The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1885-11-27
THE SITUATION.

HcSS, ito CduSCi ctts
sit seems certain that The indus
tries OF the country are entering
upon the highway TO prosperity
once again. Wages are being adj
vaucel in various trades, and more
money in the hands of the MASSES
is sure to lead to the starting M
of mills in different kinds of bust
ness which have been idle, or run
uing short time, of and on, for til,
past two years.
The starting up of machinery, nc
matter what kind OF manufacture
it may be engaged in, is sure tC
give employment to some of the
idle labOrers of the country, and
make those who have been Deepen
dent upon others for Subsistence
into wage earners aud consumers
which will help to carry of the sur
plus stocks on the markets. Ev.
cry poor family who have suffered
through the bad times seems TO he
wanting nearly all kinds of goods,
but they have not the power IL
purchase them. There is no such
thing as over production now; il
goods could be properly distributed
III this country alone, among fami'
lies who need them, the markets
would soon he empty. What is
needed to bring good times is
steady employ ment at IA higher
rate of wages. The trade OF thus
or any other country il governed
by the purchasing power of its peO
pie; and when wages are low the
purchases OF the working people
are gong to be light, aud business
restricted TO the extent Of the fall
in wages, OF nearly so. What the
rich spend is mostly in articles of
luxury or imported goods, and IS
Insignificant in comparison to what
the toiling masses spend, when
they are aOle, towards keeping the
wheels of home industries iu mo.
ton.
Something like a hundred years
ago, the chief ruler OF what is now
one OF the largest states of the Ger.
man empire, who was q very good
man, noticing with regret that
there was IL great depression in all
kinds of business in bis kingdom.
T%hereupon he peremptorily sum
moued to his presence all the great
land owners, manufacturers, mer.
chants, bankers aud political econ.
Omists of the country, and demand.
ed OF them the reaSon OF the stag
nation III commerce and Industry,
the lOud-vOieed complaints OF the
workmen, the sufferiUgs OF their
families and the stOppage OF pro.
ductiOn. Tue bankers SAID they
were quite willing to lend money,
if the manufacturers and merchants
would give good security ; bu,
trade was so dull that their Gus.
toners could not realize on the
stocks they held II they sold their
goods, and would therefore be una
ble to meet their paper. The mer.
chants said the mass of the people
were poor, and unemployed, and
could not buy tue usual amount Of
goods. The manufacturers said
the merchants had quit buying,
and it was USELESS TO keep .their
paper. The landlords said they
had been compelled TO cconOmlze
and retreuch in all expenditures,
because, in the depressed state OF
affairs, it was impossible to collect
the rents which were overdue.
The political economists review
ed the evidence thus presented.
and decided that the whole trouble
was due to 'Over production and,
unable TO suggest IA better reason,
the others all agreed that il must
be so. Over production of what =
said tho king. His auditors re.
piled that the over production was
general rather than particular.
Have you more Shoes :he said,
than will cover the feet OF the null.
titude who need shoesf Have you
more clothes than will clothe those
who go in ragsf Have you more
grain in your Storehonses than will
supply the f%amishingR Have you
more houses than will shelter the
homelessf Have you more tools
than the industrious eau usetully
employs The solid men we're not
prepared to say that they had
more OF these things than were
really necessary to the comfort aud
well being OF the people. The
trouble Was the people did not buy
them. aud why do they not buy
them Y Because they haven't any
money And why have they not
moneys Because they have no
employment If they had EN-.
plOyment aud money, would they
not buyf Undoubtedly they
would If they bought as freely
as they did when work was plenty,
and wages good, would not the
stocks in your factories quickly be
purchased by the merchants aud
distributed among the people,
again stimulating production I
Would not the merchants be able
to meet their paper at the banks Z
And would not the Golfers of the
lapdlords again be filled, enabling
them to make free disbursements
for the Injuries as we'll as the ne.
cessities OF life 2 The commercial