The Portland daily press., 1878-09-07

From 1870 to 1873 the amount of imports of
each of these articles were almost doubled. In
1873 the importation of spirits and wines
amounted to 100000; tobacco and cigars,
S10,OOO0OO, and silks, $50, 1000, 900; making $780,
900, 600 foreign valuation in gold in these arti-
Giles alone. Add the gold premium, the duties
and commissions, and the cost to the consumer
was over 800 100000 for wines, spirits, tobac-
co, cigars and silks imported in 1873. The i'm
ports of the manufactures of silks alone, for
eien valuation in gold, for the three years
1S71,'72-73 were $98, 432, 165, which to the con.
sumner would amount to not less than $200, 000,-
600. The increase In the total importation Of
foreign merchandise in 1870 over that of 1860
ten years-was SS2 $780, 1885, and the increase of
1873 over 1870-three years-was $206, III. 500;
the increase for these three years being greater
than the total importations in 1852
ovER-CoNsUMPTIoN.
So far as National wealth and general pros
perity in business are concerned, there can be
no over-consumption SO long as the consumer
pays from his earnings for the consumption.
But whenever he fails to do that, aud INDUCES
10 wastefnl extravaganza in adaptation of
fortunes to be made, and continues any length
OF time. bankruptcy is sure to follow, with its
attendant and manifold ills to honest industry.
The craftsmanship which excuses such state
Of things by calling it under-consumptiop, is
akin to that which claims that money worth
noibiog makes country rich.
There is remarkable instance of under
consumption in the case of the Predigal Son,
mh-n he fed upon husks; but it was the neces-
sary an6 Inevitable result OF extravagant and
riotous living.
As Nation, for years we spent more than
we earned. And human ingenuity has never
yet been abe TO devise scheme by which in
ceeded their income, if continued, could be
saved from final bankruptcy and ruin. There
is no scbeme of legislation or device of cheap
or worthless money that will convert such folly
into wisdom, or such extravaganza into econ
omy.
During the whole time of this unprecedented
expansion in everything else, there was com.
parativeiy no increases in agriculture. From
1850 10 1860, by the census returns, the increas-
ed acreage Of improved lands was at the rate of
As Ger ceut for the ten years. From 1860 to
1870 IL was at the rate of 151 per cent. The in
crease of acreage in farms from 1850 to 1860
was AT the rate of 45 per cent, while from 1860
to 1870 it was only one-half of per cent. Our
agriculture vas, therefore, greatly dispropor-
toned TO all other branches of industry.
The suspension in railroad building, the par
alyss iD all business. caused in part by that,
aud BY production beyond the capacity of con-
sumption, filled the country with unemployed
men, and forced honest and willing labor to
beg it's bred.
THE CURE FOR HARD TIMES.
The wastes Of war aud the prodigal expendi-
store the country to its old prosperity and re-
Dewed growth ia wealth and power. How is
that to ms done, and 10 what way can the gov
erDme Mt aid in its ecomplishment?
The first great requisite is fidelity to public
and private trusts, thus restoring confidence
aud securing faithful; collection and honest
disbursement of public and private revenues;
next, less Indebtedness abroad and greater pre-
dncton at home: and lastly, a rigid economy in
public expenditures, thereby tightening the
burdens of industry and enabling labor to en-
joy the fruits of its toll.
1t is not economy, however, in public expen-
ditnres, for the lawmaking power to withhold
appropriations of money indispensable for car
ryiug on the necessary operations of the gov.
ernment-that is simply defeating the purpose
and destroying the very object of government
nor is it economy to withhold the money for the
payment of the awards of the Court of Claims,
or for the necessary expenses of the courts of
justice. The first is dishonor to the nation
refusing to pay its honest debts: the other
great wrong to its citizens, by denial of iQs-
tice. Nor is it economical or patriotic to reduce
the army, when it is already too small to Sc
cure protection against the savage to the fire.
the wilderness to open pathway for science
and civilization.
1t is neither wise craftsmanship nor real
economy, in the times of great depression in
business, for the government to stop all out
lays for necessary and indispensable public
works. Not that the governn ent should Gre
ate necessity for expenditures, but when that
Necessity exists, why not give the uuem-
ployed labor the benefits resulting therefrom in
the times Of greatest need, especially as the
government would have the advantage, in
such times, of cheapness in doing its work?
TnS kind OF craftsmanship was most con-
spicuous illustrated by the Democratic party
in the last Congress, and upon such record it
appeals to the people for renewed lease of
power.