The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-01-09
The Philosophy of Hard Times.


In every civilized land, at thist time, there
is complaint that times are hard. truthfully
the New York Tribune. Every
where the cause is said by many to bs over
production. But how can it be a curse to
mankind to have the objects of human de-
sire supplied in greater abundance and more
cbeaply? Ii there is over production ali
over The world, as some reason, that means
merely that the supply of things
useful for human happiness is greater ali
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 a gen
eral disturbance of the labor market has
been caused, and that q great number OF
persons have been thrown out of employ
ment. The very change which some call a
blessing brings ruin to maay producers and
TO .ces many employees to cut down wages,
and curtails the ability of workers to con-
sumo products of other industries Thus We
are taught to believe that the progress Of
science and invention is a progress toward
human misery.
1t is true, then, that machinery ha, dis.
placed human labor? A century ago, rela-
lively fewer persons were employed in any
other avocation than in tilling the soil than
are now so employed. Machinery has ere.
ated a new world; it has cheapened almost
everything that man desires. 1t has brought
within the reach of the humblest not only a
vast number of products wholly unknown a
century ago, but luxuries and comforts
which a century ago even the rishest could
not afford to commonly enjoy. Meanwhile
has it displaced labor? On the contrary. it
has made work for q vast population outside
OF the ruder arts which were formerly pur-
sued. Has ii displaced the shoemaker? No;
more persons than ever before are making
shoes, because more shoes are made and used.
oheapness permitting multitudes to wear
q - ~-I - O.
more sewing girls, in spite OF sewing ma
chimes.
There are more farm workers, in spite of
all the agricultural machines. There are
more cotton and wooden and silk weavers, 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 it. And TO crown all, the wages
in all branches of labor have risen. In
every occupation, from the rudest 10 the
most skilled, from farm labor to the most
delicate manipulation of tools and machin-
cry, labor is far better paid in money THIN it
was before the age of Invention. And, more
over, each dollar of the money received will
buy far more food than q dollar would nave
bought a century ago, far more Clothing and
more thin gs for the supply of all human
wants.
Thus it is simply blundering to say that
machinery does. or can, in the long run sup
plant or displace human labor. On the con
tTary, the use OF machinery is limited only
by the human labor that can be brought to
employ it. Everp labor-saving invention
erab ee one human want to be more che apply
supplied, so that a part of the human labor
expended in satisfying it can be turned tc
the supply of other want. The overproduc
ton theory, except as limited to a very mar
row field, and within a narrow compass o.
| time, is altogether without foundation. rh,
human race, as q whole, does not suffer be
cause its powers of production are increased
or because its wants can be more easily aut
cheaply supplied. or because things needed
for human comfort n use are more abun
dainty produced. Temporarily, and within
some particular market, production may q
times so far outrun the demand that q dis
turbance results. But this is not the phe
nomenon which we are now Witnessing.