Los Angeles herald., 1891-04-26

factories are confided to the care OF
Managers, and these are held to
strict account for the expected protts.
Thousands of people work in the fac
tories from childhood to old age, and
never see the faces of those for whom
they toll. Under such system the
workers are merely "hands," necessary
parts OF the machinery, and not a
thought appears to be given by their
employers about how they are lodged,
fed and clothed, or whether they get
any secular or religious instruction OF
any kind. The factory workers all
live in tenement houses, and
thousands of families have no
more than one small room. Their pay
is barely enough to supply them with
the coarsest and cheapest food. Thou
sands of them have not single change
of garments. The buildings are so
crowded with inhabitants that dirt,
darkness and general discomfort pre-
walls everywhere. Places there are
where, through an entrance less than
five feet wide, 1900 human beings find
their way in and out of their homes.
Some of these creatures live in such
close contact with cesspools that one
who is not accustomed to it may not
enter there without being sick.a
What Dante imagined Of the inferno
is literal description OF what may be
seen in Glasgow.
He led me in among the secret things.
There signs, complaints and mutations loud
Resounded through the air without star
Whence at the beginning wept thereat,
Languages diverse, horrible dialects,
Accents of anger words OF agony
And VOICES high and hoarse, with sound OF
hands
Make up a tumult that goes whirling on
Forever in that air forever black.
Drinking places abound in all the
streets, and women as we'll as men fire.
ouent them. 1t is common thing on
Saturday evenings to see fathers and
mothers standing at the bars drinking
ale or whisky, many of the women each
having baby wrapped IN tattered
shawl, and one or two little tots clinging
to her skirts; the little ones are given
sips OF the liquor. Temperance people
argue that drunkenness is the cause of
most human misery; it may with equal
truth be argued that the miserable sur
roundings OF those people make them
drink. Notwithstanding these unfavor-
able conditions there are very many
good fathers and mothers and virtuous
Young women and men among the fac
tory workers. The rich people of Glas-
cow with strange perversity subscribe
literally for the support of foreign mis-
sions, yet neglect the people in their
own employ. Every American wishes
to see his own country excel all others
in every branch of manufacturing indus
try, but in the efforts to accomplish this
human beings should not be regarded
merely as "hands," necessary parts only
of the machinery OF factories.
NOT AN END BUT A MEANS.
Industry OF all kinds is not an end,
but a means; the end is, or ought to be,
to increase the comfort OF every man,
woman and child. But if this end be
perverted to building up great fortunes
and boundless luxury for a few, and the
many must sink into abject toll and
misery; if every manufacturing city in
the United States must have "west
end" and an least end" like Glasgow,
then better tar that we have no manu-
factures. The work of Carnegie and.
others in Pennsylvania is now produc-
ing such results as would indicate that
toilers in the United States will not be
so patient under poverty as the factory
workers of Glasgow. But no matter
what or how great difficulties
have arisen, American ingenuity has
always been able to provide remedy,
and doubtless the relations between
employer and employed will be adjusted
to the satisfaction OF both. Caesar ap-
pretended mischief from Cassius because
he had lean and hungry look, and
wished he were fatter; working people
with full stomachs won't make trouble.
In the United States wealth is accumu-
lating with rapidity never before
known in the world; the producers of
that wealth are entitled to share that
will enable them to live with their fami-
lies in decency and reasonable comfort;
they will be content with that, and will
not grudge to their employers all the
enioyments that wealth can procure.
Respectfully, M. DONALD.
Glasgow, April 4, 1891.