The Labor enquirer., 1885-03-21
"why Den,t Tnsy s.ys.s

B. JoHs &. LEWIS, Secretarya
"why Don,t They s.ve.', 81
For The Enquirer. rs So 81
There are always people enongh TO
preach economy to the working classes"
and always enough to be. taken in with
such nonsense. 1t is but adding insult
to injury when such advice comes from
a well-fed capitalist to poorly fed
toiler, butri it smatters Of SO bservlencv
and toadylsm when coming from a work
;ngman to his brother faborer. I hear
such talk at trades union meetings, and
80 little of the real truth concerning the
cause of the workingman's poverty, that
come away little discouraged some
times. :naH 7sn dn!% - ~
Individual economy does not enter
into the question ofjust distribution.
might possibly manage to exist on one
fourth of what l received aud save up"
the rest, but that would not make it
right for some, one else to rob me of a
large share of what ! ought to have.
People wantto know how to get the full
results of their labor-they can attend to
the saving oft afterward, and it is en-
tlrely personal matter. Those who
are compelled to live on SO cents a day
need no lessons in economy; they learn
lit whether they will or not. / would
like to see how such person could be
extrayagant, Natural wants could barely
be satisfied. Where would luxuries
come. in?
To tell a man, when he is handed
about one-tifth of what he produces and
what he ought honestly to have, that he
has nothing to complain of if he is
"saving." isslike knocking him down and
pounding the life nearly out of him and
then telling him he is all right If he is
only careful with the little strength he
has left. No wage-worker living, who
depends on his wages alone, can do more
than supply his common necessities
properly. To expect him to "save up
something for the future" is to ask him
to starve himself physically or mentally
to deny himself what in common hu-
manit7 he ought to have.
Economy does not .,haye the same
meaning for the lwage-worker and the
man who finds all the lu1uries of life
flowing into his hands through no
greater exertions than that of clipping
coupons or signing rent receipts. To the
latter it is mere question of less SER
wants, fewer splendid dinners and mag
nifcent jewelry set left unpurchased.
To the poor man it means suffering,
want, privatiop. Who can look with
Indifferent eyes on the pitiful efforts of
a poor wife and mother, trying to save
up something" out Of her husbands
scanty earnings, with five or six needy
clamoring children to care for. Her
whole life is a martyrdom. Every penny
laid away is comfort robbed from a
child Who had a right to it it is another
pang to her loving heart, an added
wrinkle to her care-worn brow.
- If there was so little in the world that
such self-sacrifce was necessary, We
would bear such scenes in silence, But
with granaries and ware houses full to
overfowlng and capitalists crying "over'
tproductien," contentment is a mockery
and endurance ceases to be virtue
There is no necessity under heavens for
anybody to be saving" to 60 without
anything they want; the worldlis full o.
good things wanting to be used, and
nothing but artificial laws and per
niclous systems keep them ont of the
reach of the people: III GE
Aside from the individual effect Of
saving, think what the result would be
ON business" How "dpll" trade woulc
become and how the markets woulc
dwlndle, 1t is possible for man to be sc
Saving" as to live in mud hut, dress
1 in skins and eat corn bread and mo-
Iasses. But if everybody followed th'
economic prlnclple-and if 1t is tru'
| remedy its application should be genera
soon everything and everybody woule
"fail" and 90 out of business, excepting
a few mud house builders, corn-ralser
and molasses makers.
Where would the interests of com
merce" be then? This Saving" ques
ton is the yeriest trash besides being IN
snlting and is scarcely worth arguin
, about, and yet one hears it so often,
seems necessary to hold up the folly t
the light of reason, again and again. !
4 pompous "selfnade". man said, whe'
} told of a rwretehed family in distress
: "Why didn't they save their wage
when they were at work? supposet tn
father had to have his beer and itobaec' i1@9fs
j 1.-The mothor her tea, the young one
candy and the boys low theaters. Fv
no patience with them" He dram
good wines and and smoked Havan
t cigars 81 Yet this poor man whose Iii
B was all toll and dreariness ought not