The herald., 1897-03-14
U,productlve Expenditure


To the Editor of the Los Angeles
Herald: Faced almost by a calamity,
the American people have realized for
the first time that this country pos
se,sses vast army of unemployed. The
question iu not a new one, for unselhsh
and observant men have for dozen or
more years recognized the fact that such
an army not only existed but that its
ranks were each year receiving fresh
recruits as a 6irect result of economic
conditions. 1t is painful to observe that
while men come together to discuss
why Poverty?" or Social Discomfort;
Its Causes and Remedies" so few have
either the courage or sufficient grasp
of the problem to meet 1t boldly and
! fearlessly.
The one great exception has been
| the course taken by the Rev. DR.. Rains
ford in denouncing ball recently given
! in New York for the sole purpose of
! nattering the vanity of mediocre but
wealthy couple How many l wonder,
are aware that in raising his voice
against the lavish and foolish expendi-
ture marking that occasion the good
doctor was merely repeating John Stuart
Mills fourth fundamental proposition
respecting capital, viz: that "a demand
for commodities Is for demand for
labor" This the great logician and
economist further amplifies into an
axiom, THAT a person does good to Ia
borers not by what he consumes on
himself, but solely by what he does not
SO corsunre." which, by the way, is
strange testimony from a utilitarian
source of the economic value OF the
Sermon on the Mount"
In opposition to this view has arisen
host of writer's. among whom | regret to
rotice Mr.. Fl. Gaylord Wiltshire of this
| city, who argues that the waste and eX-
travagance of the rich is blessing.
rather than curse to the poor. Fol-
lowed to its logical conclusion the argu-
ment of these gentlemen amounts to
| this. that the criminal is benefactor
because he gives employment to police
men; that the firebug is benefactor
because that which he destroys has to
, be rebuilt, and that the drunkard is
| benefactor because in stimulating his
thirst he provides work for large body
OF laborers This strange application of
| the gospel of doing unto others as We
would they would do unto you" has in
| spired poet who thus cheerfully sings:
| Now, Dives daily feasted and was gor-
geously arrayed-
| Not at all because he liked 1t, but because
twas good for trade,
! That the people might have calico he
clothed himself In silk,
| And surfeited himself on cream that they
might have more milk.
| He fed five hundred servants that the poor
! might not lack bread,
| And had his vessels made of gold that they
might have more Lead
! And cen to show his sympathy with the
deserving poor
He did no useful work himself that they
might do the more"
Though a casual review should be
enough to enlighten any fair minded
person as to the merits of this question.
for some reason 1t Is very difficult to
convince the average being of the fall
lacy Of the above And yet in the whole
study Of political economy no simpler
proposition is to be found than that con-
tained In Mills dictum that "a demand
for commodities is not demand for la
bor." Some one has said that "all great
economic truth is essentially the same
wherever applied" which for our pur-
1 pose means that the wealth of a nation
and the wealth Of an Individual are gov
erned by the same law.
Now, we all know that wealth in the
f1rst instance IL accumulated In two
ways by what we make and BY what We