The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-01-03
Destruction Not a Benent.

TO the Editor OF the Indianapolis journal:
Five hundred thousand dollars worth of
property was destroyed by the recent
Meridian-street fire, and yet among the
many who witnessed the destruction few. IL
any, had sympathy for the losers. Curios-
ity and pleasure were the predominant
feelings manifested. 1t was truly a mag
nificent spectacle. The crowd was, in a
great measure, thoughtless; so no one was
hurt it did not matter. But amusement
was not the only cause of manifested pleas
ure. The losers were not poor. The loss
did not produce suffering-only inconveni-
ence. Business Reorganization was not con-
sidered. In the selfishness of gain they did
not think. Besides, 1t was insured. The
loss was distributed among many compa-
MES. The community OF business men had
paid for the insurance, and it bore with
no great hardship on any one. But these
considerations were not the sole cause of
qualifications to the laborers who witness
es the fire, for they are laborers Of whom
/ write. That they are laborers adds to
their sense Of qualification on this occasion.
YaIna pbds aTe aesr9yee HdS s apise ls
place of the ones MISUNDERSTANDING per-
hapS larger and more improved. Labor
Will be employed in rearing these struc-
lures. Thus they will earn the wherewith
TO buy the necessaries Of life; they get but
few luxuries. All those engaged in repro
ducing the things thus destroyed get work
and wages. The loss is distributed, but ii
is loss, no less. Would these people get
work to the same extent If those buildings
laborers say what is their loss is our gain.
Is ii so?
That thing is lost which goes out of ex-
istence without serving the purpose for
which it was made. If you stop this loss
you save labor To prevent loss is to save
labor; Gains cannot be made from pre-
entire community, for, in the division Of
labor, there is mutual dependence on each
other. So close is this dependence that no
man can pursue useful vocation but that
the community profits by it, All are en-
riched who exchange with him the things
that they produce for the things that he
produces. That man labors for you whose
goods you consume, and you labor for him.
directly or Indirectly, as the case may be;
directly If he uses your Products; Indirect
ly If you exchange your products with an
other party for products that the first par
ty can use, and are thus enabled to ex-
change with him for his products. But We
articles pursue in reaching the consumers.
Exchanges may be compounded hundred
fold before the article reaches its destina-
ton to minister to the desire OF the con-
sumner. Strictly there is no direct exchange
except by barter. Money makes compound
exchanges possible.
ing for? 1t is impossible, in either case
for you to know. A man may be laboring
for you who lives ten thousand miles away.
You may neither know his name nor the
name of his country, and yet you profit by
his industry, and he profits by yours. II he
discovers a process by which MS wares
can be made cheaper or better you are the
gamer as well as he, because your prod
ucts will buy more Of his than before. If
you, by improved machinery or a new pow
er, cheaper the cost of your product he
profits as well as you. You profit because
you can produce more with the same labor.
The cheapening the cost of products bene-
.af1 On "a
other hand, If by fire, flood or other mis-
fortune his products are made dearer. he
suffers as well as you. Not only our city,
State or country. but the whole world, is
worlds greatest civilizer-commerce.
But let us get back again TO the fire. In
The loss by fire, the profits Of the insur-
ance business, expense of management and
interest on capital invested represent pub
lie burden. The party who pays directly
is only the agent of those who pay indi-
recuy in the increased cost of merchan-
disc and rent, for the merchant and land
lord add the insurance as part or the
cost Those who buy the goods and rent
the house pay this. 1t is an indirect tax
collected on all consumable goods. But this
is not all; the municipality bears burden
by reason of fires. The entire expense OF
maintaining a department for extinguishing
fires is collected off the taxable property
of the city. There is no escape; If you own
property you pay both the direct and the in
direct tax. If you do not own house you
must rent one. You must wear clothes and
eat food, and in other ways pay this tax.
Fires are inevitable, and a certain portion
of property is destroyed by fire. To reduce
this loss to the lowest possible amount we
must bring science and art to our aid.
Fire reduces wages by increasing the cost
Of things or by making work to do which
would not be necessary but for fire. IA, All
unproductive labor lowers wages. The
more productive labor is the higher the
wages This unproductive labor, il en-
ployed productivity, together with the cap
itai of the insurance business, would in
crease the comforts and luxuries. Instead
of making good loss ii would be making
a gain and increase general enjoyments.
Fires increase the work to do, but the use
full things thus destroyed would remain for
mans benefit but for fire. Gould this loss
be saved labor would be spent in making
other things. There is no end to mans de-
sire; wants there always will be, and Ia
boris constant effort will be directed to sup
ply those wants An increased demand for
labor is an increased demand for the things
that labor produces. Liberality in buying
gives employment. Spend your money that
business may be promoted; that there may
be work to do. This will prevent idle. un-
thinking workingmen from rejoicing at
public calamity. Buy that there may be
work to do. Buy, and there Will be bus
mess for all j. +. BAKER.