St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-11-08
TOUsAEY,s soPHIsTRY.
A Minneapolis Wisacre's Plan for
Increasing COnsum ptioM.

To the Editor of the Globe.
America, +" according to Prof. Tousley,
sis the land of opportunity" This, though
somewhat antiquated, is certainly true. 1t
has, in fact, been said and resaid so often,
that hardly anybody but a Chinaman just
emerging from a shower of gravel and
brickbats would feel desperate enough to
deny it, who, while running away, with
his camp kettle over his head, he might
swear that he did not see it.
But the part of this mission lecture most
interesting to the readers of this department
of the GLOBE is contained in the following
extract:
Wages are increased by the multiplying
of consumption. Machinery has produced
more than we can consume, hence the pres
ent depessorn. Now, we must increase our
consumption by teaching men skilled labor"
Here comes in the COMMUNICATION can
teaching men skilled labor increase con-
sumption? Does it increase the capacity
of the stomach, the width of the back, or
the length of the legs? Does it in any man
ner increase the desires of men for COM
modities? And what good would that do
unless the skilled laborers have something
wherewith to pay for these commodities?
But it will be said that skilled laborers
get better pay, and therefore would have
the ability to satisfy their desires. This is
a popular answer, but we cannot put it into
the mouth of so profound a teacher in
science and philosophy as Prof. Tousley
He says that machinery has produced more
than we can consume. He therefore must
presume to have studied the machinery
question, and knows that machinery has, to
a very great degree
DESTROYED THE DEMAND
for skilled labor, and substituted an imper-
ative demand for cheap, that is, unskilled
labor. In our great factories this is GER
tainly the case. In the North Star boot and
shoe factory there is probably not one man
who can make a shoe. nor is there any
need for such men. Children and machines
can make shoes without them-and cheap
ness is the cry of the day. But of this fact
who would venture to suppose the professor
ignorant?
But, again, suppose that all laborers
were ''skilled" and able to do anything
they touched in the best manner would
that remedy the difficulty? 1t would be
skilled labor versus skilled labor. and the
fight would make even the stupid part of
the world see that 'When Greek meets
Greek then comes the tug of war; while
destruction in the shape of cutting prices
for labor would fill the land with poverty
and terror.
But Prof. Tousley cannot be supposed to
need any such object lessons to teach him
this elementary truth of the great science
of political economy. He knows that
skilled labor is better paid because ii. is
scarce, comparatively, and that it would
sink in eXchangeable value when it became
plenty. We may admit there is always
room at the top-though that is not true
even if Webster did say so-but suppose
there be no top. nothing but elevated table
land. what then?
When the learned professor explains this
cGnundrum, then. perhaps, we may be pre-
pared to agree with him that 1.-The trouble
is with our schools; that they do not teach
the young people how to earn their living"
This statement of the superintendent, we
may remark in conclusion, is somewhat un-
expected. A good many people have been
finding fault with our schools, but when
the professor returned from his official stay
abroad, we think he promised to make all
things new and good. Has he not done so
and is it possible that our young people
are not learning how to make their own
living ? Another hard question: and enough
for the present. Xxx.