The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-01-06
One cause orHartl Times.


take in so big number myself. So l will
cut II UP a little, that may look at it il
small points.
Isuppose it would be a pretty liberal al
lowanee to say that thirty thousand consist
Of persons who have moved into the State
bringing enough property with them to live
on independently. That will leave three
hundred and fifty thousand who must either
earn their living or be supported by Other
people. That is, thirty-fve thousand ;
year, or lin round number) a hundred day
Besides infants and helpless people. 1t seems
likely that at least two hundred grown mer
and women week have come into the State
to seek employment. That is, if the growth
is regular and still continues, there are, this
week, say five hundred helpless persons tc
be supported and two hundred seeking en-
pIoyment more than there were last week
and there will be rs many more next week
than this and so on. The proportions may
be different, but the general effect Is the
same.
Now, in the course OF these ten years the
wealth OF Massachusetts, has very greatly in.
creased-probably much more than in pro
portion to the population. Each man,
woman, and child has, on an average, nom
inally a larger fund to draw from. But ii
does not follow that they have more to live
on, or more to spend. That is to say, there
are more handsome houses, more fine gar.
dens, more good roads, more engines, mills,
etc.-a vastly greater valuation on the asses
sors' books; but these things do not ncces.
sarily make it easier to give employment nj
full wages to a hundred thousand more Ia
borcrs. and Mt the same time to maintain
two hundred and tifty~thousand more in.
fants and helpless persons. Thus an estate
worth ten thousand dollars--if sold in the
market for what it would bring at forced
sale-might possibly maintain forty persons
for q year, but most likely not more than
TWENTY-FIVE. That is, TO maintain without
productive labor the natural increase OF the
State for single year (thirty-tive thousand
persons) would mean sacrifice OF fourteen
million dollars. Put the actual wealth OF
the State as high rs you please, and let al
the present inhabitants continue to main
tain themselves as they do now, and the
mere Increase Of population mot seli-sup.
porting) would bcggar it in single gene
ration.
Again, while the fred wealth OF the State
has greatly increased. it is doubtful il the
income-that is, the part available for spend
ing-has not actually diminished in these
last few years. The Boston fire swallowed
up the incomes OF many estates for many
years, and cut down the income Of many
others by as much rs half. The check to
business and the shutting up OF mills since
the panic OF 1873 has not only cut short the
earnings of one large class, but the spend
ings ofa-.vylner large class. Wealthy people
nave had their incomes reduced to half or
third: and those just comfortably OIL have
had to pare and shave much closer than be-
fore. So that, on the face OF it, smaller
amount has to he divided among larger
number: and the State, nomlnally Sooo
deal richer, is practically good deal poorer
than ten years ago.
II this look Of it is correct we cannot at
all wonder at the complaint OF " hard times"
We have not to wonder, either, at the in
crease of tramps and thieves. The wonder
is at the patience, good behavior, and toll
cradle comfort, with which such large null
titudes are struggling through the hard
times. A strong word ought to be said IN
praise OF those who work on patiently at
home, and OF those, too, who seem cast en-
tirely adrift. Hardlya day passes that some
OF them do not come to the door for food or
clothing, and I declare am almost ashamed
TO look them in the face. have talked with
q number OF them, and have always been
struck with the intelligence, self-respect and
desire for any sort Of honest labor which they
showed. 1t is one Of the great misiortunes
OF the time that such men as L have helped
feed and clothe at my own door should
have to be confounded even for month or
day, with the dangerous and disreputable
classes of beggars, Migrants, and tramps.
The only object have just now in writ
inc these few words is to point out that
some OF the causes Of the present restitution
are inevitable in the nature Of things, and
can only be met, for the present, with the
brave patience that have described. The
wealth of States consists not in houses,
lands, and gold, but in happy and strong
lives of men and women and children. The
great growth of population is testimony
OF great prosperity in the past, and is
promise OF great prosperity in the future.
How that can be best secured Is the true
business of political economy; and that IS
thing that do not propose to consider now.
The real question we have to face is, FOL
the present, the question OF numbers. do
not see any limit Of prosperity and comfort
which might not be secured, with ordinary
industry and good laws, by stationary
population. But our population Is moi
stationary: and few OF us, suppose, wlst
that it should be. For the present, do no,
see anything else for it but the old-fashiol.'
ed rule OF industry, thrift, and charity. We
must work more, save more, and help more
when the need presses hardest; or else an
increasing population is sure to grow
wretched and hapless with the course OIL
every year. This is rather lame conclu
sion; but the only alternative opens uE
questions quite too formidable to handle al
the end OF Il paper like this. j. II. A.
Crpror-S rrJnEST To AN EXPRESS TRAIN