The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1877-11-08
What We Bcqueath POsterl'y.

Often have we pointed out in these
columns the folly and inhumanily OF
bequeathipg our descendants an OK
hallstcd soil, an impoverished continent.
This Is bad enough, but 1t is possible to
do more and worse. In his "study OF
sociology" the greatest living philosopher
remarks: "Therc is no greater curse to
postcrty than that OF belueathing them
an increasing population Of lmbeclles ana
oilers and criminals"
Have farmers, mechanics and business
men, whose votes make our laws, state
and national policy what they are, studied
sufficiently the ways and means by which
criminals, idlers and imbcciles aro multi
piled in ratio much larger than that OF
our whole population We think not
Making and cxpcnding money in n
thousand ways command 20 much time,
thought and anxiety that the most mo-
mentous social problems are generally
neglected rs matters of no consequence
Virtue, honesty, mental and moral vigor
ahould grow little faster than mankind
increase for any real improvement to be
achieved. Society should not manu-
tacture more inbeciles, lunatics, idlcrs
and criminals than ever before according
TO its numbers,
Why is the community burdened with
so much imbccility? no many idlers
living on the fruits of others labor? ? 50
| many criminals robbing and stealing and
numbering TO avoid producing what they
| need These social phenomena DO not
happen without an adequate cause, ana
this cause demands immediate attention.
| rhe uppcr ten thousand, whose eX-
ample il generally followed, appear to
believe that idlcness and gcntllity are
the same. Idleness stops production on
the part of all idle persons; but it does
not stop eating, or any other consump-
ton. One idle family living ON rent or
the interest, of money, consumes more
than two, often more than ten, lahoring
families. This fact is visible to all is
not satisfactory to the men and women
whose toll creates wealth,
Dissatisfaction is az enduring as the
cause aud wrong which produce ii.
Hence labor.strikcs riots, tramps and
violence in every form. Idle hands make
the brain the devils workshop. Steady,
satisfacto ory employment means the easy
and proper prevention Of vice and crime
| to n large extent. But how is such EN-
pIoyment TO he within the reach OF oil
classes, under our present industrial and
social arrangements! II is practicable
only by an advance in our industries
equal to our advanced wants and nd.
vanced intelligence to meet and supply
those wants, Many human wants, in
civilized lite, are artificial and it is in
dulgcnce in these that gives existence to
imbccilc ld!eneSS, WanIon ana wei 'u-
consumption. Children see extravaganza
and intoxication, and naturally fol'o"
bad habits, consuming much, producing
little.
Suppose we advance productive indus
try to the same plane otadvancod society
, and 50 change the condition OF labor tina
!, no family will be able to consume NOR
of the good things OF this world than !
produces? There would be far more Jet
/, unconsumed to pay full wages to all Ia
q, boring people. The question ls, VIII" shaI
have the first right OF consumption, th
producer or the speculator? Where pro
ducers throw away the fruits of tlci
industry, as often happens, any man
Speculation or not, is justified in gathering
up and trying TO save what won I'll other
wise be trodden under foot, ana lost t'
the world. In a word, producers mus
learn, to keep ana use wisely aa well II
| learn to produce properly. ms lmnur