Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1849-06-15
TENDENCIES OF MODERN CIVILIZA.
TTON
BY HORACE GREELEY.

BY HORACE GREELEY.
Let me barely glance at the reciprocal iniuen-
ces OF Populations Land and Iabor.-L us sup
pose Massachusetts to contain five thousand
square miles of arabic land, and her population to
consist of fifty thousand families, or ten to each
square mile. The average value of her arabic
soil, we will say is now twenty dollars per acre.
But while the Land is fixed quality the popula-
ton IS steadily increasing. In single generation
1t has become five hundred thousand souls or one
hundred thousand families; and in another gem
Grafton one million persons, or two hundred
! thousand families and now the arabic soil is
worth, not twenty, but sixty dollars per acre. If
each family were the owner of its preportonate
part, or something near it, this would not be mad
equate. There would be still sixteen acres for
each family, which witha proportion of the sterile
and rocky woodland for fuel would do very well.
But in tactthere will be found fewer owners of
farming land with the population at one million,
! than there were when it stood at two hundred and
hity thousand, and the great mass must now live
by hiring land of the few, by Sc ling their labor
| to the few, which amounts to the same thing
Practically, the Labor of the State must now pay
to the Capital nearly four times as much for the
privilege of cultivating the soil, and ENJOYING its
fruits, as 1t did when the population was but two
hundred and fifty thousand. Tested by the stand
ard of the market, the land is worth so much
more than formerly, and must be rented, or sold
or worked by hired labor, SO as to return a cor
| responding profit to Its owner Let us suppose
each acre to have rented for the value of two
day work formerly, it must now be rented for
the price of Seren days work, other things being
equal. But population doubles vet again. and
now each acre of land, so great is the number of
competitors for the privilege of cultivating it. will
command yearly rent equal to at least twelve
days faithful labor.
will not pursue the Illustration farther, though
have not even yet reached the point already at
tanned in the depression of labor consequent on
the increase ofpopuation, and resulting increase
in the market value of Land, in England, BeIgi-
um and some other countries. Your own minds
will have already grasped the conclusion that
the very structure and essential laws OF ClyIIsed
Society doom the Laboring Glasses to sink ire
sistubly lower and lower, until their remuneration
reaches that point where existence, with ability
to labor, can barely be sustained.
have a notion" said one of the Sultans to
his Vizier, that it would be good thing to ex-
terminate all the Kayaks Chat is, Christian sub
jects,) at once, and have no more trou-
bic with rebellions.' True Oh Ruler of the
Faithful " replied the Visier, {" it would be con-
yenient in thatlight; but how would the treasury
bear the loss ofthe Capitatiou Tax ?" Precisely
take care that our Laboring Millions shall not
famish If they did, Land would sink in value
disastrously. But if bushel of corn per week
will Just keep laborer and his family insufficient
health and strength to work, and the price of an
other bushel will furnish just sufficient shelter
and clothing to save them from freezing to death,
then the price of two bushels ofcorn is the stand
ard to which the laborer's weekly wages do in
cessantly tend, and which they will ultimately
reach. The contamination may be protracted
by hundred foreseen and unforeseen events
by emigration, by pestilence, the ravages of war,
by scientific discoveries, or mechanical improve
ments, Though many of these are rather calcula-
ted to hasten IT'D but it is the ultimate and una
voidable goal as surely as the stone rolling by
its own gravity down the side of mountain,
though it may sometimes rebound higher than
the spot it occupied moment before, will roll to
the bottom unless arrested. The point whereto
Labor necessarily tends in Civsed Society, is !
that of bare and scanty ability to support exist
ence.