National Republican., 1877-08-21
A PROBLEM FOR STATESMEN.

A FEW SOUND REMARKS BY THOMAS J.
DURAST, ESQ, UPON THE QUESTION OF THE
HOUR.
4 clear intelligence Of the actual situation
of the country, joined to prudent and pro-
found estimate of the Importance of the qucs-
tion presented to the reflective mind by recent
deplorable events, caused your valuable jour
nal in its able remarks of the 18th to say:
Both the old parties arc practically dead. In
view Of the momcntous questions which the nation
Is now called upon to consdtr II will be fortunate
circumstance that the issues which lately divided
the people into two great political parties have
been settled provided 1t Induces our statesmen to
lay aside all partlsanshp in considering the new
subjects in regard to which they now called
upon to express themselves and to take action.
The situation is pcrilOus from the reason that the
temptation for public men to become demagogues
II now very great.
These words are full of wisdom and set
forth plainly the character of tho problem
which statesmen must solve. We are told by
excellent authority that three millions Of men
now sit down, as IL spell bound, in state of
involuntary idlencss, who would gladly work
il work they could get II to do. We know, too,
that bankruptcy, paupcrism and crime have
increased to q pcrilOus extent. In Massachu-
sets, that wealthy, intelligent and industrious
State, the records are kept In such manner
US to show the growth Of pauperisnn, and itap-
pears that from 52,62S paupers, whose relief
cost S755, ,l59, in 1866, the number steadily
advanced until in 1876 1t reached 222,673 per-
sons, costing for relief II ,32l, ,ll0. What it
costs to maintain the three millions unem-
ploycd, for the cost of their support falls some
where, no mode is at hand to determine.
Any one may see II must be very great. If
| employed at only one dollar day they would
be worth to society eighteen million dollars a
week, or nine hundred and thirty-six million
dollars q year. and thus the evil rises to colos-
sal proportions, portending great suffering, it
| ha Iap hafn hall hn, do,
with the matter.
1t Is a social question, this problem you pre-
sent, which the political methods hitherto in
use are inadequate to cOpo with The aids
and appliances which modern science and in
yentive genius have supplied to production
have created new social wants aud aspirations
which under the old system of exchange be-
tween producer and consumer cannot be salts
fed, since large numbers are left without the
means of consuming and do not produce be.
cause the instruments Of labor necessary to
production arc placed beyond their reach, or
used at so great n cost to them as to absorb the
entire earnings of labor.
The means, then, must be found for giving n
wider and more general uso to the lsbOrers of
the instruments of production, and for ex-
changing chcaply and rapidly the objects pro-
duced. All reflective minds have perceived
the necessity of this improvement. Adam
Smith hundred years ago said in THE
Wealth Of Nations" book is:
"rhe produce Of labor constitutes the natu.
raj recompencc or wages of labor.
"Iu that original state of things which pre-
ccdes the appropriation of land and the accu-
mutation of stock, the whole produce of labor
belongs to the laborer. lie has neither land
lord nor master to share with him.
"iIad this state continued, the wages OF
labor would have augmented with all those
improvements in its productive powers Ia
which the division of labor gives occasion
All things would gradually have become
cheaper. They would have been produced by
a smaller quantity of labor, and as the com
modities produced by equal quantities Of labOl
would naturally in this state of things be ex
changed for one another, they would hayC
been purchased likewise with the produce Of /
smaller quantity"
: Here is the natural law expOundcd by thi
illustrious thinker-by one of tho greatest in
. tellccts that has adorned humanity. And of I
wide departure from this law may be seen II
, our country the dreadful results; millions o
, men idle and suffering, while the abundan
9 labOrs of the husbandmun have produced al
Y that could make them comfortable.
1 The problem, then, Is to bring our method
+ Of production and consumption nearer to th
natural law; to gcneHlize BY cooperative cflOr
IS tho appropriation Of land and stock, and /,
II institute such improved methods of cxchang,
c between producer and consumer IA will aug
e mcnt the wages of labor aud give facility ant
= and certainty TO both production and con
:. sumption. 1t Is evident that the principles
}, laid down IN party platforms do not suit tn,
! present emergency, and, as you have justly