New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-11-23
OVERpRODTCTION,

In every civilized land at this time, there Is
complaint that times are hard. Everywhere
the cause is said by many to be Overproduction.
But how can it be n curse to mankind to have
the objects of human desire supplied in greater
abundance and more cheaplyY If there is over
production all over the world, as some reason,
that means merely that the supply of things
useful for human happiness Is greater
all over the world than the present
demand. In reply to this natural
suggestion, we are told that a vast amount of
labor has been displaced by machinery, that
General disturbance of the labor market has
been caused and that great number OF per-
sons have been thrown out of employment. The
very change which some call u blessing brings
ruin to many producers, and forces many en-
Movers to cut down wages, and curtalls the
ability of workers to consume products OF other
industries. Thus we are taught to believe that
the progress of science and invention is pro-
gress toward human misery.
Is it true, then, that machinery has displaced
human labor9 century ago relatively fewer
persons were employed in any other avocation
than in tilling the soil than are now so en-
ployed Machinery has created a new world
il has cheapened almost everything that man
desires. 1t has brought within the reach OF the
humbest not only a vast number OF products
wholly unknown century ago, but luXurles
and comforts which century ago even
the richest could not afford to commonly enjoy.
Meanwhile has it displaced laborP On the
contrary, it has made work for vast popula-
ton outside of the ruder arts which were
formerly pursued. Has 1t displaced the shoe
maker1 No; more persons than ever before are
making shoes because more shoes are maze
and used. chcapness permitting multitudes to
wear them who formerly could not. 80 there
are more sewing-girls, in spite OF sewing
machines. There are more farm workers, in
spite of all the agricultural machines. There
are moro cotton and woollen and silk
weavcrs in spite of those numerous
improvements which seem to do with
steam and iron the work of human hands better
than human hands could do 1t. And to crown
ALL the wages in all branches of labor have
risen In every occupation from the rudest to
the most skilled from farm labor to the most
dclirate manipulation of tools and machinery,
labor IL better paid I'm money than it was before
the age of invention. And, moreover each dol
lar or the money received will buy far more
food than dollar would have bought cen
mry ago. far more clothing, and more things
for the supply or all human WAITS.
Thus II Ia simply laundering tr shy that ma
rhinrrr does. or can. IN the long run, supplnht
az disnlner human labor On the contihiN the
too oI machinery IA limited only by the human
leho, that can he brought io ehnlov u, Every
labot saving invention enables ono human want
a. he more eheapf supplied, Hn that part "l
tho human labor expended III satisfying
A. gan lbs turned a. the hhpply "l
other wants, The oyerproduelion theory,
OK opt as limited Ia very marrow HELD, ANA
within narrow compass of time, Is altogether
without foundation. The human race as u
whole docs not suffer because It's powers OF
production are increased, or because Its wants
can be more easily and cheaDly supplied, or
because things needful for human comfort and
use are more abundantly produced. Temporal
rily, and within some particular market pro-
duction may Mt times So far Outrun the de-
mand that IA disturbance results. But that Is
not the phenomenon which we are now wit
Messing. The disturbance of industry III these
days affects many countries, though III dlier-
ent measure and while it would have affected
this country but little, if at all, but for the dis
tlrbance of the tariff question, and has affected
us only within the past year or two, it has con-
tinued in Great Britain and other countries
with increasing force for nearly ten years. The
philosophers who preach Of oycrproductlon
have not yet detected the cause Of the evil.