National Republican., 1883-09-19
MORE LABOR WISDOM.
Opinions About Work by People Who
Know But Little Concerning n.


NEW YORK, Sept. ls.--'fhc Rev. Il. Heber
Newton testified to-day before the senate sub
committee on education and labor lie said
the condition of the laboring classes was
subject for expert study, and at the present
time there was not sufficient information re-
garding il upon which to base any intelligent
legislation The difficulties met with by the
labor rcformcr were the incorporate habits
of the laboring classes, and the improper
methods to which labor rcsortcd in endcavOr-
ing to accomplish its desires The great want
OF the people he considered to be industrial
education. The instruction in the public
schools was wocfully deficient, and its ten
dcnCy was entirely one sided. lt was giving
TO the youths of tho country q dis
like for manual labor which was
very dangerous tendency. \ system
of technical industrial education should be
tried, if merely as an experiment.. Tho sub
iect OF cooperation was spoken of by the wit
ness, who regarded it as the greatest aid to
the elevation of the working classes. This, he
said, applied to cooperation in production
and corporation in distribution. Another
fault under the present organization of labor
was tho lack of interest of the laborer in his
work This was the result of tho division of
labor. The witness knew of no remedy for
this evil The want of interest manifested by
be brought under this class. This was brought
about by the present machine state Of things.
This lack of personal relationship was great
evil, and it led to general recklessness on
the part of the workmen.
Mr. Newton protested earnestly against the
hard hearted ideas of modern economists who
held that there was of. necessity q struggle of
competition between labor, which had its
iiarEct as well as any other commodity. The
evils of this system, he thought, might be
miiignted by Il system of partial cooperation
bct"een tho employers and their employees
by giving them u share in the extra profits
This would be making the interests OF capital
and labor identical. 1t would also guarantee
n personal relationship between employ
ers and employed, the lack Of which
he so bitterly regretted. Thriftless-
ness was not wholly the fault of
labor, it was the fault of society in general. 1t
was virtue that must be trained No pro-
vision had been made in this country for its
training. Savings institutions whose credit
was beyond question should be instituted III
this country where the poor could deposit
small savings. The postal savings system, as
adopted in England, was the most feasible
plan, and the witness had no doubt but that
it would prove a success if established in
America beside encouraging to great degree
thrift among the working classes.
In regard to the tariff issue witness said
it seemed to him that the government might
devise some better means for its support than
a tax which burdened so heavily the necesSi
ties Of life He suggested on the part of
labor increased efficiency, interest, thrift,
and association. On the part of society
at large increased sonse OF responsibility
for these very ills, and wise and earnest
efforts to overcome them by industrial
education, by increased facilities for saving,
by lessening intemperance; on the part OF capi-
tai, personal interest in its employees, indus
Of municipal governments, the taking of their
affairs out of party politics, enforced recon-
struction of the worst tehcment districts; on
the part of state governments, the
formation of bureaus of labor, factory
legislation, legislation against stock water
ing, and combinations to increase the
price of the necessities of life; the intro
dhction of industrial education, and of saving
societies, into the school system. On the part
of the national government, tariff reform, u
national bureau of labor, q national railway
commission, better system of patent rights,
postal saving banks, reclamation of for
feted land grants, reservation of remaining
lands for individual settlers, organized colon
ization, and the reservation Of new mineral
resources for public uses.
Mrs. Lille DevereuX Blake was tho next
witness. She advocated the establishment of
matronships in all penal institutions and
state TeformatOry for girls
MIS- ~ u. IroWly, newspaper Wrltcr,
recommended system of compulsory oduca-
tion, not only in common schools but indus
trial schools, where women could be taught
to work, The homestead exemption laws
should DO made more protective to the sta
bility of households, and the possession of q
homestead should be made the requisite for
obtaining citizenship.
Mrs. DIR. Clemence s. Lozier advocated the
ballot for women rs the most practical means
of improving theiy condition.
The hearing will be continued tomorrow.