The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1890-06-18

did not interest MS puplls' Ahs
wealth." said the schoolmaster, rs
taken by those who earn it, and who by
their industry and frugality deserve
it,"
"Have you much wealth. said Jim,
looking INTO the face of his master, who
the whole neighborhood knew was
model of industry and frugality.
A troubled look passed over the face
of the schoolmaster as he replied: My
OCCUPATION is not directly productive,
but as every man can not educate his
own children, schoolmaster by doing
so leaves others more time to produce,
and thus keeps the carpenters tallors
and factory hands in production ana
adds to the national wealth"
Jim didn't see that this wasan answer
to his question, so he tried again. do
all carpenters, tailors and factory hands
who are sober and frugal share in this
wealth that you say population gives to
the State?"
Eyes" said the schoolmaster; "fN
decree, of course they do, but their
share is much smaller than that which
goes for interest and rent.
"Why?" said Jim.
"Why?" said the schoolmaster, 'why'
Because population means more labor
crs, and more laborers mean more com
petition, and more competition means
less wages
"Then population does not give value
to labor?" said Jim.
NO" said the schoolmaster; ION the
contrary, competition reduces the value
of labor"
"Yet it gives increased wealth to the
community. Who gets the value popu-
lation gives?" said Jim.
'"Those," said the schoolmaster, "whc
possess certain advantages which labor
must use to live, and for the use OF
which labor makes large return
"Are there many people possessing
, such advantages?' asked jim.
mo" replied the schoolmaster; "theA
= are in one sense numerous but compared
to population as a whole they are few
4 very few"
a "Are those few persons industrious
o temperate and frugal? DO they take thu
4 wealth because they earn it, and b.
$ their industry ard frugality deserve it?
n said Jim.
j. ut by no means follows" said tn
g schoolmaster; "those few persons pos
i sessing certain advantages gain wealt
O by the possession of those advantages
J. and may be neither industrious, fruga
J. nor temperate"
a "And they get the largest share?
d said Jim.
l. "Yes," said the schoolmaster.
d SIT does not seem fair" said Jim.
It "It is a state Of things" said tn
If schoolmaster, that is not our place
= grumble at; these advantages are natur;
ID opportunities, principally land, whic
t: few people have obtained and whlc
3. entities them to the value given by pc
n ulation."
rs "rhen if population does not gi'
at value to labor it only gives value
g. land" said Jim, because labor can nj
IL do without it; and the man who owl
it. the land gets the greatest share OF tt
or value"
.e- "If you could only prove that,my boy
N, said the schoolmaster, you would mai
or out a case for the followers OF Hen
" George, whose works, by the way, ha
ms not read. Unfortunately for his the
bv ries, population gives value to mai
ur things beside land"
nj .tPermanent valued" said jim.
,ct 'Yes," said tho schoolmaster.
In "What things?" said Jim.
,st "Well," said the schoolmaster, u
to me see. Here are the boys hats,
RS. example. If store-keeper had
mt of hats, and population suddenly
IRIS creased, hats would become valuable
EN- THAT is not permanent value" Sc
ills jim, ''but merely temporary. AS poi
lev lation increased competition would
crease, and wages 60 down, they wo'
I'll start making hats, and the value
rs, hats would decrease: but the value
,ch land would 20 up. Is there any thl
inc besides land that population gives a
md manent value to, that is what want
of know?''
,er- "Well," said the schoolmaster,
and may be so; we need not discuss it."
uld Don't you think said jim, that
for land takes the greater part of the va
en- population gives, those who by their
. in dustry and frugality deserve it sho
yed. get larger share than they do?
the THAT would mean," said the sch'
i've master, "the handing over OF those
ome ural advantages which private indi
who uals now hold to the community
row their general advancement, which
tile. never be-"
der "Who?" said Jim.
will James" said the schoolmaster,
g Of verely, things have come to a pr
fer pass when boy of your age can
med take his teachers word without ash
heir why. We will go on with the next
sted son. Peter Pickle, in Austria
am Standard.
and WORDS OF WISDOM.
will