New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1845-09-24
Economy versus LnbOr-A Suggestion.

To The Editor Of The Tribune;
The statement you give the public in relation to
the rate OF wages and want OF work by the poorer
classes of society is correct in the main-but what
is the remedy Much OF the destitution and suf-
fering is the result of bad habits as drunkenness
idleness and ignorance, but large amount remains
which the sober industrious and intelligent poor
are unable to overcome The first evil is want Of
opportunity to labor, in consequence OF an made
quate field there is not work enough for the work
ers The inevitable result Of this is excessive com
petition in the labor market, and a consequent re-
duction of its market price TO the lowest point Of
subsistence The demand for labor depends upon
the amount of its products which society consumes
The great wants of society are food, clothing, shell
ter fire physical and intellectual elegancies, as
coaches. horses, furniture books, newspapers, &c
&c-a vast amount of things, but all alike the pro
duct of labor physical and Intellectual and all to be
absorbed or destroyed in meeting the wants and
wishes of society.
Ii is obvious then, that to increase the demand
for labor society must increase rs c0HSum pfiOn,
the quantity of labor being fixed by the number OF
the individuals aboring, as change IN the relations
OF the two can only be effected by a destruction OF
portion Of the laborers an increase of the con
sumption of the products Of their labor. II every
person who employs one servant would employ
two-every one who wears one coat year would
wear two and so through all the variety OF human
wants-if the amount Of qualification allowed was
increased or doubled. the demand for labor would
be proportonably increased the pressure on the
labor market relieved, and the evils of the class of
society whose only exchsngeable commodity Is
labor would be removed Society would consume
more-enioy more, and would lose nothing what
would then be enjoyed is now but in the form OF
nnoccnpied labor One of the errors OF society is
Of f.yIor hat IL may L.
bv insufficient demand, and En- unreasonable regard
TO the products of labor Il fire burns up 100
houses and their contents il is Il sad calamity. but
if quantity of labor equal TO their reproduction Is
suffered TO go TO waste society cares little Tor It
while the evil in the latter case Is much greater as
the loss falls Oh those who have no accumulatlons
to fall back upon il is distracted from the nectssi
ties of the poor the fire destroys only the accumu-
la,ions Of the rich.
The great error of modern society is the adherence
TO the doctrines of Economy OF a former age In
a former age, when iamines occurred, when the
ability TO produce was only equal 10 me wants OF
society the principles of economy were widely
adapted to the condition of things and Of course true
but by the progress Of society in Science and lis ap
plicaton 10 the supply of human wants, the ability
10 produce is quadrupled and the habit OF consun-
ing has not increased in equal ratio-eence the
excess Of labor An indistncl appreciation OF this
fact leads 10 the opposition which Is found IN urin
machines-an idle attempt 10 stop the progress OF
society in that Objectionable type OF the age.
Economy in the expenditure Of individuals and
Government is deemed virtue Demagogues al
voca,e economy in Government, and the poor are
deceived by the cry the wise and prudent preach
economy aud the mex perienced practice upon the
principle He who accumulaies most IS the better
man The poor envy the rich, and especially him
who expends mos, literally; they mistake their
true interes,-all expenditure. public or private
increases the demand for labor, and thus relieves
them of the special evil which they suffer sapera-
bundance of labor in the market II our government
should spend hundred millions per annum instead
of twenty in ships canals roads or in any other way
the 80 millions must pay for labor principally, and
would increase the demand. and OF consequence I'm
move the condition of the laborer either by more
work or by better prices How would society be
affected by the change If the demand for labor
ercocdei the supply it would improve the condition
Of the poor BY increasing their comforts; If equal
only TO the supply il w-uld do the same by constant
labor Society would gain the value OF tue labor
now lost the raw material which has no value
would become properly, and the public would lose
nothing by the change except what might arise rom
injudcious appropriation OF small portion oil The
stock OF labor.
The true principle then is, Spend Spend Il we
would grow rich az individuals or nations but be
sureyou spend your own and no, othen'. POVERTY.