The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1879-07-31

watching.
THE PRICE OF INTELLECTUAL
LABOR.
No one, considering the question as
a general truth, will deny that the
mind is Of higher rank than the body.
or that the brain, the organ and expo
nent OF the intellect, is more costly
and perfect instrument than the mus
cles and sineWs. Again, few will OBJ
Ject to the statement that brain work
has proftted mankind vastly more than
muscle work. Notwithstanding this
admission Of the truth Of the abstract
proposition, that the products Of intel
1eCtual labor are OF more value than
the results Of mere physical exertion
many, very many persons, when they
become the employers and paymasters
Of brain-Workers, easily forget TO make
practical application of their admis-
sionS. They are apt to estimate the
amount and value of brain exertion
by the amount of physical exertion in
volyed. This tendency is easily ex-
planned, for manual labor is something
visible and tangible, while the work OF
the brain is invisible, and cannot be
made known to others without some
physical and muscular exertion, which
latter, the mere expression Of the pre-
V1OuS raln-Work, is very commonly
taken to be the whole work performed.
How many persons estimate the la
Dor OF the preacher by the time con
sumed in delivering his sermon; that
OF the lawyer by the time he is occupied
IN addressing the jury, and that of the
teacher by the number Of hours he
spends IN the class room. They forget
that such time is occupied only in ex-
pressing and applying results attained
by many hours and days Of previous
labor.
Then again, many forget that in
most cases where intellectual work.
especially that of an expert is called
for, a long and costly course Of special
preparation and training is needed to
lit one for such work. This training
is costly in the time consumed by it..
when no money returns are made. 1t
is costly in the expenditure of brain
power involved in prolonged study :;
and lastly, it is costly in the actual
money outlay required. In estimating,
then, the money value of any piece of
intellectual work, all this must be ta-
ken into account. How unjust then it
is, simply to estimate the time employ
ed by one in using the hand, the tongue,
OF the pen, to make known the acquired
results.
This mode of estimating the value
OF brainWork eliminates it's very
essence, and reduces it to mere mechan-
ical tread-mill work. What sort of a
teacher would he make who confines
himself to class work, and does no 4;
seek aid and information from books.
periodicals, and intellectual compan-
ionship? He would be matching the
spontaneous workings of his Single
brain against the united brains OF the
rest Of the world No, in every intel
Iectual profession far more time should
be spent in study and preparation than
in the using and applying of informal
ton and training.
Few who are not PSYCHOLOGISTS know
how eXhausting FRAMEWORK is, and how
much more severely it taxes a mans
powers than muscle work. Severe sus-
tanned intellectual work is far harder
work than any muscular eXertion.
Does any bodily labor blanch the cheek,
dim the eye, shatter the nerves, palsy,
and finally destroy mind and body i?
All this is constantly done by uncon-
trOlled brain work.
There is another mistake arising
from this material view OF brain work,
against which we are contend;ng, and
that IS the tendency to regard it as
mere merchandise. The safest rule for
the employment Of all skilled labor is
to pay generously for it. This is espe-
cially applicable to the FRAMEWORK,
which is the highest form of skilled
labor. The making mere merchandise
of FRAMEWORK, which is done when the
lowest possible price is paid for it
which circumstances will permit. is
the worst possible rule to 90 by. on
many accounts. The employer cannot
expect to retain his worker moment
longer than he is compelled to remain
with him, and permanence is worth
more in FRAMEWORK than in any other
form of labor. Besides, the working
brain is not finished product, like a
bolt of cloth. 1t is a machine ever ca
pable of improvement, and ever imprOy-