, 1873-08-11

quantity OF food consnnlod In difroront coun
trles' or in tile same country at different times
safica with ohanRo in tho. condition Of tht
laportng claaaoa, which form tho large majority
OF tho population. OF fow artio1os, tho gum,
tlty consumed In this country in ditroront years
Inns boon 30 far ascortaInod tint ntriling illus.
tfat1ons OF this truth aro rroBontod. Thus, III
ls9', tho year Of panic md proatrntiou, the
quantity Of sugar uHod WAS leaB by over lbs
Than 1t had boon In tho preceding year,
and tho quantity Of coffco less by ovor ID.
than 1t hnd boon in. 1886. In 1910 and
l6a3, tho yoars Of "hnrd timos," tho quantity OF
s''gar used was but II If lbs per capita, whereas
for flvo yoars ending In 1919 tho average had
boon 10 lhu., and for four yoars beginning with
1s43 tho average was 1811G lbB. The ayorago con-
sumption Of cofroo in tho Avo yoarB ending with
iii the four years beginning with 1s43 IL WIG
4-6 bH., blt IN Tint yoar only 4 48-10 lbs.
Again in 1867, tic quantity Of ooffoo CONSUMED
WAS but lbs., though tho average for four
years, 1868 inclusive, WAS ~ ibs.. and tho
average consumption of sugar during tho samo
porioa waa 3oA fbs., but tho consumption in
1857 VIVA only &c ihB.
Thus tito consumption Of food In any country
Indicates with very great accuracy the condition
OF tic majority OF consnmors-tho laboring
olnsHos. Ooat OF food remaining tho sa1no, it
will riao with rise Of wageH; and wagoe re-
naming tho sau,o, it will fall with m ncroase in
prices; while, wagos and prices both rising, the
consumption Of food will indioate tho resulting
condition Of the 1aboring olaascB. II tho days
wagos will purchase moro food, an increase Of
consumption may be expected If less, tho
quantity Of food consumed viii naturally deorcaao
Moreover, since those whoso income enablos
thom to Ratisfy, without restraint, tho desire
for food, In variety and quantity as well aa in
quality, are comparatively few, and consume but
a small part Of tho whole, tho consumption of
food, increase or decrease of. wealth being known,
indicates very clearly tho distribution Of wealth.
II the wealth Of the community tn tho aggregate
haa greatly increased, while tho consumption OF
food has docroaaed 1t may bo fairly inforrod that
tito condition OF tho laboring olaBsoa has leteri-
Grated, eyon though tho woalth Of the capitalists
Inns multiplied, aud that the forcoa at work aro
such az " to mako tho rich richer, and tho poor
poorer" Those WhoHo wealth is such
that tho cost Of food is not regarded,
consume but MI innpprcciablo part OF tho whole
supply. Even in Massachusetts, ono OF tho
richest statos in tho Union, tlero aro only 21s,-
129 rax-payora in 295 townB and 87,40S pay only
a poll-tax; while lcss than ono In $50 Of tho pop
ulation OF those towns, Or only 2,C11 paraona,
patd ta1os on ovcr 100000 of property. In those
towns having population Of 725,040 there
were 438 porsona who paid over 81 900 taxes
q, Its oyor $500 and less than $1,000; 8,018 be-
twcen 910o nul $500; 6,507 between $50 md
5l0o; 27,o25 between 225 and $50; 40, 1888 bo-
tween 910and s25; and sc, ,7G7 between g. (poll-
tax) aud $40, the average ratio being 9l.43 to
800. If the ratio of tho comparatively wealthy
IL 30 small in Massachusetts,, 1t must
bo still amallor in tho whole country. Thus tho
number Of those whose consumption Of food ia
little affected by changes in tho condition Of tho
|aboring class is 90 small, oven in tho richest
States, III to have little offeot upon tho aggre-
gate consumption.
Now the wealth Of tho country has been
greatly increased since 1860, and yet tho coil
sumption of food, In proportion to population,
In" a'os Increased, but, Oh tho whole, actually
leoreasoa. From this fact, in Wow Of the con-
already presented, but ono conelu-
ZION can be drawn: That tho condition Of the
aborlng class in this country has dotoriorated
'ince 1850. A conclusion 80 important and tho
acts upon which 1t ia basod requires attention in
separate article.