The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-06-14


ing and these went to dispel the dreary
clouds Of oppression that overshadowed
the lives of the poor. There began to
grow as q result OF this humanitarian
upheaval a tender plant Of humanlove
which bid fair for q long time to ever
blossom and shed fragrance into pow
erty's vale; but q rank weed, q weed
fed by the averice OF modern CONNER
cial methods Is threatening TO choke
out the heavenly plant. Then shall
not the 20th century open with an era
OF Social Democracy as far surprising
that of the time Of Goldsmith and
Burns as the life of our time suFpasses
the life of their time9 Can it be done3
Leaving aside the Divine agencies
which might be suggested we pass to
some OF the remedies for everyday
life. Science since it's birth has up
held the masses. As the secrets of ma
ture have been revealed to thinking
men they have used them in such q
way as to send an impulse Of higher
and truer life into homes far beyond
mans most hopeful snticipations. The
popular cry against the machine and
modern methods is but the echoes of
the raviDgsof disordered imaginations.
Were the land bereft of the marvellous
mechaDisms for production and the
world thrown back upon hand prodCc
tion to day, the wall of desolation and
despair would echo from ono land to
another. The helpfulness of modern
scientific work in increasing produc.
ton for an increasing population is
ever to be relied upon as q faithful sup
port in our efforts to assist the multi
tudinous poor.
SHORTER HOURS.
One fundamental feature embodied
in the laborer's plea is for shorter
hours of labor. The over-worked and
the out of work form the two classes.
There can be no question, as has been
proved in many cases, that a man who
is given due rest and food can do much
better work and a greater amount Of
work than one who tolls from IL to Is
hours per day under conditions so -ad.
verse to human comfort az are found
in many American enterprises. An 8
hour per day law seems imperative.
This would enable thousands who are
idle to ecure employment and would
give to the overworked a chance for q
breath of life. It has been proved in
Europe, especially In France, that the
employer will not financially suffer by
this law.
Homes are a crying need for poor
human beings. Homeless men are apt
to be friendless men. If in lifting man
up, by giving him chance for work,
we do not see that he has a home, u
efforts are, generally, in vain. The
first instincts of life lead man to a
home where he can find solace after
the strain Of daily toll and find there,
sheltered under q comfortable roof. the
beings, the love for whom makes the
toll not only ~endurable, but pleasur-
able. The lives of the poorest and
most degraded classes are impenetrable
to the higher influences of civilization,
so long as these people remain unan-
chored by the uplifting influences of q
cozy home. Europe is far ahead of
America in providing homes for its
workingmen. There every large indus
try has provided the means of home
life for it's employees. And labor
troubles in Europe are nothing com.
pared to those here. It is striking to
note the difference In sentiment be-
tween the employer and employee
there and here.
ORGANIZE!
Trade organization among certain
classes of labor has become the rule. It
is becoming the rule in all classes. And
this idea of organization is to lift men
from a chaotic struggle Of an earlier
industrial epoch, 80 as to get fairly
upon the road to modern industrial
progress. In comparing the move
ments of capital with labor we see that
capital is far better directed and more
systematized. "Organize or starve" is
the strong advice which can well be
given to the industrial workers; and
the reason for such advice is that If
they organize they reap from the or
ganization just such benefte as the
capitalist reeps from his syndicates
and combines. The British Board of
Trade, after an exhaustive ~investiga
tion of trade unions in that prosperous
country, says: "From every point Of
view, the trade unions form a most
-.aLAnnA annAnn u Ahn nnnsnI lsao ~