The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1904-08-20


shoes Tor the 4 fal,1iI begins. ISL q, may
take month more or less. but he sticks
TO- hts. Job until everYone5i Is shod, when
he is away TO- the: next customer need
ing his services. = can; be easily seen
that the primitive shoemaker's prices
are higher than. those, for shoes turn
ed out at a city factory. but is the sat
isfaction found in, doing, honest work
to count for nothing? >,: 49, ...
Through the entire range of work
In the Black Forest, these primitive
methods of manufacture prevail, though
as railroads pierce this district and
tourists, reckless of expense, invade the
precincts heretofore given over to if
teenth and sixteenth century methods,
the local artisans are having hard
time Of holding their. own. Thus is
this rural community being united, in
spite Of it's conservatism, with the out
side world. Baden covers less than
1000 square miles,. Of which 80 per
cent is mountainous.
Effect of Contact With Outside World.
Black Forest have been exporters of
wooden ornaments. musical boxes, and
watches, clocks and toys. These &C.
tiyities are carried on in great part
when harvests are housed and time
hangs heavily on the farmers hands,
and when the numerous children-for
the families aare,, generally large
must be given some employment to
keep them out Of mischief Many a
Noah's ark which has filled with de-
light the heart Of an American boy,
saw it's birth amidst the dark foliage
Of this district. And as one cannot sell
unless one buys-for commerce is sim
ply an exchange of commodities for
commodities-these primitive people
have, in spite of Themselves: enjoyed
the blessings following commerce. How
ever their purchases have been hereto
fore more than now, in the direction
Of things they could not themselves
make. Yet I doubt notthat if they were
relieved of the burdens of landlordism
the payment of rent. for the use Of
the soil (something no landlord Great
ed)-and as we'll Of paternalism In the
| shape of a great standing army and
change of things useful and ornament
al with the rest of the. world, even If
at times it did disorganize home in
| dustry not SO economically carried on
there as elsewhere, would be for the
| best interests of all and would result
/ in increasing the sum total of human
happiness.
| My experience in the Black Forest
was very limited but had with me
Edward Rumely, an American boy, of
La Porte, Ind, student in the Erie
burg university who had many time
tramped over the district and is thor
| oughly familiar with the people.
| I'm my tours I always take a mag
net" said Mr.. Rurnely, "for it always
affords infinite delight and amusement
for the children. To go through the
simple experiments with which all Am
orleans are acquainted, and finally tic
magnetic their knives, so that they
too, can pick up tacks and needles
through paper, opens the way for con-
fidences that cannot otherwise be east
lily obtained when:fyou Int crest the
children Of a. family you make. friends
| of the parents ~tcz.
Mr. Rumely is much more observing
than the ordinary student, and is one
Of the rising young hhlen who will be
heard from in the fufure:zs He Is study.
1 Ing edtctine.. but hia actual rnenta
II horizon IL al much wider one. vi Y.
In: some districts IL the Black For.
est, MIR. Rum ely told me, Sugar Is un'
known. The honey Of the wild bees
is the chief source OF sweetness: A
Black Forest apotheeary is :. a. mos
primitive physician. His herbs arr
gathered in the woods by some mother
in Israel who knows one plant from
another, and these are prescribed BY
the simple rule Of giving the sick per
son a. decoction of herbs gathered il
the locality where the patient resides
The supposition Is that only such herb!
are effective: Naturally both apothe'
cary and patients are suspicious of for
eign doctors who prescribe drugs gath
cred from any and everywhere.
The Lesson to BE Learned.
But this letter must have an end
ing interesting as the subject is. On
thing cmfwypmea- abe,a-m
could spend months in the Black For
! est and find without number every da!
interesting customs and superstition:
and legends Of which Ito write. If in.
! dustrial Switzerland plays only a mino1
| part in the commerce of the world, ther
the people of the Black Forest car
have little effect in making or divert
ing trade; yet these patient and plod
ding workers are; after all, cogs IL
some of the minor wheels in the in.
dustrial machinery of the age, and az
such they should not: be ignored We
can learn from them patience and faith
fulness, and they can learn from us
the conserving of energy, and from
this flux Of knowledge should some
day come more perfect industrial con
dttions.
In my next letter shall haze a wore
or two to say about industrial con
ditions In Holland.
JUDSON GRENELL
RODlcES DEFINE FIGURE.