Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-05-18
IARoR.s LOAD.
The Immense Burden Borne by the Work
men OF tho Old World.

The Immense Burden Borne by the Work
men Of tho Old World.
One hundred thousand millions OF
dollars, more or less, constitutes the
sum of the bonded public debts, ma
tional and municipal, of the civilized
world. The annual interest thereon ut
per cent.-a fair average rate, we
think-amounts to $4,OOO, OOO,OOO,
which has to be paid out of the annual
products of labor, besides paying all
the living expenses of the population
and all taxes for the support of the
various forms of government and laying
by many other millions MS reserve
fund to draw upon for future wants.
And this immense load has been placed
upon the backs of the producing classes
-six-sevenths of it at within the
last one hundred years. Labor carries
this burden almost alone, for the non
producing classes, whether they are
krich or poor, are all dependent alike
upon those engaged in the various
kinds of labor for their support. The
rich live upon the accumulated products
of former years, while the poor live
upon those of the present time. Not
moro than ono-third-probably not
more than one-quarter-of the popula-
ton Of the earth are producers, hence
the burden of the laborer is much greater
than that of any other class. But when
millions of them are forcAl to be idle,
as rs the case at the present time, it not
only increases the burden OF the ro-
maindsr, but breeds discomfort, crime
and misery; and when their numbers
are sufficiently increased by long con-
timed depression the peace Of society
and the stability of governments are
seriously threatened. As their num-
bcrs increase and their complaints be-
come louder they are listened to with
sympathetic care by vast numbers but
little better off by reason OF their pov..
erty, resulting from low wages and
scant employment. The business oil
these complaints is also acknowledged
by large class Of reasonable and con-
scientious people who are themselves
in good circumstances, but who can
not witness the misery Of their fellow
beings with Indifference.
In this country of peaee and plenty
of liberty and equality before the law
the privations and misery OF the unein
ployed laboring class are less severe
than In the older civilizations of Eu
! rope, for in Germany and France. fol
example, many millions Of the inhabit
ants, including women and children
labor constantly and severely, and ye
live in squalid poverty, scarcely abl'
TO secure food, shelter and clothing
enough to keep soul and body together
BY reason of their meager earnings
In proof OF this let US refer to thu
tables of the statistician, who tells us tina
In Prussia, in 1889, the number families
exempt from taxation because thei
annual income was less than 1925, wa
upward of 100000. and increasing
In France. out of the 5000, 600 OF lam
proprietors, no less than 100000 c
them are on the pauper roll, exemp
from personal taxation. Both in Franc
, and Germany the number OF sma
i land proprictors is so great that tn
land has to be cultivated by hand, b
the men, women and children OF
family together, at a great disadvantas
in competition with the improve
, agricultural machinery employed o
= large farms in their own and otht
: countries. Some of them are, eve
y then. forced to pivn I'D their lands I