New-York tribune., 1890-01-17

must be reckOned as certain 10 occur IL, ihopS""
Of less than 900 900 tons increase, the possible
increase were eight times as much' the
whole of the American consumption As Mr.
Atkinson has 10 stronger argument to oher IMAM
one demonstrably so absurd, it is scarcely neces-
sary to add that his other remarks on thc tailh
question are not Of value
1t is somewhat unfortunate that, in his most III
structvc reasoning on other subjects, Mr. Atkinson
allows his fondness for illustrative figures of pro-
! ducton and consumption per capita to lead hilm
= into very frequent and confusing repetitlons, IN
/ which at times the hypothesis valuable Tor Illus
tration is treated as if il were demonstrated fact
and the proper cornerstone of lofty superstructure
of reasoning The yearly production of all KINDS
! i'm 1850 IS rcckoned at 900 millions, or SZoo
for each person, but only third
of the population being occupied 1or
gain. the average is 5000 for every
such person That is about 80 a day Tor 'he
workers. but ont of it must come all additions 10
capital which Mr.. Atkinson estimates at 10 per
cent and all taxes, National, state and local.
about l3 cents per day, leaving ~ % for each
worker Out of this three persons must be sup
ported 3G5 days in year. averaging 40 20 cehts
Nor day for each person The cost of food is
variously rcckOned at II to % cents per DAY lor
| each adult. many different standards or ratios
|
| adults the average would he p l-2 cents for
each person The other expenses are supposed to
he equal to the food expense. and at that rate As
cents would be expended, and only 2-3 cents
left from production. This interesting analysis
il will be seen, is considerably hypothetical III
character but Mr.. Atkinson uses 1t not only III
scores of illustrative forms. but to some eA'eh'
! as foundation of reasoning.
1t is a defect in this reckoning that no accout
is taken of the real increase in value OF land' iar
and other, by the labor Of the owners or~o
other persons Jones spends five years in clear
ing breaking. fencing and dtching farm. ana
thus adds enormously TO its actual value, pu'
this NAV be the only addition he IS able To make
| in five wears to his wealth. Then Smith ana
other ncighbors settle near. and reduce other
| farms TO cultivation, and build ROAD pN winch
lones's products can be more economically mar
keted. and create an organized ncishborhood' WIN
means of civilization. This also adds to the
value Of Joncs's farm and TO his wealth, though
none of the labor NAV have been his own. THESE
are not imaginary, hut real, additions TO wealth.
! because 10 earning power. The same thing happens
when business property in cities or towns Is
| rendered more valuable: part OF the labor oil the
country has gone into permanent addition 10
wealth Exclusive of this increase, there can
nowhere he found an addition OF 10 per cent OF
the years production TO capital. 1t would not
he very difficult to demonstrate that all other
capital manufacturing. railway. mining. banking
telegraph and other, did not earn an addition
of 5000. 600 600 in 1850, and out OF u'at sum
I had 10 come the whole or part Of the living of
persons supported by investments. The annual
production in 1850. reckoning all things con
! sumrd AT the point Of final consumption, and all
additions to actual value Of property was prob
ably more than $4,000. .000, ,OOO Mr. Akin
| son indeed recognizes, for lie includes
only THE commercial product tpagc l40., and
vet he appears 10 forget it in calculating that
| the living expenses Of the whole pophia'loh'
farmers included, must be brought within the
limits thus fixed. If he supposes that 4,OOo'ooo
farmers and their families. 20000,OoO persons
consume not more than 81 900 100000 yearly, ne
| is certainly in error.
The object OF tLese suggestions is not TO de-
| prive Mr. Atkinson's highly useful illustrations
Of their true value. but 10 show that without
moro scientific asccrtanment Of facts, they cannot
properly be used as bass Of reasoning. HIS
applications of this and similar Illustrations to the
condition Of the people in different countries are
| extremely instructive, and one can hardly com
mend too warmly his exhibition of the vicious
effects of fuctuatng currency. IT is most re-
lreshing also, TO find him tossing the orthodox
|
notions. ana rcfuting Malth 5, Ricardo and NH
Is persons who have never overcome the insular
quality Of their work, sufficiently counted
upon the mind Of man as factor in material
production
A word should be said OF the pregnant thought
which cnlightcns most OF Mr. Atkinson, reason
ing and which he takes rs a ti'lc for his work
that consumption is limited. but production un-
limited The world owes him debt OF grati-
tude for brushing away tie tlmc-honorcd all
surdity that production is necessarily limited.
The force and richness # his work on that point
can only be appreciated by those who c'aminc
il with care But he IS over hasty III assuming
that cons Imption has any limit. For all prAc-
teal purposes and in any condition Likely 10
exist upon this planet for long time 10 come,
consumption must also lc rcckoncd capable
Of unlimited expansion Tie GO,00O,OoO Of
people in this country consume more than any
other population Of 10000, 600 on earth, and
before the rest Will reach the same srile Of ca
pcnditure the people Of this country Will have
increased again, at least as much as they have
since 1860. Then their cOnsupilon was thirty
one pounds Of sugar. now hlty-onc; then three
and onc-half gallons Of liquors, and now fourteen;
then eighty pounds Of iron, and now more than
800 per capita. He who has a growing and
active boy will not need 10 be told that con
sumption Of clothes and shoes Is liable 10 IN
crease. But the great fact, which promises in
calculsbe progress TO tie race, is that production
can be Indefinitely increased by the application
of human intellect 10 the work. In making tins
truth clear, Mr. Atkinson has taken a distinct
and important forward step in economic science.