New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-02-09
THE PESSI1IIST VIEW or worm.
A REVOLT AGAINST INDUSTRY.
From The London Spectator

From The London Spectator.
The extraordinary pessimsm Of the French about al
that relates to labor mas been subject OK earh io
the last thirty years They appear unable TO conceive
grading burden beneath which may, indeed. dis
play patience submission, but can never feel or
desplsed for their possession OF the IlaIy cNc
careless content In French literature, the workman
/, ALWAYS oppressed always I'm want always slave
to destiny which is never less than pao'iyey hostile
The artisan suffers The peasant endures ana Dott ac
sad or gloomy sOTdid not from any v0t0n OF lnclr
own, but under the pressure OF an lhcAOTaDle idto
Not only does the dealist describe the worker a. hha
Of od forgotten victim, and the rcalist depict h as
his yIeneSs Int the painter even when he IS like
Mct man Of religious fcrvor. shows him always
bending beneath the yyeisht OF care or i a. witch in
spite Of the birds which follow his footsteps ana eau
mp half his seed, he stcadfasty pereeyeres. How
deeply rooted mi, view OF labor has become aPpea,n III
little story told in The -. James's Gazette OF Mon,
day last. The French Academy gives prize Of 200
francs every year for the best copy OF Nclses loT
IL suggests the subject. This year il was Labor
Of all the 200 and more poets who strugeed ior
the prize not one had treated the subject from '
other point Of view than that Of pe'simsn; Al,
dwelt the painful oilsomene's Of manual work, ai
not the satisfaction IT produces or even, ~
would seem. on the heahfIlncss OF body ana III"
sleep it necessarily Yields Labor IS IN laCt, 70
the writer's object either Of abhorrcnce or OF to
kind Of pity stirred by physical misfortune. We tnnk
we notice a rapid spread If the feeling IN Eng
land not indeed among the poet. but @nGg M ipf
Of East Finders a, if they never could "noy ahylnnsE
and among the journalists, who reserve all their SOFT
est sentiments flr those whose hard and unjust Ipt
ha, compelled them 70 work all day, ana VINO aPpar
entity rgard the compul-on Of necessity as almost
a, much deserving Of resistance the compuson OF
convict with Tie foreman for warcr. the shop for
prison. and the daily task 10 be finished Tor inc sen
tcnce to hard labor.
We wonder greatly whittier this revolt against IN
du,try will lead, and whether II has any foundation III
the realities Of modern life But for certain 1Icua-
stances. We should half~u-pact 1t hal not.
and should decide that the adherence Of work was
not The feeling OF the workers bat only ieelinS Whc.
littenteur think that they themselves would ieci u
It..f a 14f.I Flarft
that the educated. when really oVer"orhcd. as, lo
Instance. rising professionals often are oVelTorh ee
test the work. They often dislike IL hurry or the
.ccu,Ou cufOrce>, or us consequences upon hedh,
grow middle aged. remain impatient OF advice 10
diminish AZ the sacrifice Of any portion OK us profits,
They work on and ST do the poor when they are
~ortdnE LOT tir and tbos. asrcnltirll Iaborcrs
Who possess aliotmcuts. often work like Chinese,
are ~ a proportionatr are sin fairly content.
Nor do we notice thi, bitterness among workers for
wage, II ONLY the wages are enough. They WISH Tor
shorter hours. a!mo, all Of Us do and II te nouns
t!1nE buL t! al , ~ tbcr nav than by the hours
.p@nd I'm enrnrg il II is not. however. possible 10
BE- blind 70 the fact that ON the Continent. ana in
,ome of or great er t bcI " C tbat there is
hIfterue~, a, Of men oppressed among them mat WORK
j, regarded a, 5eavy e of o. ro' AZ keI TS,' e
pccialy among the weaker sort man the envy % %
wealth II i, difficult 10 Doubt mat the art,Sh ,o oi
did, and that u capital, Ike Paris. hcrlh ana Nl'hna
the Growth Of -1Ll-' Mnd oi I','I'u The ' hernia
ncnt condition - existence. IN" ""rhn,h are no.
vet artollatc enough 10 DRAW th'T T Gg" p6ron ot
them at least hard work would be only rare ih''oe"'
in their daily lot .,.,. -. .
,r.,t one, due ~ ,our-e. partly To the startling
increase Of self conscious "M'1 nay ue IA
cro,rth Of the passion for comfort which distinguishes
Europe ana our own -. H.. ,li ,r,.,, evn~o .tor