Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1895-04-09
OVERPRODUCTlON,

ing "hard times" can no longer
take refuge under the assertion
that the present depression, i
any, is only temporary, and that
there is no unusual distress. The
distress is too apparent, too
great and too lasting to he
longer ignored or denied by the
GOld-monometallists. They are
forced to advance a reason forit.
How, then. do they explain the
enforced id|eness and resulting
poverty and unrest that exists
in a country with unlimited
natural resources, with hundreds
of thousands Of unemployed men
and millions Of dollars of idle
capital, where there is no lack of
a disposition on the part OF the
owners OF unemployed capital to
secure a return for it's use, and
where the thousands of idle men
are willing and anxious to work:
Overproduction is the cause.
says one; Under-consumption,
chimes another. High-sounding'
phrases, surely; but both resting
on absurdities. DO our gold
monometallic friends, when they
advance these theories, forget
that all producers are also con-
sumers, that men produce only
what they desire to consume? Do
they believe that MANS desires
will ever he completely satisfied?
Do they not know that as soon
as one want is satisfied man will
have another? Did they ever
know q community which could
not consume more than it did?
The limit of consumption has
never been reached, and it never
will be. There can be a partial
overproduction of one article or
one Kind Of goods, Of course, but
overproduction OF everything at
one time is an impossib'lity.
But what an absurdity it is on
the face of it to cry Overproduc-
ton when thousands are starry,
ing for want of food, when thou
sands Of others are freezing fol
lack OF clothing, and when many
have no home to shelter them
Too much food, too much cloth
ing, too many houses, indeed
Are these the causes Of our dis
tress? The most hardened mono
metallist who cries Overproduc
ton, as he cries Dishonest dollar
endeavoring to mislead the
people by high~sounding phrases
will hardly dare to answer this
question in the affirmative whel
placed in it's true meaning. 1e
when he cries Overproductiol
| this is what he says.
The leaders OF the go]d-mono
metallic party know we'll enough
the cause of the distress. But t.
continue the depression of prices
thus enhancing the value Of tn
money paid them in settlement
of debts by their desparing debt
ors, they must continue to mis-
lead the people. Hence the CT
Overproduction, a phrase with
out foundation, but which the
snnDOrt by asking, Do not tn
stores OF iron, cotton and woole
goods, etc., which, although r.
duced in price, are unsalabl
show overproduction? The
!. show nothing OF thek kind Thes
stores of unsold goods are tt
result of a contracted supply
money resulting in a depressic
, Of prices that has made it in
, possible for would-be consumer
, who are also producers, to di
r pose of their own product
( prices which will enable them
r purchase the articles which thu
need. The contraction OF tt
money of the world has made e
!, changesso difficult, has madet|
: medium by which they must
;. accomplished, money, SO rostl
: and made the struggle to obta
j. it SO severe, that the middlema
l. the owner OF money, absorbs
e the profit which the produc
t should receive for his produ'
= thus leaving him without t
l. means to purchase these thin
n which he wants. Thus the pr
3 ducer's demands as a. consum
J. are limited or stopped and,
J. his industry brings him no resn
J, incentive to further product
v is destroyed: The reason TIL
mills and factories are closed
le running on part time, that sto1
$, OF goods remain undisposed
le while at the same time those "
a should consume these goods {
% suffering for their want, is tt
le the owners OF money, by maxi
u it scarce, have caused a fall
* prices which enables them
x obtain such a large share Of
b. surplus labor that the produ
Of can be only a consumer to
lis small extent, and as he does !
50 realize the expected advanta
a from bis industry he has no