The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-05-04
PRODUCTION Ar HOME.

IRON LIe CStcU 41eTCttAt'
The thought can not too often be
pressed home, that the great need of
our country, is an increase of produce
ton. Our population is growing, and
the tendency Is to an increase or con-
sumption by each Individual. Tastes
become more expensive, and articles
that were regarded as Injuries a gener.
alton ago, are now demanded as ueces-
sites even by the poor. Furniture,
carpets, wearing apparel, food, all IL
lustrate this increase of consumption.
AS each family and each person require
q larger share of the products of labor
than heretofore, the necessity becomes
more imperative for an augmentation
of production in all departments of ir-
duBtry.
This is met In large part by the ap.
plication of machinery to new uses. It
is hard 10 see how the world would
have kept clothed, had not the sewing
machine been set at work. Crowds
must have trod through life barefoot,
were it not for the ingenious DEVICES
which have multiplied and cheapened
boots and shoes. So it is with many
other OF the comforts OF life. With all
these appliances, complaint is made
that days labor does not buy as much
in food and raiment and household
conveniences as it purchased few
years ago.
So far as this is true, 1t demonstrates
a lack, to remedy which both capital
and labor should address themselves
The enterprise which brings hidden
wealth from the earth, and connects re-
mote districts with remuneratiYe mar
kets, Will command respect. But specu-
lution which runs wild after bubbles
and misleads the trusting and unsus-
pecting for the enrichment of profess
sional operators, we may hope, has run
its course. Caution has taken the place
of credulty. Reckless . ventures have
given place to legitimate business oper-
atoms.
The culture of the soil is mainly il
not wholly conducted by individuals.
Seldom or never are companies organ
lied tor the purpose. The country
would be richer, and society more
henlthEul, were n larger proportion OF
our young men 10 turn their attention
TO this first of avOCAtiOns. Our agri-
culture calls for a broader intelligence,
introduce into it the tastes and enthnsi-
asm of art. The advance in all these
directions gives cheering promise ofthe
future.
In the production of articles of daily
use, which do not come directly from
the soil, associated effort has become
very much the rule. Both political
economy and personal profit teach that
capital should seek those Investments
which contribute to. produce articles
which many persons want. Those To-
calities are richest in which the most
useful articles are manufactured. AS
rule, the largest fortunes are amused,
not by lawyers, or stock operators, or
money lenders, but by manufacturers.
The men who produce the most for the
community as II whole, reap the largest
rewards.
And yet capital is inclined 10 go
wool gathering into any wild venture,
rather than to apply itself to simple
and substantial production. 1t gets
caught here and there by poor manage
ment, or IniscalcuiRtiOn; and then
breads TO invest in manufactures. Mis-
infringement and INSTRUMENTATION are
possible i'll every business. But the
losses in stocks. in Lnongy-lending, in
speculation, will surpass those which
occur in honest, prudent efforts to turn
raw materials into fabrics for common
use.
In the extension of our manufactures
aud in their larger diversity, in the use
of the iron ore under our feet, and in
the employment of our capital at home
in actual production, rest the growth of
our city, the increase of our individual
and aggregate wealth, aud our contri-
button 10 the real prosperity OF the
country rs n whole.