, 1873-11-12
TR1BuNE WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER


not In tho manner lo auggoatD. To tho oxtont
that 1aok Of employment shal1 deprive people OF
tho means Of subsistence during tho coming
wintcr must society supply the noed out Of tho
abundance oaowhoro. All people must bo fotl ~
long rs there is hnf1lciont food in tho country
1nnat DO olotho.t whom thoy aro nnkod and ilnvo
no money to buy garnouta must DO Bholtorod
from tho cold, mud carod for according to tho
ability Of society. But Nil this muat bo dono in
tho Legitimate way Of charity. 1t IL partly tho
work Of private generosity and purity that
Of public charity. Whonevor or wherever tho
former fails or falls short, tho latter must stop
In and mako up tho deficiency, Whom private
donations hayo run one, tho ta1ss must bo
awarded to this purpose In tho dn8reo that may
bo necessary. Tie poor-housoH, tho naylums,
tho hospitals, tho County Agents must increase
their worka, and society must furnish tho means
to re1ievo sufrorlng. but this ia worry different
thing from Government stepping in to construct
works which 1t dooa not want--that IL, to invoBt
It's funds, or rather it's credit, unprofltably-in
order to find work for tho unemployed. Work Ia
plonty or scarce, romnnofatiyo or poorly paid,
according to tho dcmaud. To croate q fictitious
demand by undertaking public works for tho fu-
t.,ro, and beyond tho legitimate lomand and TO-
Bources of tho proBont, IL nothing moro nor loss
than briof postponemont Of tho sottling day,
when times will be harder than ever. It Is COM
monty beloved that tho hard times now existing
s,t.,
ital-its ,nproduotiye consumption. A1r. Hodg-
skins remedy ia hair Of tho same dog to euro
tho bite.
It Ia utterly impractioable, however, for Gov
ernmcnt, whether National, State. or Municipal,
to furnish employment for moro than d fraction
of the unemployed. Those who havo beon de-
prived Of work, and who arc lkoly to bo deprived
Of It from now on, arc mainly skilled artisans in
tho various kinds OF manufacture. 1t Is tho
suspension Of large factories that Will throw tho
greatest number Of pooplo out Of employment.
When car-works, rolling-mills. iron mines,
woolon md cotton factories, saw and file works,
cto., arc forced to closo tho people who lose
thoir employment aro not tho clhaaos who could
be relieved by public works. Where, then,
could Government draw the lino7 It
would bo m.uifcatly unfalr to spend
large sums Of tho public money for
improvements TINT can better bo do
fcrrod, In ordor that small number Of unom-
ployed persons shall hayo work, whilo large
numbors are still deprived Of employment. How
could Government furnish work for factory girls
~ ~
among whom there is likoly to bo tho grcntcat
| amount OF Bu1rering2 Shall it likewise catab-
lish coton-naills wooden mills ard factories Of
various descriptions? We have too many OF
those now. If not, then 1t will fail in tho end
| sought to DO accomplished by Mr. Hodgskin.
It will spend vast sums Of money that small
| portion Of tho working clasacs may be employed,
! while much larger number must still remain
unemployed, paying taxea in common with other
consumers to meet tho expenses Of tho public
works, aud at tho same time bo deprived Of tho
| relief which much smaller part Of tho public
from an economic point Of view, Mr.. Hodgskin's
suggestion ia utterly bad, aud Lis remedy al
together Inadequate.
Tho present financial troubles Of this country
have been brought about by tho destruction Of
property by war, by fire, by extravaganza, and
by improvidont Investments which, for temporary
purposes, are equivalent to destruction. The
| Thousands of mics Of railroads constructed in
ndvanco Of the wants OF business have been
commended to the pcopla aa great public enter
prises, and millions Of dollars have boon SUBJ
acribed by municipalities to bo squandored by
Credit Mobilior combinations and construction
rings. Vast Gums OF money hayo boon in
vested In unproduotivo, and rs yot valueless,
improvements Of public character, and this
wagte has boon ono of tho main factors Of our
present financial distross. Shall wo take moro
Of the samo medicine to countoract tho effects
OF what has already boen administered? II this
plan we're practicable (which, as ne have shown,
1t is not), tho country would bo In worso plight
by aud by than it ia to-day. It Is both cheaper aud
fairer TINT society should g1vo money outright
to all those reduced to want by lack Of employ
ment, lowing labor to tho healthy domand
which is suro to follow restoration OF trade on
sound basis.
PUT DOWN THE c0PPERHEADs
There is trouble in the land. Tie tceming
prosperity which has enabled tho tinnncos Of tho