The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-11-23

4 blance Of man try 10 subsist by depending
| on the offerings OF nature. but they. are
few in number. and even they are often
obliged 10 resort to artificial means to
keep body and soul together. But man.
kind generally realizes the necessity OF
production. and appreciates the fact that
comfort and progress are dependant upon
the degree OF intelligence and energy put
into the work OF producing
IL is unfortunate that with this resli-
zation OF the necessity OF production there
does not go a thorough comprehension
OF the Importance OF producing and dis
trihuting what Is produced with rs little
waste as possible. Ia a desultory way
mankind practices enconomies. but So
ciety at large dIsregards the utility OF
saving and manages It's affairs In "a man.
ner which suggests that there is a. pre-
valent conviction that waste Is profitable.
That this is no idle charge will al once
be admitted By those who will take the
trouble TO ask themselves how much of
the worlds energy is uselessly expended,
and how commonly the fruitless expend-
ture is condoned and even applauded be-
cause II furnishes an opportunity 10 men
to earn "A livelihood.
The opening OF a new railroad Is re-
garded as meritorious performance, even
though its purpose Is to parallel another
set of tracks which already easily suf-
fice to do the business OF the country they
traverse. The addition To the transporta.-
fion facilities Is pronounced desirable by
the unthinking, because IL gives men an
opportunity to work while II r. I'm pro-
success OF construction. and will open fresh
avenues OF employment 20 other men
when IL is under way.
Few regard the matter from the stand
point of strict utility. The subject has
became so complicated by other consid-
erations, such as the desirablity of COM
petition. and the necessity OF distributing
the fruits OF production. that men have
actually come TO think that the main
purpose Is TO keep men doing things.
Whether they are done to a good pur-
pose. is at most times beside the In
quiry.
II liz true that the professional econ
omists distinguish between different kinds
OF doing, but their analysis of human per-
formances Is. as a rule. not a very thoi-
ough one. II concerns .tself with broad
divisions. which leave IL 10 be inferred
that all who pretend 20 be working really
do so.
IL they were disposed to investigate the
matter moro closely facts would be dis
closed TO the economists which would con-
vince them that the undue Importance
attached to free and universal interchange
OF products has caused them 10 overlook
n source OF enormous waste directly at
tributable TO the atrophy of the Industrial
energies Of peoples too easily served by
facile carriers.
vast a scale II would be impossible to
measure It, No more can be done than
to show that IL Is all pervasive. and that
II operates directly to defeat the very pur.
pose which complete freedom Of CONNER
cial intercourse Is supposed to effect
namely. the cheapening of products
At first highly developed system OF
moving products seems to invariably
operate benefciaily. and the assumption
aims at, II unaucstionabiy. for time.
makes accessible to certain peoples
things which they had not hitherto en-
Joyed. Of II II they already had II In
creases their ability TO enjoy them.
But no account Is taken In a consid-
GRAFTON OF this kind OF the paralyzlng
effect upon communities thus easily
served. The wheat from the fields OF
Dakota Is rapidly and cheaply moved by
rail- and ocean carriers to England. The
price OF bread Is thus reduced. but the
competition strikes at the root OF British
agriculture. The farmer iS driven from
the land; the cities are filled with an un-
employed and degenerating proletariat,
and twelve million Britons go hunger
ing.
Nor Is the case OF Dakota much bet
ter While it's farmers are dependent
upon the markets OF peoples In remote
lands they receive meager and insu..-
ctent returns for their labors. because
the price which they obtain for their
products Is the insignificant amount left
Efx~ fla... .kf n ~
carriers and variors middiemen. who
convey tho wheat to the distant con-
sumer In addition they are despoiiing
themselves by dcporting the elements OF
fertility from the country.
The evils OF the system OF land strip
ping. which have made themselves mani
fest I'm the reduced yield OF American
acres through sending vast quantities of
food and raw products without making
returns to the soil. are fully matched
by those experienced by the British In
forcing out their own greatest products.
coal and iron.
For many years the people OF the
United Kingdom have been extracting
.oaI from their mines with fevcrish
,agcrness and sending large portion
n the output to countries with an In
intely better supply. The exports ir
ate years have exceeded forty million
ons annually. In addition n large pro-
,ortion OF the mineral fuel domcsticsrly
consumed ~ used TO generate power to
goods. also shipped to pso-
lies who might have produced them for
themselves
Obviously there ts an enormous waste
n sending coal from England 20 a coun-
~ like China. either I'm the form W the
aw material. fuel. or the energy rep
esented In the consumption OF coal In /
goods which might with /
aual facility be manufactured I'm China, 1
rhich produces the raw materials and /
ood. and has an abundant supply of /
,bor.
but this wasteful course has been
tcadily pursued under the forcing out
ystcm. which is the direct product OF
he uneconomic teachings ~ the Cob /.
enites. who have elevated present
heapness 10 tho first place IN the
houghts of men. thus obscurinR the fact
hat the imprudent use OF natures re-
ources. although u may he attended
y what appears to he BENEFITS. must In
vitably result I'm disadvantage and dis
ster.