Chap. VII.] MANUFACTURING ESTABLISHMENTS,

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collection oflarge numbers of children, youth, and middle-agedpersons, of both sexes, into compact villages, is not a circum-stance favorable to virtue. Nor is it difficult to understand, thata change in occupation, from those diversified employmentswhich characterize an agricultural people, to the simple operationsconsequent upon that minute subdivision of labor, upon which thesuccess of manufacturing industry depends, is not a circumstancefavorable to intellectual developement. By the former, the in-genuity and inventive powers are called into action, in the com-bination and adaptation of means to ends, and thereby they aredeveloped and strengthened. By the latter employment, theinvention having been made by some master spirit, the operativeis reduced, in some degree, to the humble sphere of a part of themachinery. 4. Unless their natural deteriorating tendency can becounteracted, there is reason to fear, that they may prove un-propitious to the success of our republican institutions. If theseinstitutions continue to be sustained, which we must not permitourselves to doubt, they must rest on the general prevalenceof knowledge and virtue, as their main pillars.

The legislatures of our States may counteract the natural ten-dencies of manufacturing establishments, in a certain measure,and their proprietors may aid in counteracting them still more.1. By prohibiting children from being employed in manufacturingestablishments more than a ])art of the time , during those yearswhen the body needs much exercise in the open air to strengthenit, and when they ought to be acquiring the elements of educa-tion. This is the plan recommended by the Massachusetts com-mittee to the legislature. 2. By the establishment of savingsbanks, in which the operative manufacturers shall be encouragedto deposite a part of their scanty earnings for their future use.3. By prohibiting, or if not, yet by discouraging the use ofspirituous liquors ; and, to this end, by prohibiting or discouragingthe keeping of dram-shops in the neighbourhood of manufactur-ing establishments. 4. By encouraging the suitable observanceof Sunday, and, to this end, building churches in the neighbour-hood and supporting the ministers, establishing schools, speciallydesigned for their children, and libraries, well furnished withbooks of entertainment and instruction suited to their wants and