The Labor enquirer., 1884-03-01
THE BURDENS
OF Government, Which are Borne
Exclusively by the Pro-
ducers.
All Labor Which is net Necessary
for the Good Of Society is
Useless.
Workers and Idlers.


1t is not only the rich idiers who are
burdens upon society. The vast sums
which they spend 90 to support host
Of servants and panderers whose labor
is entirely useless to society.
All labor which is not necessary for
the good of society may be classed as
useless. And under this head there are
very many honest, hard-workirg people
who are as much burdens upon society
as if they we're idlers; simply because
their labor does not give to society a
proper return for what they receive from
society. With many of these, this book
will not undertake to interfere.
The professions are overcrowded.
There are four lawyers where but one is
needed, But the three extra and unnec-
essary ones must be fed, clothed, housed
and amused. Not one lawyer in ten does
as much labor as he should. There is
not enough business to 60 around but
each lawyer must receive enough fees to
supply his wants, so that they charge
upon three cases the fees which should
have been distributed over ten.
The medical profession is also over
crowded, with nearly as bad results.
And nearly every ayocation of life has
many members who are much indebted
to society.
The entire business of fire insurance
is grievous burden. Its object is to
distribute losses among the premium
payers If the losses were evenly and
ineIpensively distributed. there might
be no cause of complaint, save that it
would on general principles be better
to prevent the loss altogether than to
half encourage it. But inasmuch as q
vast amount of the-money which is paid
in is used to support in very comfortable
style large army of men who might
be otherwise more proftably employed,
and as but SMALL proportion of money
is returned to premium holders, the bust
nesa is burden.
The cities are filed with people who
live, as it were, from the crumbs which
fall from the tables Of the rich and one
most beneficial effect of the operation
Of these laws would be to decrease the
population of the large cities. As soon
ss the revenues Of the rich are cut of,
they will spend much less money there
will be less theaters, less dry goods
stores, less fancy stores, less fine jewelry
stores, less costly merchandise of all
kinds, less fine hotels, less livery stables,
less flower gardens, less servants, and so
on. And those people would inevitably
be distributed in the different walks of
life where their labors would rebound 10
the good Of society.
To illustrate the point in respect to
useless labor, let Us suppose that in q
new community, where every one per-
formed his proper share of the necessary
work, some of the people should say :
I'VE shall spend our time in making
kites, so that each man shall have one to
iy from his house top; and each man
shall give Us therefor so much grain, or
50 many chickens" The people would
say; "Why, we don't need kites, and
we won't give you grain or chickens fol-
them. But if you will come and help
harvest our grain, or make our shoes, OF
haul our grain to the mill, we will give
you what you ask" And the answer
would be both pertinent and just.
If a man indulges in useless labor and
obtains nothing therefor from society, nc