The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1898-04-28

ItAata iNaAfI AHa AAHt htEa " - "
called for the lessons in their history.
Operated AZ Il was AZ mere penal
settlement. with the vague intention
that some day II might be colony Of
another Kind. there zas little room for
the unhampered operation ofvuFistrial
forces In their natural channels. and II
Industry now Is on another plane the
credit a even greater because Of the
wretched inception Of Il. II was long
before the authorities would recognize
that the laborer bad rights to anything
beyond a bare living This might be
Understood as long ss the great ma
iority Of the labOrers we're emancipat-
ed convlcts, but the same ideas DOM
mated the policy Of the authorities long |
after the free population began 10 rlul-
tipiy. The spirit Of the government
was tina, OF parental interference IN ev-
cry concern Of social life. The pater-
nalism Of today - altogether a dir
iercni thing. The governor ixed the
price and regulated the quality Of ~ro-
v.li1ns 20 be sold In the colony. lie
faado grants Of land and In Sydney re-
cuircd those who had grants TO ere-t
tne buildings on them. lie served out
lands, cattle and provisions 10 his sub
lects Ike q general merchant He
regulated tolls. ferries and municipal
affairs. lie gathered together the or
phans Of the colony and supported
them cut OF the tustom-house receip s.
To the laboTer he assigned a fixed
daily wage. and be regulated the price
OK the meat and the bread which the
laborer must buy. The free colonist
was looked upon as an intruder. and he
vas 10 be regulated a. carefully as pos
sible AZ first the government was the
only employer q labor. As years went
on an Increasing number Of men Who's
sentences had expired came into the
labor market. and these. with the sol
diers who decided 20 stay IN the colony
I retired oflccfs. civilians In the employ
/ Of The government aad the tree imml-
grants who had come 10 the settle
mcnt. formed the Industrial population.
| A. this element grew Il became neces-
/ faTy 70 make laws regulating the re-
lations between employers and the free
employed.
The laws affecting labor we're all
conceived In the spirit Of the primal
curEe, which designated work a pun
ishment. the lie Of man a warfare and
his time here below a probation TO be
spent In WEAKNESS and sorrow. The
general orders issued during the FIRST
thirty years were sufficiently harsh and
callous even when framed with special
reference 20 the bond population. but
they we're scarcely more considerate
when they sought TO regulate free la
Dor. A days work for stacking and
carrying grain was fixed at from
O'Clock Ia the morning until I o'clock
az night, less three hours for food and
rest The wages paid for various
classes Of labor we're arbitrarily de-
termlned. Should a laborer take or
demand more than the regular rates. or
refuse 10 work for such wages. he was
10 be set In the stock for two days and
one night for the first oifense and for
a second TO undergo penalty Of three
months hard labor No person was al
lowed TO take work unless he could. II
a freeman. produce his certificate, or.
II bondman. his ticket Of leave. For
the infringement q this regulation the
penalty for the employer was a fine,
and Tor paying more than the regulated
, rates. he was liable TO be imprisoned
for ten days. In addition to the fine.
The harboring Of a runaway apprentice
b involved six months hard labor TO a
freeman. and 100 lashes with other
punishment. TO prisoner. As the
Trainer Of the laws. the governor had
! airays before him the fact that the en-
b ployer was often little better than the
E laborer. both as a rule belonging to the
b emanciplsi class. and both deserving OF
b similar punishment for breaches Of tn,
p labor regulations"
The above is from an Official publ
D cation which deals with those times
J Free labor got but three shlllIngs ,
J. day for field labor. and out OF tha
= had 10 supply their own food an,
i clothing. This form Of regulation b,
e law vas strictly In accordance with III,
o ideas o. the times. the object being Z,
: Insure TO settlers a supply OF cheal
J. labor and incidentally 10 protect III
!. iaborer against fraud. Its principal ef
q feet however, was 20 prevent the labor
er from recovering In the courts
e greater price for his labor than wa
= stipulated IN the schedule. whatever hi
e contract with his employer might be
o while the moment Il became the In
+ ;erost OF the employer 10 give bette
= terms be would do 30. While wage
!. wages were 80 low. prices Of food wer
y correspondingly high. Average price
were 10 shilllngs a bushel FOR corn. /
q shllllngs Tor wheat, shilllngs a dozel
. for eggs. aud for other things In llk
y proportion.