Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1866-11-27
TlaE MONEY VALUE OE lnI.
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century, the average length Of life Of the
whole population was about thirty three
year. aud the condition Of the country was
such n would at the present day be consid
cred poor--thc majority of the people were
poorly fed, poorly clothed and poorly hous>
cd Most OF their roads were in such con
,ituoa as scarcely permitted the use OF wheel
carriages -their rivera were without bridges; |
and "a journey from London 70 Edinburg. by
the best convcyances then 10 use took nine
days nov performed in two hours). and the
mass Of tho population was then In nearly
the same condition that their progenltors
we're 200 years bcfors-usithsr the domes-
tic comforts nor the average duration oflife
had sensibly increased in two centuries.-
About the year 1880. however. indications
Of change began to appear system
Of agriculture was improved, the steam en-
gne, though then in rude state, was brought
into use-ncw roads and bridges were con-
structed-new manufactures we're intro
duced, and those previously carried on were
extended, and great advances were made IN
the knowledge Of diseases and their proper
mode Of treatment.
These improvements led gradually to an
inci, ase in the physical comforts ofthe whole
population. and the pow Of the steam engine
was substituted for some Of the most exhaust
ing kinds Of manual labor. and they were
enabled . obtain better food better clothing
AID more comfortable habitations, and IN
sickness were able to obtain more efficient
medical aid than ever before. These change
in the condition of the who.c community
soon disclosed the fact that every addition
- their comforts prolonged their lives.
This course Of improvement has contin-
ucd Tor something more than century, and
one Of the consequences 10 that the average
duration Oh human life in Great Britain has
now reached forty-ive years. Il 10 gener-
ally supposed that an individual who reach
cs the age oftwcnty ono years has not done
more than to reimburse society for the COS,
OF maintaining ard educating him In carly
youth aud that should he die II that age
the world would be neither richer nor poor
or for his having been born. II he lives
twelve years longer. reaching The age Of
thirty three years. he will. during that id.
ditionsl time, produce more than he con
sumes and leave something for the benefit Of
his SUCCESSORS.
But If the community is benefited by ~
years labor Of the mature individual, twice
TINT term, or "a years. with increased skill
aud experience, will moe than double thu
advantage. la other words. each adult o
cery community 10 produced at . certain
cost and his value, when 20 produced. i.
made up Of his ability TO labor multiplied
ln,o the remaining term Of his life IL thu
term lac "a years tho community will evil
den,y derive twice the amour, Of profit
from his labors that they would IL he ceased
10 1--we and labor at the end Of II years, n!
lac would # he died at the age Of thirty
three. Hence we see that the increase il
'"h'' - WV H'es VI us nliIaDVants u
quite sufficient ta account for tho p,cs,n
prosperous condition Of Great Britain. which
though an island but little larger than IN
state Of New No'l, with II population no
,xrecdIng two trirds Of That Of The Unite,
states, has, within tho last fifty years. be
"'des making oil the improvements require,
IA ~ own country, supplied the capital
s@iii aud large portion of the labor ant
materials required in the construction o
most Of the railroads and locomotives 70,
all Europe, India, South America. Can ada
and Australia, and no moons siderable Dor.
ton OF those in our own country beside,
tnding tho earth with Geographic wires
and establishing Ines Of Steamships % ever,
important commercial port 10 the world
And NIL this is but the product Of additions
labor. obtained from their own pop ula,ion
BY adding twelve years to the productiv,
portion Il the lie Of each Individual borr
upon the island
ihe consideration of sucl, results ma,
gave some idea Of the money value Of hu
inan lite, and the importance of using =,
proper means FOR preserving and i'm proyin,
ircltai and bodily health.