The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1896-10-30

products do not shrink Ii is an incon-
testable fact that notwithstanding we
have pai,i 81. 900. 600. 900 in principal aud
interest on our national debt il would
today require the sale OF AS much corn.
wheat. cotton. beef or pork to pay off
the remaining debt as il would have rc-
quired to pay the entire debt at the
close Of the war. II will require three
times rs much of the products of the
farm 10 pay glven amount of state.
corporation or municipal debt as 20
years ago. Ii requires twice as much
Of the products of the farm to pay of
the mortgage OH the farm as 10 years
ago. II requires four times rs much of
the products of the farm Ia pay general,
state and local taxes rs 20 years ago.
"The increasing burdens of taxation
and debt. due TO the arbitrary reduction
OF values. have totally swept away the
profits Of agriculture ami the farms
themselves are going by the thousand
under the hammer of the auctioneer.
Except on our frontiers and in localities
where speculative causes operate To
keep up values. the value of farm lands
has fallen from 20 to 80 per cent. The
fatal policy of requiring the debts and
taxes OF the 10th century To be paid at
nth century prices is doing its awful
work. The disorganizing and destruc-
tive process is bearing its bitter fruits.
Instead of prosperous and happy rural
population we meet on all sides an APP
palling picture OF agricultural depres-
sion. Our yonng m by the 10000
every year turn d.shcartcn from tho
home and occupation of tner fathers
and grandfathers to nglge IN the I'M
certain struggle of life ~ olrc;tics. The
farmers daughters contemplate with
sad approhens.ons the farm HE of never
ending struggle and unrr ,uited toll.
Thus the sturdy. hnpefal, lad pendent
and aggressive spirit prov,rblal of
this old and most honorable occu-
patton is bending and breaking under
the increasing strain OF harissing con-
ditions. That chivalrIc coardge. that
moral energy. that sturdy self-rciance
which gave character To IA people and is
the best defense of nations is gradually
yielding Ia the correcting influences of
adverse legislation The hour IN which
hope deserts our farmers and they are
forced TO the conviction that their gov
eminent has defaulted in its duty and
made law an Instrument for their plum
der will be the saddest in our countrys
history. Applause.
added to the malign effects Of a
shrinking volume of money on agricul.
ture is the incalculable loss to the nation
from enforced idleness. Legislative
necromancy may be employed to take.
by insidious processes. the earnings Of
the many and transfer them to the few;
but ail the statutes since the announce
ment of the sacred code from Mount
Sinai have not added one farthing to
the wealth Of the world. Legislation
may supply favorable conditions for the
production of wealth. but il never itself !
produces it. The law of production
comes down to us through 5000 years
and Interchangeable, In the /
sweat of thv face shalt thoi eat bread"
Wealth is the product of labor Labor
is the first. last and only source Of +
wealth. The riches of this world have
been wrought out by the workers Of the ,
world. Legislation NAV enlarge the OPP /
and improve the conditions
under which labor operates. or il may,
as it often has done. decrease opportuni.
ties and destroy all favorable conditions.
l should qualify this observation with
the fact that legislation improves condi-
tons Of production by facilitating cx-
a. a l,ct~,h,xt,An l.,
cannot affect directly the natural condi-
tons Of prod To supply the chan
nels Of trade with sufficient volume Of
money to maintain steady prices and
wages places all productive industry on
q solid foundation where calculations
for the future can be made with GER
tainty. To supply this money is func- ,
ton of legislation. But when through
failure OF legislation the volume Of
money decreases. prices decline. capital
Is withdrawn from productive enter
prise, money will not invest against q
failing market, the army Of idle work I,
men grows larger each day, demand for
all products Of labor decreases through
enforced economy. and the evils Of such
policy multiply until the fabric Of credit
falls to pieces and production is swal.
lowed up in bankruptcy.
This is the situation thrca, ening the
American people today.
1.-THE days labor unporformed cap
tai lost forever. The loss last ye.ir i
the United States from enforced idle :
ness was sufficient to pay off one-half
our national debt. Not only is the labor
lost, but the laborcr must live on his
past labor or on the labor of Others
while out Of employment. So enforced
idleness is n two-edged sword sacri-
ficing past earnings and future pros.
poets. The loss in this country from
this source in the last quarter of
century cannot be estimated. But even
more disastrous on the future OF our .
than the pecuniary loss il the
effect of enforced idlencss on the char
acter and habits Of a people. Enforced
idleness, with all its attending Incl
lents which dishearten and humiliate.
will finally make a coward of the bray
sst man. and sycorhant Of the loftiest