Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1900-09-07
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; THE FUTURE
. OF LABOR In
; AMERICA.
A Look Backward
and Forward.
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ing hours of the last year of
tbc century that has been SO full of
changes for those who earn their
bread in the sweat of their faces" this
question presses us for some sort of
answer. There is no seer among us
who has the gift to penetrate the veil
that shuts out from mortal eyes the
future, and the gift of prophecy is not
youchsafcd to the sons of men in this
matcrialistic and practical age. There
fore the best that any one can do Is
to review the past and study the pres.
cut aud in these lights try to see what
the future holds. Under these circum-
stances each one will be influenced by
his hopes. his past experiences and his
environment
In considering the changes that have
taken place in the condition of the
workers during the century that Is
about to close there are several points
of view. That there has been a gener-
al improvement, that the race. as a
whole, has gone forward, is pretty thor
oughly conceded. though there ore
some persons who conscientiously long
for return to the old days of simple
ity and conservatism, but that the pro-
ducers have reaped their full share in
the advance is disputed question.
Frequently when discussing this sub
iect with well meaning persons who
said that labor organizations were I'M
reasonable i'm their demands have run
against the following, which my dis
putaut thought was Il crusher: Com
pare the lot df the workingman of
today with the condition of his ances-
tor loo years ago. Why, l can remem-
lrr - years back, when very few
homes had the conveniences that the
poorest worllman's home now has.
Then his floors were bare, his clothing
was Of the commonest, his fare frugal,
his amuSementS simple or none at all,
his children Imeducated, his hours of
+ labor long and arduous and his pay
small. Now the average workman has
brussels carpet on the floor of his
best room, an organ in the parlor, good
i and comfortable clothing on his back
and Lis children have as good a chance
as the children Of the rich to secure a
4 common school education. His hours
Of labor have been greatly lessened, his
4 wages have been more than doubled,
and he has unlimited opportunities for
4 recreation and pleasure" This looks
like a strong presentation of the case
Of those who claim that labor is unrea-
sonablc and piggish, and so it is If the
argument is to be limited to a compar-
lson Of the condition of class at one
time with what it was at an earlier
period. But there is another way of
looking ut the subject, and from this
viewpoint the picture Is not SO rosy.
The advocates of labOr-or the ApOs-
ties Of Discomfort. if you like the char
uctcrization better-claim the right to
look at the question from a relative
standpoint. and it seems hardly posi-
bic that any fair minded man can dis
pute the claim.
The Intelligent labOrer, who know:
that to his industry and skill is due IL
greatest measure the progress made
who realizes that the great temple OF
civilization has been raised, block upol
block, by his strength and cementet
with his sweat and tears, charge:
civilization with having, through it,
Industrial system. exploited him. 1
Is admitted. at least in this country
|. that there is no progress in the changes
that limit their benefits to portion
only Of the people. If, therefore, thu
contention of the Apostle of Disconten
That the relative conditions of maste
and man are not materially changed ii
correct. then my friend who measures
the status Of the workingmen with car
pets and cottage organs has not such |
strong argument after all.
Another point in the argument of tn
apostle is that the advancing civiliza
lion has increased the desires and am
billions of mankind generally, els
there has been no real progress, as ha
been already cited. And not only ha
the desire for a better condition bee
cultivated by the general advance, bu
1t is an undisputed fact that the neces
Stiles of the man of today, regardless
Of his position, are much greater tina
were those of his type under the olde
regime The luXuries of so years ag
Pre the necessities Of today. OF wha
benefit will the free schools and tn
II Dther advantages over their grant
fathers be to the children of today
they are to be satisfied with the stf
tons in life that We're occupied by thei
= fathers-that is, if the tendency of tn
race is still to be upward? To flrml
grasp this thought just imagine societ!
with the sole exception of the Lahore
lin the same sense that that word
generally used continuing what "
call its advance at the present breal
neck speed. The idea is absur'
Were labor to accept the dictum {
some Of the preachers and professor
and become contented with what "
VIII admit Is It's improved conditio
the wheels of progress would wabb
ON for Il time under their impetus al
then stop stock still. The wise ma
m the high place knows that he holt
his position or goes higher only wht
the mudsill is pressing upward al
raising all that stands between hi
and the topmost layer, The progre
Of man expresses only the elevation