The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-09-03


Temporary - - wsl 1sun1ea tSas II
could last through HE.
1AD0a DAY.
TosAsrrow win - dedicated 20 the
cause Of labee. 1hle = the emily country
where SUCH IN institution prevails. a.
Though celebrations Ia honor Of hus-
bandry are - old a. history reaches
back. Ths introductien OF the holiday
has been slow. but now many OF the
states rscogniss it. and the festivities
In connection with Il are becoming more
elaborate. The idea y undoubtedly .
good one. II not only brings the work
err In the various crafts together. but
has q tendency to elevate labor In the
syss Of the growing generation. This
u exceedingly important. because there
- too great disposition 20 regard me-
chanical work ~ less honorable than
professional work. 1t b not only not
less honorable. but II II more profitable.
II the average could Be made Of the
cost Of training professional men and
the cost Of training mechanics. and
that could Be onset by the emolumen;s
Of those who eve their advance to their
knowledge Of mechanics. y would Be
found that labor WAS Tar ahead.
The estimation In which labor II held
now II much higher than Il has ever
been. There Is issatlsfaction. and
there will be dtssatisfaction 20 long ~
human nature has ambitions. The
struggle to get more for services on the
one hand. and to secure - much serv-
Ice a. possible at the least cost on the
other Will always 60 on. The struggle
has 20 Tar brought victory to those who
seek better terms for their labor: It has
been % successful that It shouts give
Encouragement 70 the constant move
ment TO secure fair wages and fair
treatment.
In order to appreciate this Il - nsces-
sary to rscur 70 past conditions for pur-
poses Of comparison.
Great Britain has always bsen In ad-
vance Of European countries. yet that
sdvance has been accompanied by some
very severe struggles. Under the an
cicnt law all single men between IL
years old and 6s, and married ones un-
der 30 years OF aSe. ana all single
women between ~ and ~. not having
any visible livelihood. were compelled
70 60 out 70 service in husbandry. or
certain spccl0c trades. FOR the promo
ton Of honesty industry" The law not
only compelled people 90 work. but II
set ths hours during which they should
work In summer and In winter. pro-
vided punishment for those who desert
ed their work and empowered the Jus
tees at sessions. or the sherin of
the county, to settle their wages. The
laws were not 20 bad. but the appllca-
ton was frequently very unjust. In
the early part Of this century. strikers
hanged together ut York In 1912. for
destroying machinery. The Ubiquitous
conspiracy laws made concerted action
OF iaborers q crime. and in New York.
In iso2. number Of sailors who went
on q strike were arrested ana lodged In
jail. A paper published In 1880 COM
planned that II mechanics combined to
raise their wages the laws punished
them az conspirators against the good
OF society. and the dungeon awaits them
as II does the robber.'
The Industrial condition IL greatly i'm
proved In other respects. Artificers were
compelled. eighty years ago. to be a,
work at or before o'clock In the morn
Ing and work twelve hours. Children
began work at the age OF 6. and the
author Of THE History OF the Factory
Movement says that in stencil, In
heated rooms. amid the constant whirl-
ing OF thousand wheels. little fingers
and little feet were kept in ceaseless
aetlon. forced into unnatural activity
by blows at the hands Of the merciltss
overseer." II was no; until isS5 that
the hours OF labor for children were
limited. and II was made an offense TO
lock factory doors.
In this country u was not much bet
ter In the New England mills. EN-
plcyes worked fifteen hours: the regula-
tions a, Paterson required children 20
he az work at 40 o'clock In the morn
ing. women and children were argvd on
by the use OF the cowhlde. and u laborer
who fell sick was sent to fall for run
ming W bill at 4 store and being IN
able 10 pay.
No* ten hours tire In the utmost
for an average days work. and nine IL
becoming more general Legislation has
Hxsxs shA Axsssr~ OF rabnr for vxar.sar IA N