Vicksburg weekly herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1868-1883, 1877-12-14
The Less Of Confidence ana the
want or Employment.

The Less Of Confidence ana Ghe
want or Employment.
The Northern and Eastern journals
ars becoming alarmed at the dangerous
condition Of the country, aud discussing
The causes in : very earnest style. As
a matter of fact, It ls admitted that u
this time, the beginning Of Winter
four millions Of the inhabitants Of the
United States arc out of employment
and without the visible means Of sup
port. This fact Is more alarming to
the North aud East than to the South,
because tho climate of those sections
adds greatly TO the sulTerings of tue
poor. In the South the winters are
short and tho spells Of cold do not last
many days at q time. In the North the
la0orerF, able aud willing to work, are
actually unable to find work 10 do at
any price. In the South there has been
so much bad weather that a large por-
ton CT the cotton crop still remains un-
picked, and laborers command and will
command all Winter, at least living
wages. While we may congratulate
ourselves on this difference in our
favor, we have many just reasons Of
complaint. Confidence in the future is
very much shaken. Men Of means arc
by no means satisfied that they can
make a reasonable per cent. on their
capital during the next year or two.
The cotton, sugar, rice and tobacco
planters are satisfied that they can pro-
duce as much in the future o. in the
past, but with all the economy they eau
practice, they do not feel safe
In calculating that they can re.
alize any profit by the hardest labor
and the closest attention. In a word,
the confidence Of the South in the iu.
ture Is shaken. This state OF affairs
here has not produced tho very bad re.
suits noticeable in the North, but 1t
will do it il 1t continues. Only 8 lit
tie more time is required, for it follows
as certainly as night follows day that a
want of confidence produces a want of
employment. Men will not engage in
business enterprises without confidence
In their success, aud II they do not en-
gage in hem, the lsbOrers necessarily
lack for employment. This is the true
reason why so many Northern people
are to-day suffering for want Of en-.
ployment. What has produced this de-
cline of confidence? This 10 the queS.
lion that the leading and most pro-
found thinkers OF the country are try.
ing to answer. Mr., Elihu Burritt, the
learned blacksmith, attributes It tC
what he calls the decline Of the pre-
corporate system. He holds that priOl
10 the formation Of large corporations
employment was abundant and waReI
remunerative. lie accounts for this By
the suggestion that tho formation oI
soulless corporations produces un'
healthy competition, cutting, overworEr
overproduction aud decline in prices,
These in their turn cause losses and
these force the lAborers ont of employ
ment. With all due Difference to the
father of this ane.drawn theory
we must beg leave TO differ will
the gentleman. If confidence prevailed
the moro that was produced the NOR
easily men should 6nd 1t TO live II
comfort and happiness. In this com
try there Il a vast abundance of every
thing that is necessary TO the human
race. Provisions are so plentiful tha
the producers can find no markets 70
them, and are trembling lest they b
not able 10 meet their honest engage
ments; manufactured articles are o
hand in such abundance that man
persons engaged in this business An
themselves forced 10 work their hand
, less than full time for fear Of still fuI
, Their glutling the markets; the tran
, portltion interests are ready aud viii
-. log 10 convey articles to order, yet a
y these vast industries are trembling, al
, four millions of Americans are In dar
. ger Of starving because there Is t.
much to eat, loo much TO wear, Il
;. much to use, aud It 10 too easy to co
vey from place TO place! THIS is NJ
Burritt's theory. It is false on lite fac
I. But go infatuated is the gentleman wi
10 the idea that he suggests that the Go
70 ment must come to the rescue, coIoni
D. the unemployed, so that they will tn
:, become able to purchase OF the ST
), plus that he argues Is producing -
q WALTON! lie actually enters into
g tails, anu sugsc,I.t that the GoyernmC
try his scheme, by sending a COLONY
Virginia. Some Of the leading NorI