Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1897-08-11
IMPRACTICAL ECONOMY.

The INDEX has several times called
attention TO the fact that there can be no
permanent prosperity among the
people of any country while the mon
etary system, and, in fact, the govern
ment Of that country is 80 manipulated
as to allow one class of people to abuse
and Cypress another. But in making
this statement we have come across an
other G. o. p. argument. 1t is this: IF
the mass of people of this country were
economical in their every day life, less
addicted to evil habits and If they would
save their earnings they would be hap
py and contented." This argument
looks very plausible to those who have
no time and no desire to investigate
into its merits but 1t falls to pieces
from its own inherent weakness when
given a thorough examination. We
concede that there are those among all
vice and who, either from force of hab-
it or indifference, will never prosper;
but this applies to all classes. But while
this is true, there is no justification IN
causing the innocent to suffer for the
misdeeds Of the guilty. The majority
of the American people are not de
PRAYED. They love home and country
from natural instinct, and their high
est ambition is TO make life pleasant
and worth living.
But, coming to the main issue in this
sketch, let US see what there is in this
thing commonly called economy"
Taking the word in it's true sense there
can be no serious objection urged
against it, but taking it in its general
ly accepted sense it is very objectiona-
BILE. Economy, properly continued, does
not deny the human family the right
to enjoy the necessities, comforts and
Injuries of life so long as they are in
dulged moderately and without waste or
injury to the body. 1t is only when the
privilege of their use is abused that the
rule of economy is violated. But 1t
those who toll not, to charge all our ills
to extravaganza on the part of the peo-
pie, and to prove their assertion they
cite us every laborer and producer who
is endeayoring to live in decent and
civilized manner, and VINO, perhaps, has
been known to partake of what are
termed Injuries. One of the first nat
ural laws is that he who produces is en-
titled to a share of his productions and
those who will attempt TO deny any
man the fruits of his own labor are sell
fish, if not brutal. Who has the better
right to things which grow on natures
rich soil, the man who plants, Guilt
yates and reaps, or the man who fixes
the price, dictates the tax and absorbs
the interest? 1t would not require a
Scion to see, If he were honest, that the
first mentioned is pre- eminently emit
tied to the first lien. The latter has no
moral right to the products at ALL
Then there is another thing which we
have noticed in connection with this
plea for economy. 1t is this: The
men who are the first to insist on 1t
are those who never practice it. Their
idea Is to have others economic so that
they can reysl In the cream of earthly
| productions. This is the way they
| construe this much used and much
abused word. They seem to think that
the masses are living by and with the
advice and consent of the classes and
that it is the duty of the former to suf-
fer, if need be, that the latter may be
continuously intoxicated and er-fed
LII other words they believe in master
and servant. This is what economy
means, as applied in capitalistic circles
| when boiled down.
When the human race was created
it was not intended that some should
have rights not possessed by others and
it is wrong to expect that one person
| should labor for the benefit of others
God gave the earth to his children anC
He did not decree that a few should
| dictate to the many. Yet this is the
| system of the present.