north america-1-第80章
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gant boarding…houses have been erected；〃 as to the elegance； it may be a matter of taste； but as to the comfort； there is no question〃the same care as to the classes employed； more capital has been expended for cleanliness and decoration； a hospital has been established for the sick； where； for a small price； they have an experienced physician and skillful nurses。 An institute； with an extensive library； for the use of the mechanics； has been endowed。 The agents have stood forward in the support of schools； churches； lectures； and lyceums； and their influence contributed highly to the elevation of the moral and intellectual character of the operatives。 Talent has been encouraged； brought forward； and recommended。〃 For some considerable time the young women wrote； edited； and published a newspaper among themselves； called the Lowell Offering。 〃And Lowell has supplied agents and mechanics for the later manufacturing places who have given tone to society； and extended the beneficial influence of Lowell through the United States。 Girls from the country； with a true Yankee spirit of independence； and confident in their own powers； pass a few years here； and then return to get married with a dower secured by their exertions； with more enlarged ideas and extended means of information； and their places are supplied by younger relatives。 A large proportion of the female population of New England has been employed at some time in manufacturing establishments； and they are not on this account less good wives； mothers； or educators of families。〃 Then the account goes on to tell how the health of the girls has been improved by their attendance at the mills； how they put money into the savings banks； and buy railway shares and farms； how there are thirty churches in Lowell； a library； banks； and insurance office；； how there is a cemetery； and a park； and how everything is beautiful； philanthropic； profitable； and magnificent。 Thus Lowell is the realization of a commercial Utopia。 Of all the statements made in the little book which I have quoted； I cannot point out one which is exaggerated； much less false。 I should not call the place elegant； in other respects I am disposed to stand by the book。 Before I had made any inquiry into the cause of the apparent comfort； it struck me at once that some great effort at excellence was being made。 I went into one of the discreet matrons' residences； and； perhaps； may give but an indifferent idea of her discretion； when I say that she allowed me to go into the bed…rooms。 If you want to ascertain the inner ways or habits of life of any man； woman； or child； see； if it be practicable to do so； his or her bed…room。 You will learn more by a minute's glance round that holy of holies； than by any conversation。 Looking… glasses and such like； suspended dresses； and toilet…belongings； if taken without notice； cannot lie or even exaggerate。 The discreet matron at first showed me rooms only prepared for use； for at the period of my visit Lowell was by no means full； but she soon became more intimate with me； and I went through the upper part of the house。 My report must be altogether in her favor and in that of Lowell。 Everything was cleanly； well ordered； and feminine。 There was not a bed on which any woman need have hesitated to lay herself if occasion required it。 I fear that this cannot be said of the lodgings of the manufacturing classes at Manchester。 The boarders all take their meals together。 As a rule； they have meat twice a day。 Hot meat for dinner is with them as much a matter of course； or probably more so； than with any Englishman or woman who may read this book。 For in the States of America regulations on this matter are much more rigid than with us。 Cold meat is rarely seen； and to live a day without meat would be as great a privation as to pass a night without bed。 The rules for the guidance of these boarding…houses are very rigid。 The houses themselves belong to the corporations； or different manufacturing establishments； and the tenants are altogether in the power of the managers。 None but operatives are to be taken in。 The tenants are answerable for improper conduct。 The doors are to be closed at ten o'clock。 Any boarders who do not attend divine worship are to be reported to the managers。 The yards and walks are to be kept clean； and snow removed at once； and the inmates must be vaccinated； etc。 etc。 etc。 It is expressly stated by the Hamilton Companyand I believe by all the companiesthat no one shall be employed who is habitually absent from public worship on Sunday； or who is known to be guilty of immorality； it is stated that the average wages of the women are two dollars； or eight shillings； a week； besides their board。 I found when I was there that from three dollars to three and a half a week were paid to the women； of which they paid one dollar and twenty…five cents for their board。 As this would not fully cover the expense of their keep； twenty…five cents a week for each was also paid to the boarding…house keepers by the mill agents。 This substantially came to the same thing； as it left the two dollars a week； or eight shillings； with the girls over and above their cost of living。 The board included washing； lights； food； bed； and attendanceleaving a surplus of eight shillings a week for clothes and saving。 Now let me ask any one acquainted with Manchester and its operatives； whether that is not Utopia realized。 Factory girls； for whom every comfort of life is secured； with 21l。 a year over for saving and dress！ One sees the failing； however； at a moment。 It is Utopia。 Any Lady Bountiful can tutor three or four peasants and make them luxuriously comfortable。 But no Lady Bountiful can give luxurious comfort to half a dozen parishes。 Lowell is now nearly forty years old； and contains but 40；000 inhabitants。 From the very nature of its corporations it cannot spread itself。 Chicago； which has grown out of nothing in a much shorter period； and which has no factories； has now 120；000 inhabitants。 Lowell is a very wonderful place and shows what philanthropy can do； but I fear it also shows what philanthropy cannot do。 There are； however； other establishments； conducted on the same principle as those at Lowell； which have had the same amount； or rather the same sort of success。 Lawrence is now a town of about 15；000 inhabitants； and Manchester of about 24；000； if I remember rightly； and at those places the mills are also owned by corporations and conducted as are those at Lowell。 But it seems to me that as New England takes her place in the world as a great mannfacturing countrywhich place she undoubtedly will take sooner or latershe must abandon the hot…house method of providing for her operatives with which she has commenced her work。 In the first place； Lowell is not open as a manufacturing town to the capitalists even of New England at large。 Stock may； I presume； be bought in the corporations； but no interloper can establish a mill there。 It is a close manufacturing community； bolstered up on all sides； and has none of that capacity for providing employment for a thickly growing population which belongs to such places as Manchester and Leeds。 That it should under its present system have been made in any degree profitable reflects great credit on the managers； but the profit does reach an amount which in America can be considered as remunerative。 The total capital invested by the twelve corporations is thirteen million and a half of dollars； or about two million seven hundred thousand pounds。 In only one of the corporations； that of the Merrimack Company； does the profit amount to twelve per cent。 In one； that of the Booth Company； it falls below seven per cent。 The average profit of the various establishments is something below nine per cent。 I am of course speaking of Lowell as it was previous to the war。 American capitalists are not； as a rule； contented with so low a rate of interest as this。 The States in these matters have had a great advantage over England。 They have been able to begin at the beginning。 Manufactories have grown up among us as our cities grewfrom the necessities and chances of the times。 When labor was wanted it was ob
