The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1878-03-06
DIVERSITY OF LABOR.

The average Shylock organ is always ready
with excuses for the universal depression
in business, shrinkage in values, bankruptcy,
idleness and poverty. They have a cata
logue of set phrases. Sometimes it is lover
production" another time speculation"
An "inordlnate desire to grow rich is mace
to account for hard times. And again the
difficulty is accounted for by the "laziness
of the people" When a remedy is de-
manded the Shylock organs are equally
ready. They say "go to work, be economi-
cal, live within your means" ETC.. etc., but
if these panaceas are found insufficient,
then comes the old prescription: go to
farming" "Go west and grow up with the
country" We have no fault to find with
agriculture as a business; we recognize fully
its importance, but we suoInit that
farming is not the remedy for
existing business depression. The
people can not all be farmers nor would
it be for the public welfare if it'were posi-
BILE Evidence is abundant that farming
interests have not been overlooked. The
country Is overfowingly full of food, but
strange to say, thousands of homes are suf-
fering the pangs of hunger. The st. Louis
Globe Democrat says:
The country has so ne things to groan over;
traffic is thoroughly at loss in its calculations;
manufactures are bankrupt; and yet we never
had more bOuntiful harvest than in 1871.
The land teemed with every variety of pro-
duct. There was enough and to spare for
every citizen of the Union. The difficulty
evidently has risen from the fact that too small
a proportion of our population has been In the
direct line production The plentiful or
Shly into the hands of a smaller number than
it was intended for That we have land enough
to pToSid3 eomlort and ei99mPsedsenee for every
will be badly of under all circumstances, and
neither nature nor neighbOr can make them
permanently contented or happy.
Here we have Shylock organ admitting-the
fact that harvests have been "bOuntlful;"
that traffic is at a loss in it's calculations"
and that manufactures are bankrupt"
To cure these ills more farming is
recommended. The fallacy of the
proposition is too apparent to require
contradiction. There has been no lack of
farming. The harYests attest the fact, but
the farmer has not been able to save the
manufacturer. Abundant crops have not
kept railroads from bankruptcy. Cheap
food and starvation are facts that stand side
by side; and still the Shylocks, while Oppos-
ing every measure calculated to revive the
general industries of the country, set ma
chinery in motion, give artisans, mechanics
aud laborers employment wages and food,
exclaim, GO to farmingi" There is land
enough for all ~ Cease your idleness" "Cul
'tivate the soil and hush your lamentations
If Shylocks, by their grasping, devilish policy
close factory and shop, forge and mill, and
turn thousands of skilled mechanics upon
the street, their victims are denounced as vag-
abonds and told to Ego to farming" If these
victims of a legislation that brushes like an
anaconda, withers like a sirocco, devours like
a vulture and kills like q scourge, demand
halt in the march Of business curses, Shylocks
advocate shooting them down on the streets
as if they were wild beasts or mad dogs.
What is wanted is not so much more farm
ing as less Shylock influence and rule in the
legislation of the country. Instead of con-
tracing the currency and shrinking values
out of sight, the country needs more cur
rency and more confidence. Instead of
urging men to go to farming, the
demand is that Shylocks shall be
compelled to take their vulture beaks out
| of the vitals of the business of the country.
/ When this is accomplished there will be a
revival of industries, producer and con-
/ sumer will mutually advance each others
welfare, and there will be less clamor for
mechanics and laborers to seek on the wild
/ lands of the west means to keep them alive.
/ Diversity OF industries is the great demand
of the times, and this will be accomplished
when the people instead OF Shylocks control
+ legislation.