the fact that
England Is almost purely u manufacture
ing nation-sometimes called "the work.
shop Of the world" Thirty years ago
the English people conceived the idea
that improved machinery meant shorter
hours and easier times for the working
classes, so they compelled Parliament to
enact q ten.hour law, called, l believe,
"the factory act" The law was rigidly
enforced, as English laws usually are,
and It proved blessing TO all concerned.
They we're determined that no twelve or
thirteen hour days should torment them
again, but that the hours should be still
further reduced as soon as possible. The
law was modified somewhattwo or three
years ago 10 meet the growing intelli-
rence Of the factory workers, so that now
The limit Of the law Is fifty.seyen hours
per week, / believe. Had they not to
compete 10 the same markets with the
United States and other labor. slave M.
tions, eight hours would have been their
motto aud nothing more. What is the
use OF machinery, / would like TO know,
II II be not to ease the burden OF the
toiler2 Has the sewing machine been n
benefit or cure? Do our women pre-
fer sewing by hand, rs in days Of yore, so
that they can work night and day? Sure
ly not. No people in the world, ] be.
lieve, take so kindly to an impoverished
state Of existence as the American peo.
pie. The indefinite Scripture in.
junction that "contentment 10 great
gain" Is carried out to the let.
Ter by the ignorant workers oil
this country. II seems TO be in the very
nature Of Republican institutions to ioa-
ter a spiritof satisfaction with everything
pertaining TO such Institutions, whether
right or wrong. It Is all very we'll TO be
content with institutions formed alter our
own liking, but we should ever bear in
mind that vigilance is the price OF lib.
erty." Have the workingmen Of America
been yigilant? Surely, we should not
have been cursed with four years Of
blighted industry II we had paid = proper
regard to our duties and interests. l re.
peat again that, unless we systemize the
hours Of labor by legislative enactment
or otherwise, the unlucky portion Of the
people may look for continuation Of
selt-enforced idleness TO the end Of time.
We ought to be ashamed Of ourselves
when we reflect that 4 nation like this,
embracing as 1t does nearly three million
square miles Of productive soil, or fifty
times the sizs OF England, eleven times
the size Of Germany and sixteen times the
size of France. is crippled and poor in
the mids: Of plenty, just on account Of
ignorance and wan. OF unity on the
part Of the workingmen. J. B.