The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1893-11-23

read OF the farmer who through want
is compelled to sell his produce for, and
in many cases, below its cost? Why
should we read of men willing but un-
able to obtain work
Those are very pertinent questions,
and eminently worthy of our deepest
thought. 1t lis true that these questions
have been answered for us after a man
ner. We are told that the present hard
times are caused by "a financial strin-
gency brought about by the silver pur-
chasing clause of the Sherman law" We
are told that our business houses and
manufactures are controlled by law
Of supply and demand: That in times
OF depression, such as this, the demand
falls below the supply, and as cOnse-
quence the market becomes glutted and
hence failure and bankruptcy. The
farmers condition is also accounted for
by Over-prOductiOn. The farmer has
created surplus of wheat, and so he
must abide by the consequences. With
regard to the labOring man, we are given
to understand that he is dependent up
on the capitalist and that in times of
depression the capitalist boards instead
of invests his capital, and that this ten
dency reacts upon the wOrkingman, rem
n
In relation to the foregoing, | used
the expression, answered after manner.
| did so advisedly; for though the an
SWerS seem good enough if we consider
them properly, we can readily see how
fallaciOuS they are. In the first place
the business of our country is not de-
pendent upon either gold or silver. In
fact, there is not suficiency of either
money metals in the country to do one
tenth of its business; and, further, the
business of our country would progress
just the same if there were not an
ounce of either gold or silver in exist
ence. In the second place our business
houses land manufactures are not de-
pendent upon any such law as supply
and demand, for, if such were the case,
instead of failure, the business of our
country would be receiving constant
impetus in proportion to the increase of
our population. How can it truthfully
be asserted that the great house of X &
Co., boot and shoe dealers, have failed
owing to an over stocked market, when
in the dead of winter we see men, WO-
men and children bare footed? The
fact of the matter is the supply never
did and never can, under the existing
order of things, equal the demand. The
simple truth is apparent-the cause of
the failures is the effect of poverty
The poverty of the people is progressive
and obstinate; it will not confine itself
to the commOnest of Gods mOrtalS
alone, but frequently carries failure and
misery to the home of the rich. In re-
gard to the farmers Over-prOductiOn, 1t
is sufficient to say that while the gran
aries of our country are stuffed to re-
pletiOn with the farmers surplus wheat
men are crying to God for bread for
their little ones. The erroneousness of
the fourth proposition that labor is de-
pendent upon the capitalist becomes
readily apparent when we consider that
capital is itself solely the product of
labor, and if capital should entirely dis
appear, labor would simply go on and
produce more Considering the fore
going, it follows. as natural cOnclu-
sion that this and all such times of de-
preston are simply the effect of the
peoples poverty. 1t is plain and in
diSputable fact that to great body of
our people, times of depression are con-
Stantly in existence. But it is only
periodically when poverty, as l stated
before, being progressive and obstinate,
extends it's blighting effects to the
homes of the rich, that we become uni
versally aware of the condition, and so
we designate such times only as times
of panic and depression. If we consider
the preceding with an object to the bet
terment of our condition, the whole
matter will resolve itself into the single
question:: Why, in this country that
contains in so great an abundance all
that is is requisite to make its people
prosperous and happy, should we see
poverty and want? This question,
under the heading of Poverty, Its Cause
and Its Remedy ask leave to treat in
subsequent paper.
JEAN VALJEAN.