The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-09-21

Are Low Prices in This Country d.
sirablcs

Are Low Prices in This Country De-
sirablee
This question is ably discussed in the
Helena, Mont. Journal. as follows:
Wealth is accumulated labor. II the
price of labor is high or low, then wealth
or accumulated labor is more or less album
dant.
4 Chinese comes to America; works six
years at $40 per month returns twice by
steamship and visits his family and finally
returning TO China, reiires upon his quickly
accumulated fortune. independent for life.
An American goes to China works six
years AT Si.50 per month returns twice and
visits his family; and finally returning to
America he has-ahsolutely nothing-for
his six years labor In fact he couldn I nay
his final passage home withou: assistance;
and he could not contribute anything to
the support of his family during these six
years. Why? Because of low prices in
China and high prices III America.
But combining ourselves TO our own coun-
try. let us search diligently into this sub
lect of high and low prices. OF our fifty
millions of people in 1880, about seventeen
millions. or one in three, were engaged in
active business as follows:
Agriculture 1870. sas
Professional and personal services - AGA rs
Manufacturing and mining .-...--........ Ss7 H.
Trade and Isloz
Total .. II ,s9a,og9
Each person engaged representing three
inhabitants, there would consequently be
dependent upon
agriculture, about - ,ooo 90
Professional and personal. about. ... Il 90 90
Manufacturing and mining. about. IL ,oootoo
Trade and transportation coo 600
Total ....... ..................-.... $4,000 oCo
To simplify our question, let us drop the
millions and think OF the nation as q COM
munitg OF twenty-five sgriculturis.s. twelve
at professional and personal services eleven
manufacturers and miners and i've traders
and transporters. II these fifty people pros
per they must produce more than they con.
Sume-each must sell more than he buys
This is possible under proper adjustment,
for nature has hountifully provided fer
tile soil, inexhaastible mines and genial
climate.
All must have food, clothing aud shelter.
. A diversified industry is therefore necessary
and essential TO the largest success. All
cannot till the soil, for where all shovel
and hoe, wages must be low All cannot
pursue any one of life's varied cailings.
For which class are low prices desirshle7
Surely not for the twenty-five ag:icaitgrisfs
Farmers prosper most when prices arc
high. Their sales are far in excess of their
purchases, ami they lose largely by low
values.
Are low prices desirable for the twelve
professional and personal servers Let us
see.
They create nothing and in this they are
rot unlike the five engaged in trade and
transportation. Here are sixteen persons
who produce nothing and consume largely,
bat the other thir,y-iour must support
these sixteen, who. although producing
nothing, are performing usefal service and
thus deserve success, Bat the desired sue
cess cannot De reached unless their services
or labor secures for them more than they
/ must expend for the necessaries OF life.
/ Therefore the higher prices are the more
will hc received and saved. and the lover
prices are the less viii he received and
saved hy this minority.
Eleven manufacturers and miners are
continually producing for the wants OF the
other thirty nine. Their labor is fatiguinc
dirty. disagreeable and dangerous These
ought certainly To receive more for the
sweat oi their brow than is required for
food, clothing and shelter Can they &c, il
best when high or low values obtain Their
chances for accumulation are decidedly
better where high prices prevail.
Let these fifty people stand true 10 each
+ other, protect patrnnlze and defend each
other, and the result of honest labor will be
accumulated wealth for every individual.
Earning more than is consumed. anation
VII accumulate more wealth when prices
are high than when prices are low; and
only when a nation IS in decay, eensuming r
{ more than Il produces. can any benefit
+ cone from low prices.