The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-08-08


Senator Lamar, in speech to the Missis-
sippi Democratic Convention, said OF the
political questions past and to GOMEZ
Questions of constitutional law, the rela-
tions of the States to the federal govern
ment, and of the relations of the people to
their State government, will soon cease
to play any very conspicuous part
in the issues of American politics.
Questions of tariff, trade, commerce,
currency and transportation will soon take
their places, are beginning to engross the
attention of the people and will tax the in
tellect of American statesmen" And he
warned Southern politicians that they must
turn their attention to the discussion and
settlement of these questions if they do not
want to lose their influence in the councils
ellis of the nation and with the people.
Mr.. Lamar spoke wisely, and the warning
he gives to the political leaders of the South
is quite as important to those OF the North
and West The old questions which have
SO long and so mischievously absorbed the
attention of politicians and people, the
questions arising out of slavery and the
war are now dead; and the politician of
either party who continues to harp upon
them will inevitably fall into public con-
tempt. There is disposition among the
old politicians of both parties to hang on to
the old questions. With the management
OF these they are most familiar, and Of the
new questions of which Senator Lamar
speaks-the questions of tariff, trade, COM
merce, currency and transportation-they
are for the most part so ignorant that they
dread their coming up and would by all
means push them aside.
But it is too late. Not only are the old
issues dead, but the terrible condition of
the country, the prostration of all its in
dustries, the impoverishnent Of laborers
and capitalists alike, the unprecedented
stoppage of factories and workshops of all
kinds, the universal stagnation in the midst
of universal abundance, the strikes and
labor troubles-all these things call
for attention, and call SO urgently
that no man can hope to remain
refuses to consider the condition of the
country, or who does not try to provide
remedies for state of things which oil wise
and thoughtful men see to be intolerable.
Those purblind statesmen who, so late as
two or three months ago, imagined they
could revive the old issues-even these see
now that it is impossible; and whatever
partisan conventions may declare the fact
is that Congress as soon as it meets in Octo-
Der will be absorbed with the consideration
of the industrial prostration of the country
Those who desire to be influential there will
have to seek Influence and predominance
through the wisdom with which they pro-
pose and discuss measures of relief
If any one imagines that the country is
going to tolerate endless, windy debates
about the Presidents Southern policy or
any other dead and buried issue, while
some millions of Americans do not know
where to get bread to eat or clothes to
wear, he is mistaken. And if any one
fancies that party lines and party prejudices
are to be allowed to stand in the way Of such
a discussion or to bound or limit it he is
still more mistaken. No doubt the new
Congress when it meets will be found to
contain sufficient number of demagogues
and ignoramuses ready to cure oil our woes
with some quack nostrum; but shrewd men
will see that reputation is to be won, political
predominance for the future secured, careers
begun only by wise and able handling OF
real questions, and only by the men who
shall propose, advocate and secure measures
of real relief To the authors of such
measures the country will by and by turn
with gratitude and lasting confidence.
The country suffers not from poverty, but
from plethora of wealth. It has more ma
chinery, more workshops, more ingenious
and industrious mechanics, more coal,
iron, copper, more cotton and woollen
goods, moro LOGON olives, cars and railroads
than by the existing laws it is allowed
to use. 1t is the victim of laws
which disable it from selling it's
surplus products abroad, and which.
therefore, make our labor-saving machin-
cry, our inventive skill, our productive
ability, curse to us. The question is how
to remedy this condition of things,
how to provide outlets for what we
can make but cannot consume. Mr.. Akin
son, of Boston, wrote not long ago, as the
result of extensive and careful investiga-
tons, that lat present about ninety per
cent of our people, using the improved
tools and machinery, can produce oil that one
hundred per cent can consume Of the staple
articles of food, fuel, clothing, tools, wares
and the like, and can in addition produce
But that leaves ten per cent of our whole
population without employment 1t means
that over four millions of our people are not
needed as producers, because the remainder
can produce all that the whole population
can use. Mr.. David A. Wells, in recent
article in the North american Reuiesp, gives