Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-12-11
LABOR SAVING INVENTIONS

Why They Seem to BE a Curse, and How
They Might Bring Blessing.
A writer in one of the labor papers
complains OF the extensive use which
newspapers make of stereotype plates.
In his honest Indignation he says: La
Dor papers have no business to touch the
contaminated things" And again:
They are up to the times, buy in the
cheapest market, and patronize every
thing that happens to be labor saving,
even when they know that it is labor de-
stroying." Evidently the writer has
studied only the surface of the problem,
when the cause of the evil lies much
deeper.
He foreets that the editor CT labor
paper is the victim of system he has
not created, and that it is not his fault
if there are more people willing to write
editorials or compositors needing en-
ployment than he can reasonably find
room for. He is bound to give the work.
ingman a paper at the current prices
and avail himself of those economics
which will keep the costs within GER
tain limit. The object of the labor pa
per is not, or ought not to be, the giving
of employment to~the unemployed, but
to educate the masses and explain to
them how and why there are so many
men unemployed; and also to ind!-
cate the reforms which are neces-
sary to prevent in the future the con-
| tinuation of such an unnatural state.
The labor-saving device in itself can
not be an evil, especially in regard to
printed matter, of which, when not cor
| ruptive of morals, there never can be too
much, nor that too cheap. That it is
not policy to encourage the use of labor
saving machines, for fear of destroying
the opportunities for labor, is an argu.
ment no better than the one the protec.
| zionist would make US believe, viz: that
| it is better to produce in this country
certain articles at double the cost than
| to import them and pay for them with
| articles we can produce ourselves at sin.
gle cost. Men will not work more than
| they can help. The existing labor-sav.
| ing machine will be perfected, others
will be invented, and day will come
when, by wiser and more just laws,
every drone of the community will be
compelled to perform his share of the
common duty. Then, pulling all to-
gether. instead of fighting each other as
we do now, three or four hours labor
day will produce enough to satisfy all
| necessary wants and a good many lux.
| uries besides.
Let not the we'll meaning correspond.
ent be alarmed and believe as he says,
| that removing the necessity for labor
| means idleness, idiocy, disease and
death-social suicide" When the hap.
Ply times which have referred to come,
there will be good deal of useful leis.
ure-not elegant leisure, as now in GER
tain classes. Then labor will be honor.
ed, not looked upon with contempt, as
now by certain classes. Then every
| body will in a certain measure have a
chance to follow the bent of his natural
talent instead of having to drudge for
ten or twelve hours day in some un.
congenial occupation.
For the present state of society the
labor-saving machine has not improved
the lot of the average toiler. A sewing
machine may be very useful invention
to the lady in good circumstances, but
the working woman who bends her spine
| over it for twelve hours day has never
been able to get more than precarious
living ont of it. Though the benefits Of
labor-saving machines are immense,
| millions are toiling harder than ever.
All the advantages have gone to those
| who have monopolized the natural
sources of wealth. Owning the soil they
owned the men; owning the men, they
soon owned mems genius and controlled
their product. This world as first in
tended by the Great Designer was well
enough, but selfshness stepped in and
made mess of it.
Let those who have been despoiled OF
their natural rights unite and reassert
them, and labor-saving devices will
prove a blessing. Edward Fairview.