The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1894-02-06

conditions of the older countries of
Europe until to-day it is a question
whether Europe is not being sur
passed i'll the spect acle presented by
the contrasts OF the masses and the
classes.
There are some current economic
fallaries Invented by economists for
the purpose of reconciling the rich
to the suiferiugs of the poor, and of
reconciling the latter to their hard
lot. "Over population" The Iron
law of wages" The population of
the United States is, in proportion
to area. only one-twentieth of that
of Holland, yet absolute poverty is
never heard of in the Netherlands
Kingdom. Australia. with terri
tory a large as the United States
and population OF less than that
Of four American cities, is appar-
emily over. populated aud hundreds
of her people are just now leaving
to lind homes in South America.
The world is astonished at the
spectacle. but people will go where
t'ey can obtain land for homes, and
this essential feature in colonization
cheap land is one which asso-
ciated British capital has so largely
manipulated in its own interest, that
vast tracts of territory have been
purchased and pre- emptCd. aud are
held for speculators in prospect Of
receiving that tribute from labor
known as the "unearned increment"
The iron law Of wages" which
the text books Of fiscal philosophers
dwell upon as if it were a problem
Of Euclid, is not law al all. The
meaning Of the "inexorable" law
mentioned is that wages can never
he depressed beneath point at
which they will support lie. This
is false in two particulars: In the
first place the law does not apply to
those who starve through being un-
able to tind any work at all; and
secondly, a workman, even when in
constant employment, may have
hours so long, and food so made
quate or unwholpsonle, as to mean
for him a shor, life and sad one.
Two other economic fallacies lie
on the surface. They have been re-.
pcai"d 50 often that simple people
are half inclined to believe them
One is that pauperism began with
the advent of man himself. aud the
second is that in the earlier ages
paupprisn. as We are familiar wit h
1t, was unknown. A strong or uu.
scrupulOus pcopl" might overcome
weak and carry them into slavery,
but IL they made them work they at
least fed them well. Besides puv.
erty is both absolute aud relative.
The England Of the llth aud 18th
centuries was poorer country than
tn. England Of to-day. But the
physical wcll.being of the workers
from the hind up was far superior
to what il is now. So long as a man
can 50 fully supply his wants that
10y abundant food, rest aud leisure
his organism has chance of coming
to it, fullest maturity he cannot be
called poor, even IL clad in home
spun aud uuacquaintrd with the
thousand and one Inventions Of sci
.ncr for making life agreeable. But
To tell starving man that he can.
not bc poor. must be prosperous, for
his land exported hundreds of mil.
lions worth of goods during the
year; tO argue that peasants Of the
present can obtain luxurics unknown
Ia mOnarchs Of the past, il cruelty
run mad.
You feel NO compassion for the
relatively poor man. Diogenes was
not remarkably wealthy, but from
all accounts he was remarkably com.
Portable. The world still contains
many savage and Sclni-sayage nations
whose inhabitants, though relatively
poor IN the main, neither expect uor
desire sympathy. Nature informs
them when they are hungry and ex.
pcri"nce teaches them how To got
over the Inconvenience. But a high,
ly developed civilization on the pres,
cnt lines condemns large proper,
ton Of every nation To absolute
poverty-to that physiological con,
dItIon which renders such words a
manhood" "self-respect,' aud in,
dcpendence mere expressions oi
mockery. This is a fact that cannot
be gainsaid, that no sophistry will
diss'pat", and the question is forcing
itself daily upon the notice of those
who are welded To the old theory ol
supply aud demand, and unlimited
production and constant cheapening
The world wants more aud better
food and other creature comforts
and fewer geegaws, and the question
that confronts the world to day is
Is it necessary that many or any
should perish in order that many ol
any should ostentatiously flourish!
! KUMU 40.