Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1903-07-17
AN EN- lsHMAN,s VIEW.

n MeCno01c from the other Side On
American Labor Methods.
!. SO much has recently been written
and spoken on the subject Of American
ism and the dangers which are likely
to grow from the development Of Amer
lean methods that It is: only fair that
we should look at the matter from all
points Of view, and as one who came to
the United States two years ago unfa-
vorably disposed toward these methods
I feel conscientiously bound to give the
result of my incidental study Of the
subject. When left England the i'm
preston from workers point Of view
was that the methods employed on the
other side were tending to turn man
into a mere machine and in this way
to lower the intelligence Of the indivtd.
ual worker, but everything have seen
points emphatically to the very oppo-
site conclusion. The introduction of la
Dor saving appliances has almost en-
tirely done away with physical skill as
applied to the ordinary work of the
mills, but i'll it's place we have a men
tai activity and keenness of vision
which are having an almost unlimited
influence on the brain development of
the worker and In this way raising the
standard Of intelligence in the ranks.
This In itself is a strong factor in the
market of manufacture, but it is only
the foundation Of the growth which is
gradually taking place in the "strenu.
Gus life" of the United States which
unless introduced in other countries
will eventually cause them to be left
behind in the march of commercial su-
premacy. From figures have before
me prepared by Mr.. james H. Bridge,
late librarian assistant to Mr.. Herbert
Spencer, find that the average work
power Of nations is as follows: Taking
the work of the ordinary dock laborer
at 325 foot tons per day, the average
daily force exerted by the citizen Of
the United States is 1900 foot tons, the
average of the Englishman is 1,4OO foot
foot tons and of the Italian 400 foot
tons. This force may be safely taken
as the earning power of the individual
worker, and from that standpoint will
show the logical outcome of the in
creased work power of the individual.
1t must be borne in mind that these
figures are the result of the labor and
not the actual labor expended. The
reason of the large capacity of the
American workman is the introduction
Of 90 much machinery, which enables
him to do great deal more work by
the exercise of his mental faculties, as,
of course, the physical strength Of the
different nations is not as shown here
This method of increasing the working
power of the individual raises his val
ue and by diminishing his physical
effort naturally gives more chance to
his intellectual advancement. The very
nature of his work is such as to call
for higher rate Of intelligence, as he
must control larger output lin most
cases a larger number Of machines)
and exercise his mental faculties to
much greater extent than the worker
with the smaller output. Taking the
case of the steel trade, where the
American has SO rapidly advanced in
the past few years, the introduction of
mechanical appliances has almost CON-
pletely done away with the class of Ia
Dor which tended to make a worker
an old man at fifty, and in this way,
where the work consists in great part
Of the control Of levers and switches
requiring small physical effort and con
siderable intelligence. the workman at
the end of his daily toll is not physic-
ally exhausted and only fit for stimu-
lants or bed. but he is seeking physic-
al recreation and those things which
will fit him more and more for his
days work. l think this feature of the
question should be of interest to advo-
Gates for old age pensions, as it will be
easily seen that man who would be
unfit for heavy physical exertion would
be just as capable Of carrying on his
work under the new conditions and
would be still earning his full wage
for many years after he passed his
bodily prime.-London Times.