The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-08-11
,p,r ,l,C Dispatch.

az pcbtS-Thcir Effect OH tho
,,,ity I'm General. and OH the
uo,rN Man" in Particular.
. y my lot 10 belong 70 that numerous
,,.r, r,So,clahlr class who are known as
"".' Nv men,: whose capacity for labor is
.':.,.,rt,al " bose daily dependence for the
d .''' - their wants is on the earnings OF
",' i,lnr, whose prosperity is measured
,a. abundance Of employment aud the
.-',.i,ntc Of payment, and who suffer
t., ,.,nleylncnt is Sclnt or payment is
..riy. 49,. .,,,s 70 my follows
,,,. ovn hchilf and on that of them
.y,, upon 4 matter in which we nave
.,,.,on concern. ! beg leave, respectfully,
.,I,,n;, 10 their deliberate. intelligent, ana
,,'.i r,n.jdcrltion. the following PROPOSE
,,M>--ViZ:
-, TIN, the So-called "reief" laws and
.,.r, 1Iw enacted with the intent 10 delay,
,..irr, or prevent the Enforcement oi con-
-,.,. nr the collection of debts are evils 10
49,. ,.,nr man and operate special injury 10
'.,, with little or no actual mitigation.
> That the interest of all. but particularly
..,, e the poor man, will be promoted 10y
. -.nll Of those lawS--by the removal OF
.l.. harrirr> 10 The enforcement OF contracts
'rJ lrh,>-and by the increase of the laclil-
49,. t,- >,!rh enforcement with is little delay
.. NH, %. consistent with proper lnVestl-
.-,.ia1 II The Justice Of the demand.
Erynpl doubt these propositions will at
3 ~, ,;.at rtpcl assent. being at war with
The idea, rf ;uc day, and being alarming to
rI,,.. vaa are in present trouble: but If the
.nl,r will look them fairly and squarey IN
me ;lrr--ir il will admit the bare possibility
,hy, they may be trGc in whole or in part
viii realize that tie question of their truth
or f.Ilacy vItally and practically concerns the
welfare ofcvcly one. and demands prompt
and accurate decision If it will take time
=, ,,>t them honestly by its own reasoning,
cyrrcucc, and observation, 1T will uti-
mi,yly accept them il i greater or less de-
cree.
4, one personally interested, I beg leave
:, ur'..r \ few suggestions rs c0ntrlhu-
ZION to the discussion. Though they be
crude and imperfect they will have attained
their object if they attract attention TO the
subject aud lead to its thorough investiga-
ton.
For all practical purposes the community
may bc divided into three general classes :
|. The cdpttdiStS who have a surplus OF
money. from few hundreds to few mil
lions. over and above what they use for per-
>onal expenditure or for payment of debts
i >lri.uS which they do not themselves em-
uloy in production. but which they invest
or lend out TO those who do so employ it.
,. Those 'rio employ capital, owned or
Borrowed. in production. They are tue
!uilder the manufacturer. the master me-
chanic, the farmer or planter, the merchant,
and All who are engaged in the numbcress
productive pursuits, and who employ in
Them the labor of others.
.. The iubCrerS. whether by hand or by
head, whose skill and capacity for labor is
their capital whose income and dependence
arc the earnings Of that labor.
These three classes blend into each other
more or less; the same person is sometimes
amcmher of all three, but they are substan.
italy distinct. They are intimately depen-
dent on each other. but the third class isssthe
most dependent OF all. Causes which may
only dcrangc the plans, contract the opera
tion>. or interfere with the aciSheS of the first
two glasses, will affect the laborer or the
poor man by lc>saning or cutting of the
supply OF his trNntS.
There is a broad distinction between
trtSh.S and rants.
The prosperity of all three classes depends
ncy. Whatever turns away, les. Is, or stops
this circulation callScS Inconvenience or trou-
h, 10 ali: but 10 the poor man. the laborcr.
and 10 those dependent Oh him, it brings dis
;r.ss ipr it lessons the demand for his labor,
cUt> oil employment, stops his collections,
and having less resources to fall back on, he
suffers more than any from The scarcity. In
proportion Il, his mems are more limited he
lrcl> the more scnSibiy anything which les.
>,l> his income or delays the payment OF
wMat belongs to him. He above all others is
Interested in keeping the flow of money
steady and the channels OF circulation tree
from obstruction. is il not 50?
Times now are unusually lizard" in Eir-
%nia. and money for some reason or other is
"tight and scarce. Ail! invite your at.
Irntou 10 the GENERAL course of circulation,
and to SOME OF the callSeS Of the present
>tnppagc Of IT.
Money will always accumulate in the
hands of the capitalist from his superior
advantages, shrewducs>, or thrift-and thus
far this class can influence the freedom O!
scarcity OF the tlow. When any one of the
second or third class, from either cause. '.gets
i"rrhHndcd and acquires such surplus, be
II >lnaIi or large, he becomes TO that extent q
capitalist ANY one may become so by econ.
olny and thrift in ordinary good times"
The capitalist don't desire his money to
lie idle; he has no wish to stuff L cushion
with il and sit on it; nor does he generally
wish 10 employ it himself in business. He
wants il To bring him in an income By divi-
dcnd> or by interest, and his aim is to put it
where it will be safe. promptly repaid, and
easily recalled When due. Where these
requisites can be had he invests ii, or he
lends il 10 the men OF The second class, who
employ il in aid OF their own means. From
them the greater part reaches the hands of
the lahorcr, who depends on his employ
mcnt for Il living, who in turn scatters it
abroad in his expenditures, aud who by his
labor reproduces the wealth which pays
debts at home and abrnad, the surplus Of
which concentrates again in the hands Of
The capitalist and employer, again to be
sent forth in active circulation.
This is the process, and the details, how
ever variant, can always be referred to the
same general routine.
Now, unless during war, or its immedi-
ate effects, neither Of which is the case at
Present, there is always money enough in
The State to meet the actual ,ca'ts Of its peo-
pie. We may safely assume that the aggre-
gate money-income Of Virginia, from its pro-
ducts and resources, is ample for the neces-
Ahes of her population so long as it circu-
iates naturally and Is not checked, obStruct-
ed, or turned away from the State. Although
1t he not as yet enough to flood The people
with wealth, it will be nearer and nearer TO
70 doing as her citizens prosper and develop
her sources OF wealth.
The people OF Virginia ought now to be
enjoying good estate, Of neither poverty
nor riches, but food convenient for them.
But just now they are not enjoying even
lhis moderate happiness. There is u screw