The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1880-11-13
Cooperation.

machinery?
It drives out hand workmen.
Where must this surplus labor
find employment?
IF not absorbed in expansion of
business it must 60 back to the soil
to produce its own sustenance.
Statisticians tell us there are in
use in this country alone 100000
planning machines, which, when in
operation, do the work of 10000
900 carpenters, showing laboriously
the old fashioned implements for
making shavings,i in other words, that
one of these machines will turn out
Just as much finished work per diem
as 400 men skilled in that particular
form of industry. The same au-
thorities inform us that the number
of sewing machines in the country
is about 900, 600, capable of per-
forming the work of 100000
sewing girls, operating with needle
and thread by hand; that a single
boot and shoe factory in Massa-
chusetts averages the production of
5000 pairs of pedal coverings daily
throughout the year; that, when
running full, the 100000 cotton
| spindles of Fall River manufacture
more yarn in one day than 5000,
900 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 so years
ago, would require the making up
of $50 ''forms," and the services of
1000 compositors and 1000 press
men. mixers, etc. And statements
of this description are made with
reference to every department of
mechanical industry; in fact in
every direction in which the labor
of the hands is employed.
Is it any matter of wonder. after
all, that business, especially in those
branches which give employment
to laborers, skilled or otherwise re-
cuperates so slowly? Is it not
rather the more serious question,
one which relates to the possibility
I that never again will come good
times" to the laborer and mechanic
who insists upon remaining in and
depending upon the ancient lines of
practical effort? Clearly when ev-
cry new invention of any conse-
Iquence renders it easy and profita
bic to dispense with the labor OF
men or women, in numbers ranging
from hundreds 70 hundreds OF
thousands, and the possibilities OF
inventions are unlimited, there must
come time when the ranks of the
army of laborels, thus left to suffer
from sheer inaction, will begin tc
languish and decay, unless some
new direction for their energies can
be adopted-some exercise for then
capabilities which shall have both
an object and a result.
That time has already come, anG
it is useless for the laboring man tc
shut his eyes upon fact which con:
tinually stares him in the face anc
exemplification of which is evel
| II.
occasion to refer to the decay of the
apprentice system and the growing
imperfection of the Grades" laugh
young men nowadays. The evil i.
a grave one, but forms only par
of great desolation which has faI
len upon mechanical industry, fol
already there are trades, So called
in which the skilled workman O
fifty, forty, thirty years ago-whc
gave long years of the best perioc
5 OF his life to acquire the requisit,
, knowledge-now finds that the Gun
ming of his hands is forestalled i,
every particular by the inventor
production, and that he is left witt
nothing to do-as helpless as a sol
der without arms And no branch
of mechanical industry can be men
E toned which has not thus been as
sailed, while the march of i'm
; provement'' only points to a ques
: ton of time when all shall be swal
e lowed up and the relnorseless steam
engine, moving its complicated ar
f ray of belts and pulleys and cogs
/ shall be comparatively the only mo
tive required to turn out all tina
: man demands of constructive skill
> and ability.
The demagogues wheedle then
: with promises. of better times, re
form and juster laws. The prizes
: suppresses them with the idea tina
it is the natural and divine order, o
that it is chastisement for Adam
sin. He insists that the laborers
condition can be relieved by religion
only.
= Society must be gospelized NOR
. extensively, then the toiling masse
\ will be blessed. Both politician
: and priest overlook the fact that tn
). elevation of the masses is impossi
bic while they are poor and physi
> cally uncomfortable and unhappy
: Neither moral or religious instruc
a ton can effectually reach and inhu
: ence them while so situated, and es
. pecially while they are painfull
? conscious of the injustice and hu
9 initiation of their condition.
q The universal instinct which
2 breads poverty renders their devel
: opnent without property, mer
: chimera. If it is true in one sens
: that the rich man can not enter TIL
: kingdom, it is equally true in an
f other that the kingdom of HEAVIER