The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1879-08-01
Does Machinery Bob the Labcrer :
Scribner's 8 MohthlY.

The compliant that machinery robs the
laborer of his only capital is entirely an-
founded. Machinery never lessened the
amount of work to be done, though it has
constantly cnapgea 3 lne cuaf acSu1 os Vrss
work. The labor-saviug machinery employ
ed in agriculture is almost entirely the pro-
duct of inventions Of the past 30 years. In
no part of the world has the introduction
of such machinery been more general or
more rapid than in the grain growing States
of the West. The result is shown IN the
census reports. During the ten. years emo
;ng in 1860 the farm hands of those States
increased in mum Der more than 30 per cent.
During the next ten, i'll spite of the losses
of the war, the increase was about 1ir'y
per cent. During the same ~ years. 1ao
population of the country as whole IN
creased only 67 per cent. -
When Walter Hunt invented bis sewing
| machine in 1888, his wife protested that st
would throw all the sewing women out IL
EN- ploy ment and persuaded him TO sup
press il. Howe's and Singers and no eno
| ,,f other machines have come siuce then, ana
vet there is work for women to DO. Not-
withstanding the thousands of iamhs ma
chimes in use, the number of peFsous earning
n living with the sewing machine IN th's
c,nntry ia to-day much greater 10 proper
ton to the population than was the number
of tailors and sewing R-womrn before tns III
van,,on of the machine, which recent pre-
tanded labor-lnver has classed with tht
.team.eusine as one of the Two worst revA's
that aver befell mankind. In noting its ih
fiue nee upon labor, we must NOT iofges 'He
Oh O,sl or more mechanics employed IN on'
saving machine factories, and the tnoo'
unds OF others engaged in mining ana o. max ma
ing the iron, cutting ana saving Inc ihA1
her. and in transporting aud pfepafips
.hsse raw materials for the machines ane
their cases; nor the men employed in mak maj
ING the machinery used 10 the cons1tac,tio' ~ , ~
~ esev;ng-machincs, and in transportinl
and selling the finished product. opun' 'in
inc these. the invention appears IN It's tFu
light AZ a great creator of labor ana sth
average wages of the persons directly os = y
d;rectlg em ployed by the sewing-macnin
Ia doubtless four or five times sna' " " VI "
Iold.time sewers. u. asfss.
Il ia but q little while since 9 metropoi
!. tan paper of high rank pointed 70 .ne 49,. p.
bus;naas az furnishing a forciole il'us1t' '.
ltion of the disastrous competition o. y J
!, ah;,srv With men. The truth is that wnl wl
J; v;tbin 20 years, not less than % per esh
!, ~ work done on factory boots and sno'
: ~. beap turned over TO machinery sne
are today more men at work 10 snoe 'aos M
g.. than chen. and more than would no
j - aup,oyed except for machinery, ~
y -. .n.,ber illustration of the Old lnou
. edo, naradox. During these years o. rap ','l'
Q proeress in invention, the cost OF masel,s y,
@ - -. advanced, wages have nearly douois
90 "A the Quality of factory boots ana sae
oo o0 10. hean improved 25per ceLt; YET tne y
90 of manufacture has been so mucn rouuo
:, nsv ana improved machinery %
60 american shoes have mot only eAcaua1u
eo eo eor.;on-made frem our market, Dut ne
NJ .nccssafully, invaded the markets O
at -. ,,oria. AS natural consequenn''
u. DS 49, more shops are required not ,'l only
New England, but througnou. -suo 6 :,
states and West more workmefah % arg &. :
.,ovea IN shoe factories; higher wages a't
pa;d. and great multitude OF otner = =
ars fnrnished with employ yment 70 .annl
lie additional leather used, 70 pa0klns J
transporting and selling the addis'onai {
dnc, and 10 making shoe makers mach e't'
ery and implements.