The times., 1899-08-20
Waste of Labor.

1t is said that one of the increasing
problems of modern civilization in this
country is lack of employment for the old
Men are constantly refused employment
because their hair is grey, though they
are experienced, vigorous, and competent.
This is true especially in the trades. The
man past middle age is at discount.
II is important that in the formation of
our industrial system some place should
be left for the old people and the children
to make themselves useful. This does not
mean that child labor should be encour-
aged or even allowed, in the sense in
which the term is generally used. A child
should not be required to compete with
older people, or do full days work. or
forego any of the instruction and training
which are the natural heritage OF child
hood. But II should be made familiar with
certain forms of manual training which
will be useful in after life and which,
though they are not part of any trade,
require a certain amount of skill and prac-
tice. This is the reason why farm life has
proved so valuable a preparation for life
they had been accustomed to make them
selves useful and accept measure OF re-
sponsibility. and their executive ability
was developed without their conscious ef-
fort. There are hundreds o. things which
a child can do on a farm, which will light
en- the labor of the older workers without
overtaxing the childs strength or inter-
fering with its time for studS and recrea-
ton. This is not true OF most CT the
trades and occupations in which the peo-
pie of the cities are engaged. The son of
the clerk, OF the iron worker, or OF the
factory hand, cannot work side by side
with his father, asking questions ana
learning both by observation and ex-
perience. He is more than likely to take
up some business entirely different from
that of his father, and while it is not de-
sirable that we should adopt the Oriental
custom of conining each family to GER
tain trade, it must be admitted that when
the son OF merchant besides to study
medicine, there is certain amount of time
in his childhood which is quite Likely to
have been wasted, which would not have
opportunity of watching and studying, and
sometimes dissecting all forms of animal
life.
The problem of the old people, however.
is more serious than that of the children.
The value of a childs labor is but small;
that of an old mans work in the right place
may be very great; and if the march of
Ill 81 t,,af-,
less dependents the men who should be
supporting themselves and their families.
and giving the younger men the benefit OF
their experience and judgment. there is 4
great waste of energy somewhere OF
course, at this point in our career, we can
afford TO waste some of our raw material.
human and inanimate; but as the country
becomes more denseiy populated, and also
less productive, this will not be so. 1t is
not well, from any point of view, that
man should see himself reduced to poverty
after giving twenty five years of steady
and intelligent work to his trade state
of things in which this is not only possible,
but more or less common, sharpens compe-
tition, makes men more eager for wealth,
no matter how it is acquired, and is gem
orally demoralizing. With a reasonable
certainty that he will be able to obtain
something to do when past middle life, and
that his skill and painfully acquired ex-
perience will count for something, man
can afford to wait and think, and do good.
honest, careful work, and live his life in
such a way as to bequeath to his children
sound constitutions and a healthy self
respect The opposite conditions cause u
feverish anxiety to win competence.
whether honestly or otherwise. and the re-
suit is very bad, both for this generation
and the next.