The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-09-13
EXTRACTS FROM AN ADDRESS OF HON
MOSES w. FIELD OF MICHIGAN.

Twelve wears ago we had a prosper
Gus country. At that time farmers
were doing we'll and obtaining tar
prices for farm produce. Merchants
were thriving. selling goods manly
for cash on the spot, the credit system
the curse Of industry and commerce
being rapidly and conveniently
abandoned. Vessel men. lumbermen,
miners. manufacturers. mechanics:
artizans and all the laborers OF the lana
were prosperous; all getting STEADY
employment and fair compensation
for labor-the foundation for prosper
ity and the direct road to wealth. AZ
that time there was more money III
circulation. more labor performed,
and this country was more prosperous
than at any other time during the eX-
istence Of the republic.
At that time we were dong 1Ve
DAYS labor where we are now DONG
one. and vet there was no glut III the
markets. no accumulation OF produc-
tions. nor was there single tramp IN
the land. Our manufacturers were
receiving orders far IN advance OF
their ability to produce. Mechanics
found employment, and, with plenty
of money. they could conveniently
buv the necessities, if not some OF the
Injuries Of life. With employment
and good wages. they were able TO
consume the products of others labor.
There was consumption ana happiness
in the land then, but to-day we are
afflicted by '.under-cOnSumptl ana
death because the people are kept III
enforced idleness. They have been
robbed of their employments; hence
thew cannot consume productions, ana
the country suffers. particularly the
industrial and wealth-produclng class
eS.
Orr PRESENT WRETCHED CONDITION.
[ have described the condition OF
affairs twelve years ago, ana now let
us contrast that period with our con-
dition to-day. We look over broken
down and stricken country, our INDUS
tries are paralyzed, business of all
kinds stagnant and Improbable; the
miners have been obliged to crawl up
ont of the mines. ''Quit work IS the
general order of the day. Half OF our
furnaces stand cold and dark as night;
of our rolling mills more than one-half
are idle: the wheels of machinery IN
all the great factories are silent as the
tomb. and merchants are breaking
down and are swept into bankruptcy
nv the hundreds and thousands. Halt
of our vessels are tied up to the WharVe
to rot.-the men and the women who
would be glad of the opportunity to
earn their bread by the sweat of their
Iax lyn, n nntOrcpd
ness. Men travel around from town
to town and from state to state, beg
ging for an opportunity by aDor 10
earn the means for the support OF their
wives. their children and themselves.
The poor crowd the soup-houses OF our
cities. and the country is invaded by
an army Of tramps.
WHAT HAS PRODUCED THESE HARD
TINES
The people should know how to get
ont of all these difficulties. Surely
this condition of affairs was not
hroupht about bv the act of God. we
have not been afflicted by war, pestl-
lence or famine. nor have earthquakes
swallowed up any of the states. the
Creator has done everything tor our
country. Here we have mines pro-
tlucinr Ill! the minerals;a great variety
in climate and soil. Possessing all
these natural resources, calculated to
make us the freest. the most lndepen-
dent and the wcalthiest people on the
planet earth. and yet. Notwithstanding
all these favorable conditions, our IN
dustries to-day have the lock-JaW ana
the people have the cramps. Now
there must be some great and active
cause to produce such widespread al
versity.
REMEDY OF THE PRESS.
What has the press to offer. ant
what have the hullioniSts to say! Why
they saw that all our troubles have beel
brought about from three causes
First, the extravaganza OF the people
second. over-production and the use O.
machinery: and third greenhack mon
CIV for a circulating medium. Ano
they suggest the following remedies
First. great frugality in living. Whlcl
means sour milk and cabbage diet 70
the masses: second. the stoppage o
production. which means an lncreaS
of poverty and crime: third. the con
traction anu ulltl utStl u1tlolt VI I'll
rreenback money and the Substitution
of national bank bills mot legal ter
der). which means universal bankrupt
cy and ruin to the industrial elias:
Now | propose to examine hrieh
their views. 1t appears to me plal
that if people can afford TO be eNtraN
arant. if individuals happen to be rlel
the more expenditures they indulge
the better it is for the laborers OF tn
country. They will then employ tt
people. consume the productions
their labor. and in this way scatter
little of their accumulation ana sht
blessings and prosperity ON all arooi
them.
ENTRAtAGANT HABITS OF THE IL
There may be a few eNtravaga
people in the country. but mnety-mi
men out OF every hundred are too po
to indulge in extravagant Hvln
About balftha nonulatiOn is cOmpOS