The Detroit times., 1910-11-26

| OF human activity as 10 De Dey ohu 'he
| influence OF invention
1t is only 60 years since manufactar.
ing began to be one OF our national
activities Since that time the value
of our manufactures has increased
more than fifteen-fold; the wages Oh
the employees OF the country's rae
tories have been multiplied by ten :;
and the number OF men and women
finding employment has Quintupled.
The inventor has made most OF this
possible, just as he has increased Vhe
products OF the farm and or the nine
Many industries have been called
into existence through the work OF
the inventor One OF the most prof.
liable OF these Is the use OF electricity
In the commercial world. In less than
40 years the activities OF inventors IN
the field Of electrical appliation
have built up an industry with total
investment of 81 900, 900. 900. The pro-
ducts and revenues OF the electrical
industries aggregate q billion dollars
a wear. and the 100000 people who
find employment annually receive
wages and salaries aggregating half a
billion dollars.
which may take away from and add
To at the same time. Ii solves the ola
problem OF eating cake and having
II. 1t makes labor-saving machinery;
at the same time adding TO the de-
mand for labor. It subtracts from Ia
boris opportunities for profitable en-
ployment In one place; and by the
same process multiplies its opportuni-
ties In another place. One railroad
train takes the place OF dozen stage
coaches or hundreds Of wagon teams |;
vet there is more work for horses anu
men in the transportation world than
ever before. The day was when one
man could turn out from AZ to 4s
wards of shifting In a week. Now, at
tending six power looms, he can pro-
duce 1900 yards. Yet there are more
men making shirting today than ever
before.
A century ago II was only the we'll
TODD who could enjoy the luxury or
bountiful supply Of clean bed linen.
II took the earnings OF 80 days Oh
common labor to buy single linen
bed.sheet. Today they are Within the
reach Of even the comparatively poor.
century ago II required the earn
ings of from four to IL days TO buy
gridiron. Now by working an hour
or two. one may earn enough to Duv
good one. The average individus'
I'm those days had scant supply OF
clothing. He could not have frequent
changes, and consequently was not
physically as clean as he Is today.
The rise OF textile machinery has
changed all this, and today the very
poor may enjoy as good clothing as
the moderately well-to-do did In The
early days OF the republic. The very
frst problem that faced mortal man
was that OF clothing himself. Until
century or two ago. the activities
OF half the civilized world were en-
tirely absorbed In providing raiment
for civilization. To-day only small
percentage CT the people are so en-
ployed. and, the others give no though.
! TO the subject except as they come IN
contact with the problem at the retail
counter
The statisticians have attempted TO
| figure out how many people II would
require 10 produce the entire output
OF the American manufacturing es-
Adjustments. working under condi-
tons which obtained century ago.
| They figure that at least 100 900. 900
employees would be required. Five
million are now 30 employed. Accord.