The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1878-07-31
NON.CONSUMPTION THE STUPEN.
DOUs CURSE OF RADICALISM.

and consequent miseries that meet the eve
on every hand. This theory OF the calami-
ties that set In in 1873 and which have con-
tinued for the past five years is urged by the
organs of the national thief party to obscure
the real causes that have brought about the
curses under which the country labors and
suffers. The Boston Post, in discussing the
question of "over production" says:
over production is the matter with the
country, say great many persons. But this
made to produce literally. and man was de-
creed to cultivate 1t. 1t is also said there are
too many labor saving machines Everything
which used to be done by manual labor Is
achieved by machinery, and common laborers
are thus deprived of employment. But the
inventive faculty is gift to be cultivated as
much as the earth for the common benefit of
humanity. What, then, is the matter? Who
is in fault? What is the remedy? How is
this seeming conflict to be reconciled? These
are practical questions which are pressing for
solution. 1t is manifest that as regards the
superabundance of products of the earth
there is nothing like over production for
the race, for the Chinese are starving by
millions to-day. Nor, with all the improve
ments in machinery and the immense amount
of cotton and wooden goods, shoes and the
like, which are manufactured, is there any
surplus if they oere rightly distributed. The
difficulty is not in the over production, but in
the distribution. There is somewhere q de-
mand for all the products of American indus
TRY ana invention, even II nuttlplleQ many
fold, otherwise nature is at fault, and the
American people are an anomalous portion OF
the race not wanted in the economy of Provi-
dence. Man is alone at fault III this matter.
Legislative and national barriers have been
erected to prevent proper distribution OF
these products, and TO defeat the legitimate
operation of the laws of nature. All artificial
restrictions which prevent the natural flow OF
our redundant products to meet an actual
want are at war with nature.
1t is the business of political economists and
statesmen to put an end to this warfare and
break down these artificial barriers
Nothing can be clearer than this. This
view Is also strongly re enforced by
the modern Improvements OF steam and
telegraph which have brought the nations
into near neighborhood and served to unity
and consolidate the race. These improve
ments have not only brought the peoples of
the earth into closer relationship, but Tor all
practical purposes have added Immensely to
the measure of human life. Time and dis
lance have been almost annthilated. What
required months and years 10 be accomplished
is now consummated in a day. By what law
and for what purpose? By that same orderly
dained that man shall cultivate the earth, i'm
prove his gifts, and continue on indefinitely
IN the line of progress. Such considerations
tical men of everyday life. But this is an
error. The humblest ploughman and the most
ilIiterate mechanic can not fail TO see their
force. The remedy, too, Is IN their hands'
They make congressman and presidents.
They, too, have it in their power to mould the
laws and shape the policy OF all civilized d, ma
is force enough, If intelligently exercised and
properly directed, to put an end to this war
against nature, and stop the mouths of mis-
taken reformers and noisy demagOgues.
The Post evidently takes correct view on
the subject Oyer production is not the
cause of our national ills, and In the very
nature of things can not be. 1t is impossible
for a country to be so rich in all the products
which go to make people happy and pros
porous as to be the cause of its ruin. The
radical party, the most gigantic curse that
ever befell any country worse than fire or
food or plague party which combines every
crime known to the calendar; party which
was qulckened in a leprous womb and
born full fanged, and which during Its
existence has poisoned like a upas and
eat like a cancer; party that has debauched
/ public virtue, rioted in stolen plumber, ele-
waited thieves to places of dignity and power,
and finally utilized frauds that defy meas
urement, and blasphemous periuries that
/ have no parallel in or out of hell, is to-day
/ in power, with its chief officials endeavoriDg
to escape the burning indignation of the
people by contradicting the statements oil
the doubly damned miscreants it employed
to seat Hayes. 1t is this party which, to aid
Shylocks that it might divide the proceeds
of its policy made it possible for peo
pie to starve in the midst of such
fabulous abundance that figures are put to
the severest test to convey an approximate
idea of the situation. From 1878 to 1873 il
is fair to estimate the average population OF
1 Tho oourtrv OF An 0O0 900 or OOO 600 fan,i.
lies of five persons each. From 1873 to the
present time the cry has been failures, y
bankruptcy" "idleness," poverty" star
walton" and ''crime." From the center tc
the circumference the cry mas gone forth. II
has become every day deeper toned. 1t ha'
aroused everywhere profound sympathy
and men who were anxious for the welfare
of the country have sought for ways and
means to improve the situation. Blu
the radical party has stood In the way
of every beniicent measure, and Hayes, the
crime stained and crime cursed president
armed with his veto. proclaimed to thu
country that he would strike down every
benefcent measure the democratic party
might push through congress, and as idle
ness increased, as the outlook became more
gloomy, radical organs sought to explain
away the causes of the curses by crying
lover production" when in fact the policy
of the party was to decrease consumption
1t is safe to estimate, that for the past five
years there have been 100000 families tha
have not consumed more than one-hal
of the actual necessities of lif,
which there well being demanded
This estimate as to numbers is low, anC
there is not man or woman of average in
telligence or possessing advantages for gen
eral observation who will doubt its approx
mate correctness. Here, then, we hav'
5000, 900 families on half rations, equal Il
500 900 families, or 100000 persons, non
consumers We have no data at our com
mand indicating what such an army Of peo
ple-men, women and children-would con
sumo in five years. The study, however, i