The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1895-07-04
COL WcERsoLl on caRKlsaliss.

bIlUutrc w bltO Il W0huhOth SNh-
fury a sociological paper which
appeals far more strongly to
sympathy than to reason. He
assumes that there is a great, if
not an irrepressible, conflict be-
tween man and machine, Wri-
tiers quite as profound as he, If
lacking the inimitable sparkle
of his essays, have regarded the
machine as, next to Divinity,
the most helpful friend of man.
They have noted that the ma,
chine is both the product and
the promoter of intellectual de-
velopment; that the rank of ma
tions in civilizations is gauged
by their capacity to invent and
utilize laborsaving devices; that
only the rudest barbarians are
destitute of the machine, and
that the Incompatible advance
ment of Europe and America
and especially of the United
States-has been obtained by
applying science, through me-
chanism, to the affairs of life.
But Col. Ingersoll joins the pro-
paganda of despair and lends
the influence of his pungent pen
to the dissemination Of discon-
tent. He says:
show are We to settle the un-
equal contest between man and
machine? Will the machine
finally go into partnership with
the laborer? Can these forces
of nature be controlled for the
benefit of her suffering children?
Will extravaganza keep peace
with ingenuity? Will the work
men become intelligent enough
and strong enough to become
the owners of machines? Can
man become intelligent enough
to be generous, to be just; or
does the same law or fact con-
troll him that controls the ami
NAL or vegetable world 7"
We cannot "settle the une-
quail CONTEST" because no such
thing exists. There is no ques-
ton touching the relations Of
"Man and Machine" that will
not, in due time, find its solu.
ton, as similar questions have
been solved at every stage OF
human progress from houseless
naked barberisln to the present
state of man in the most prog
ressive countries. The machine
is, and always has been, "ir
partnership with the laborer.
"These forces oe nature arr
and always have been "con
trolled for the benefit of her su
fering children. Extraya
gance keeps pace with ingenu
ity in the sense that the cheap
ening of production correspond
ingly increases consumption
"The workmen" are "intelli
gent enough and strong enough
to become the owners of ma
Chimes" Many of the owner
of manufactures were hireC
workmen a few years ago
Many of the hired workmen O
today will be employers a few
years hence. Man can becom,
SO intelligent as TO be Just, so in
telligent as TO understand tina
justice the best policy. Score
of manufacturing corporation
in the United States have vol
UNFAIRLY raised the wages o
several hundred thousand mel
and women during the past tw,
months.
But Colonel Ingersollis wors
break, his most astounding oui
put, is yet TO be noticed. Afte
propounding the interrogatorie
above noticed, he says:
I'm the days Of cannibalism tn
strong deyoured the weak-actu
ally ate their flesh. In spite {
all the laws that man has made
in spite Of all advances in science
the strong, the heartIess, still liy
on the weak, the unfortunate, an
the foolish. When / take int
consideration the agony Of civil,
ed life, the failures, the anxietie.
the tears, the withered hopes, til
bitter realities, the hunger, I'll
crime the humiliation, the shame
/ am almost forced to say tina
cannibalism, after all, is the mos
mercifui form in which man ha
ever lived upon his fellow.man,
In civilized communities ma
always elves upon his fellow
man" II Is only among barbari
ans, whose simple wants each in
diyidual may supply for himself
that man does not live en- fellow
man. The farmer lives on III
hunger Of his fellows. The manu-
faeturer lives on other wants {
mankind. The railroad an
steamship owners live on III
desire Of mankind TO travel an
the necessity for Transporting food
clothing, building material, an
other products. The lawyers, a
Col. Ingcrsoll Is we'll aware, liy
on the necessities Of corporation
and individuals and often get ih
products Of thefts for defendin
thieves. The doctors live on th
a