New-York tribune., 1872-05-10

Y " aYn nI pvrii perticie OF os the same value ~
The nation or empire therefore that has the privilege
OF producing at both ends of the exchange, has tbe
benefit Of spending two consumabe capitals instead OF
lords IL gets double amount of rent, profits, ana
TO spend. 1t doubles its net Income III douDes
its home markets for all other commodities.
We mus at the risk OF repetition, remind our readers
that In rioness four capitals have been engaged where
an WS % e be- in First
the capital spent In producing next Ine me new cs tbe
pTcdnce is THIS the a capital that pays rent profit and
wages. This capital creates markets The new caplCi
be new captai also as s. We'll as the consumed capital.
when, therefore two productions are mutually ex-
changed four capitals engaged Two spent capitas
consumed each side, paying rent pronts; aid
captais enabling the two other capitals to be entirely
spent without loss and also themselves mutually creaF
When, therefore the exchange Of two domestic pro
ductions takes place, two sums together equValeht u
the gross of the products both sides are naon
net Income. Two home markets are opened Dy ne eA
pendlture of those two capitals in rent profit ana &
together equivalent TO the gross value or potn. lMO
other home markets also opened by tne two Nv
reproduced capitals Each forms home narheI , o % %
other You create by this process two niuohal no' III
comes and you open four homo markets. .., 80
Now, you interpose an obstacle ,tas 20 sne gon NAV
thereby destroy the market which those Two new b
dueed capitals used mutually 70 Se aon then loses
the opportunity Of consuming without loss Id az h m
been spent and t moreover loses both the markets or
rather both the series OF markets when tose t"o
The doctrine that "all commodities should be rem
dered as cheap as possible" is submitted to search
ing analysis, of which the conclusion is pithiy
summed up as follows:
For tbe benefit OF the masses IL is not enough TO
make cheap even in the best sense of the word
What is wanted is TO make them deceSsoe @ d t
necessarily make them accessible Nay, there are some
modes of making things cheap which as we nave seen
will make them less accessible to the multitude tnan
tley were before. -
What the masses want is the Of purchase II
the Of purchase be wholly absent u Is matter Oh
supreme Indifference them, whether things be dear OF
cheap. The only means OF purchase when tney possss
are the wages OF their labor. In woru' employment 10
their means Of purchase ,,.- .-
You may have oheapnsss without full and various EN-
ployment for the masses that Is cheapness pGt III
out plenty You may have full employment 1Or the
masses at good wages %ltnou' % The
competency, or even plenty without cneapncsSs sS o
aim all good legislation should be TO unite he Two
bessings-cheapness and plenty But II, as oIen map
pens in the imperfecton of human affairs, you have TO
choose not only between two evils, but sometimes siso
between good things, inconsistent with each oe
which Of the be choenhedpnessf the benefit
| of a few plenty for the benefit of all ..--
men in order to produce plenty perna1ent iSa pen
should be the f and rarious PRODUCTIVE employment OF
e people The test of every measure ought TO De- ana
used to be thisWi At promote the productive employ
II has been already shown, and the authority Of
Adam Smith himself that the production OF arcIes hI
home which can be made or grown somewhat cheaper
abroad though IL should not produce cheapness' 9oes
give them the means OF puTchase-dOes produce plenty
Permanent plenty plenty widely diffused, plenty ex
tending everywhere TO the masses OF the population
and that the opposite policy under the most favor
able circumstances though should ana %l crev9 anS
introduce a real and spreading want
In discussing the theory which limits the function
of government within the smallest possible compass,
the author presents some practical considerations OF
great force though part of the instances which he
adduces in support of his views have not been sus-
tanned by the experience of this country
Twenty years ago it was generally considered as set
ed that the business of government to do as little
Keep the peace coin money, and leave all the rest to
the people" Pas op g0ueerrer was to be the poletar
fairs like the gods Of EpeurGs and trust to the natural
dstasteful to rulers whom it saves not merely
labor of thought but from the responsibility OF
Of individuals aud the the public (Which is but
aggregation of individualsl necessarily and uni
better than the government and may and should be left
take OF themselves The Ignorant and preudoed
vulgar are to receive no Impulse IN the shape OF drect
legislative enactment, from their governing and more
Don't il is said treat men as chdren treat them as
being what they are, 0roen men, Let mankind learn by
But who does not the faacy that turks under such
advice 1t treats the successive generations OF man
stituted single individual. living to the Of the
patrarchs and possessing the experience not only Of
But what is the bulk OF any nation reallyi
Station yourself at the gate OF ehurchyard or oeme-
tery, and observe who carried in: the young
carried in and proportion of persons very
rarely will you see old man carried in.
The bulk Of nation, therefore, young and In
experienced, and ever must be So
As to their knowledge OF the experience OF past
generations they know OF it about much they know
transactions, social experiments, in the planet
The state of Ireland and the state OF England too are
however rapidly undeceiVing those who held these
tTeme notions Public opinion Is undergoing change,
and IL will be demonstrated that there reside in
every enlightened and wise government powers Of active
interference for good unknown and unsuspected.
patient review of existing facts would, indeed have
theory and 10 show not only that the interference OF
government in hundred ways Is ndispenSabe to the
general rule theory TO determine when 10 ought or
ought to ntepOse that the prprety OF interference
each must be decided on its own circumstances.
Not to amuse ourselves with general terms let
review Of the in which government has In
terfered III most cases indlspensaby ana In ALL as Is
generally thought, bene6cialy.
1t provides defenses against external aggression.
IL conducts treaties with foreign nations.
il preserves internal peace ana order.
is tine cornerstone OF family ties, family duties
forcing the marriage contract.
1t Institutes and protects property
IL regulates the transmission Of property.
1t enOrces the repair of highways by the several dis
tricts through which they pass, by those who
them.
1t Obges each county make and repair its bridges
If If surveys and lights the sea Coasts of the realm.
1t coins money, and prohibits interference with this
II regulates the issue Of promssOry notes payable to
bearer. -. t!r5y -. = .@SrsT- -+p ~-.~.
1t provides uniform system Of weights and measures,
and proscrfDes the use OF any other.
1t assumes the distribution OF intelligence by the post
BY the patent and copyright laws 1t gives bonntes on
the exertiOn OF the inventive faculties in the shape Of
monopoly for a limited period.
BY requiring public specification, explanatory of
every patented discovery invention takes care that
the secret shall not be hidden from the public die
with the inventor.
It imposes bride the acquisition of property by
corporate bodies.
It protects the public health by the prohibition Of
nuisances a thousand kinds, and by making provision
for their removal.
BY the quarantine laws it prevents the importation Of
contagious diseases.
IL provides for the cleanliness Of towns.
II regulates the fares OF hackney carriages, and con-