The Washington times., 1894-03-25


machinery to meet the great displacement
that has taken place is added to the influx OF
those who came from abroad to cast their lot
with those enlisted in the great army OF the
wage-earners of our land 1t matters not now
cheap or how extensive the quantity OF our
products may be, machinery has dis
placed full fifty per cent. of the muscular
labor formerly employed. Yet this dispiace-
ment has enabled untold thousands to make
use of these implements in the tiiing OF pre-
ductive ields. Not only has 1t made his task
an easy one. but it enables him to produce in
larger quantities, redounding ultimately to the
common welfare.
In the manufacture of boots and shoes. an
article of necessity. we have n very striking
example. An eastern manufacture, in testify
ing upon this subject, stated that 1t would
require 500 persons working by hand to make
rs many woman's boots and shoes as 100 per-
SONS now make by the use of machinery. n
displacement Of so per cent. The cost OF
shoes has thereby been greatly reduced and
the production increased, making it possible
for everyone TO possess shoes at very low
fignre as compared with days of old.
The broom industry, which does not seem
to offer much field for speculation in refer
ence to displacement, has also undergone
great changes. A manufacturing concern
employing seventeen skilled men to produce
500 dozen brooms per week now with nine
men, aided by machinery, turns out 1000
eases of brooms weekly. In this case the
force is reduced nearly one-half, while the
quantity is nearly doubled.
In the carpet industry. which employs
29.121 persons in i73 establishments who
made rerorts TO the Census Office. there is a
displacement OF from ten to twenty times the
number Of persons now necessary taking all
the processes together. In the spinning
alone it would take by the old methods from
10 to 100 times the number OF operatives now
employed.
In the manufacture of textiles. and
especially cotton goods. there are many
striking illustrations. A weaver with hand
loom used to weave from sixty to eighty picks
per minute. With power loom he now
weayes $50 picks per minute. In 1881 the
average number of spindle5 per operative
in the cotton mills of this country was 25.2; 1t
is now over 72 an increase of more than lS5
per cent, and along with this increase OF the
number of spindles per operative there mas
been an increase of product per operative OF
over l45 per cent
But in all this great revolution of industrial
methods nothing, perhaps. has equaled that
which has transpired in the arr OF printing,
which, by the very nature ofits character, mas
made all others possible. Man could not in
vent without knowledge, and knowledge, ike
everything else. was placed in easy reach of
every one at very moderate cost by the use
One of the latest presses turned out by a
New York house has IN aggregate running ca
pacitv of Is, 600 eight-page papers per hour;
that is TO say. one of these perfected presses.
run by one presSman and four skilled lahorers.
will print cut ut the top. fold. paste, and
count $4,000 eight-page papers per hour. 10
do this uress-work alone or the old plan
would take man and boy, working ten hours
per day. 100 days. The paper we now re-
ceive in the morning every day would there
fore become Il quarterly under the old system
instead of the new.
From these few illustrations it will be seen
that, while there has been a temporary dis
placement Of labor by machinery. it has re-
suited ultimately in vast expansion of the
same when properly developed. 1t has caused
q great increase in consumption per capita,
and must therefore have Il corresponding eX-
pansion of labor necessary for the production
of the products. The consumption OF cotton in
1850 was i3 81 pounds per capita. while III lSg0it
had increased to nearly - pounds. In 1870
the per capita consumption Of iron was 1864
pounds: in 1850 il had risen TO 20l. SO pounds.
and in 1880 to 2S3.3S. The use of steel shows
like results. In 1850 it was 46 pounds per
capita. and in 1850 14i pounds. This appli-
cation of iron and steel indicates clearly that
labor must be actively employed or such ex
tensions could not take place. But more
conclusive idea can be formed upon this sub
ject by glance at statistics concerning all
persons employed. During the most prolific
period in this country Of invent, ns. from
1850 to 1850. our population increased 595l
per cent, while during the same period the
number of persons employed In all occu-
pations increased 109.S7 per cent.
But while we have gained enormous bene-
fits from the use of machinery, there has
come with this great condition OF affairs
which must not be overlooked. Our un-
aud iuxaptiya gyppinS has
attracted the attention Of the old world. and
thousands have sought our shores for en-
poyment. Ii is true machinery has relieved
labor of hardships. lowered the cost of neces-
sites, created demand for things that were
heretofore beyond ordinary reach. as well as
having brought about an expansion for the
employment of labor; but has this expansion
been sufficient through labor; they cannot
consume what Is produced 10y great machine
for their benefit. Labor must, therefore. 50
il seems. be provided for in some way. 1t mat
ters not what machinery has done
for humanity, humanity must live to enjoy it,
There is another phase OF this question
which has an extremely important bearing.
1t has been possible for Il very few men TO
gain control OF useful inventions. which.
while contributing great benefits 20 the COM
munity at large has also contributed greatly
to the individual in control and has enabled
him 10 place the community in position
subject tc his dictates. He is the master of
the situation. while the lalorcr. dispieased by
the use of the invention. receives no reward
or benefit outside of that which he indirectly
pays for through some other source These
great labor-saying machines. therefore, have
been the means of creating great moDopolies.
which seek to extort an unfair and uDpropor-
toned equivalent for their products. II labor
saving machinery is a benefit TO humanity, it
should contribute its benefits equally ana in
n proportionate degree and not TO the in
diyidual benefit OF those who control them.
1t is crime against the interest of society TO
allow all our grand achievements TO be used
rs a tool for the concentration of immense
fortunes.
The greatest question before tho American
people to-day is: How shall be protect our