The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1879-08-06
ALEXANDRIA, La, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 1879
POVERTY AND RICHES.

/ a
During the war, during the infa
tion-that is to say, during the years
we were going into debt, fortunes
were made so easily that the people
left the farms, crowded to the towns
and cities.
Thousands became spectators
traders and merchants; thousands
embarked in every possible and con.
ceivable scheme. They produced
nothing, they simply preyed upon
labor, and dealt with imaginary val
ues. These men must go back; they
must become producers, and every
producer is paying consumer
Thousands and thousands of them
are unable to get back. To a man
who begs of you breakfast you can
not say: "Why don't you get a
farm| You might as we'll say:
'sWhy don't you start a line OF
steamers?" TO him both arc impos-
sibilities. They must be helped.
We shall remember that society must
support all Of it's members, all of its
robbers, thieves and paupers. Every
vagabond and vagrant has to be fed
and clothed, and society must sup
port in some way all of it's members.
1t can support them in jails, in asy-
lums, in hospitals, in penitentiaries
but it is a veyy costly way. We
have to appoint judges to try them,
juries to sit upon their cases, sheriffs,
marshals and constables to arrest
them, and it may be at last a stand
ing army to put them down. 1t
would be far cheaper, probably, to
support them at some first-class no
tel. We must either support them
or help them support themselves.
They let us go upon the one hand
simply to take US by the other, and
we can take care of them as paupers
and animals, or by wise statesman
ship help them to be honest and use
full men.
or all the criminals transported BY
England to Australia and Tasmania,
the records show that a large per
cent, something over ninety, become
useful and decent people. In Aus
tralia they found homes; hope again
spreads its wings in their breasts.
They had different ambitions; they
were removed from vile and vicious
associations. They mad new sur
roundings, and, as rule, man does
not morally improve without cor
responding Improvement in bis ply
iscal condition. One biscuit with
plenty Of butter is worth all the
tracts ever issued.
Whenever the laboring men are
out of employment they begin to
hate the rich. They feel chat the
dwellers in palaces, the riders in car
riages, the wearers of broad cloth,
silk, and velvet, have in some way
been robbing them. As a matter Of
fact the palace builders are the
friends of labor. The best form OF
charity is extravaganza. When you
give a man money, when you toss
him dollar, although you get moth
ing, the man loses his manhood.
To help others help themselves is
the only real charity. There is no
use in boosting man who is not
climbing. Whenever l see 3 splen
did home, a palace, magnificent
block, I think of the thousands who
we're fed-of women and children
clothed, of the firesides made happy.
A rich man, living up to his priv
leges, having the best house, the
best furniture, the best horses, the
finest grounds, the. most beautiful
flowers, the best clothes, the best
food, the best pictures, and all the
books that he can afford, is perpet-
ual blessing. The prodigality of The
of the ricl. is the providence Of the
poor. The extravaganza of wealth
makes it possible for the poor to
save. The rich man lives according
to his means, who is extravogant in
the best and highest sense, is not
the enemy of labor.
The miser who lives in a howell.
wears rags, and boards his gold, is a
perpetual curse. He is like one who
dams river at it's source.
The moment hard times come the
cry of economy is raised. The press,
the platform, and the pulpit, unite
in recommending economy to the
rich. In consequence of this cry The
man of wealth discharges servants,
sells his horses, allows his carriage
to become han roost, and, after TAX
inO emn!nvment ami fond frnyn ~,