The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-11-20
.eed of providing for the animal 81,

pushed aside and supplanted by the
Irishman, and the German, and those
in nturn by the less intelligent Pollock
and now, notably in the coke, coal and
iron industries, even the Poles are
being pushed aside to make way for the
lower class of Hungarians and Italians,
thus intensifying competition in the
labor market to point that practically
precludes the possibility of intelligence
and good citizenship; at least, on the
part of that large and increasing por-
ton of our population known as the
uusk illed laborer, and who is yet quickly
clothed with all the powers and fran
chises Of American citizenship, with
out his being possessed of any adequate
OF intelligent idea of the character or
vital Importance Of the responsibilities
that attach to the exercise of the pow
ers thus bestowed. Are there no seeds
Of danger here, think you ? If not, note
some os the first fruits of this cheapen-
ing process, which regards the lesseniDg
Of the cost OF production, as Of more
Importance than the welfare, inteili-
gence or manhood of the producer !;
not the least of these, is seen the low
ering average of intelligence and hon
esty found in boards of aldermen, Sc
lected to legislate for and administer
the affairs of our cities. Is it then to
be wondered at, that while morality de-
clines, corruption and extravaganza
thrive; and that in the face of increased
taxation, and lessening cost of labor
and material, the bonded indebtedness
of many of our cities is increasing faster
than is their wealth or population :?
Verify, the stream cannot rise higher
than its fountain, and if there be a
lessening of intelligence and worth in
the voter, there must in like degree be
a lessening of intelligence and worth in
those for whom he votes. But the evil
of which we speak. and the danger it
threatens, does not end here, it con-
tains elements that cause its influence
to reach higher than boards of alder
men, and wider than the confines of
cities.
The WEST as it existed in the days
of Horace Greeley, has ceased to be, and
the famous advice of that great man,
to ''go West, young man, go West, has,
by reason of the changed condition of
affairs, ceased to be applicable to the
of the case. Nearly all that
part of the vast public domain held by
the nation few years since, which is
capable of successful cultivation, is
either already settled upon or has passed
by grant into the hands of great rail
road corporations, or been purchased
by foreign syndicates, thus placing it
beyond the reach of the more needy
laborer, who, driven to the wall by
wages, increasing difficulty
of obtaining constant employment, and
expense of a growing family,
would gladly endure the depriyations
and hardships incident to a pioneer
life, if he might thereby become free
holder aud secure home for his old
age, where in rural independence
he might rear his family away from
the communicating influences of cities.
But this means of at once bettering
his own condition, and relieving the
pressure of competition in the labor
market, being practically closed, or fast
closing against him, ne must needs re-
duce his expenses and live and rear his
family upon a lower plane of life, OR
increase bis income by transferring his
from the schOol-room to the
factory and workshop in either case,
adding to the cause of the evil from
which he suffers for by putting his
children in the workshop, he adds to
the supply Of cheap labor, and intensi-
lies competition against himself; and if
he reduces his expenses, he by so much
the consumption of, and so
cuts off the demand for the very things
his own labor has produced, and upon
the existence of a demand for which
depends the possibility of his obtaining
at all. For demand de-
pends upon consumption, and consump-
ton depends upon and is measured and
limited by the ability of the consumer
TO purchase. Thus we find that in
cost of obtaining land for homes,
tends to the massing of un"'-'" ,s,,sr
IN ci''eS' 'n"' .Hgensif9inF G6rHFc5itilon,
and lowering the iab6re. wages; and
waq54, pressing the laborer
to a lower lev Ell of existence, and dimin-
ishine mis- ability to consume, and this
consumption, lessening the
demand for what his labor has produced,
thus completing the circle and causing
what is commonly called, and popularly
supposed to be, production.
This story Is told Of Emergon's
n. L.. 10 l.