The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1910-08-01

OF the more speclnc advantages win
De taken up in later articles. From ,
the standpoint Of the nation an in
crease in the humber Of people who
TILL the soil or who live close TO II is |
absolutely necessary. We might find |
temporary relief by letting down our
tariff barriers to the wheat of Canada |
and the cattle Of Argentina. but sucn
relief would be only temporary. The
inflow of cheaper meat and bread
would but accelerate the growth of
the cities. When the limit of the pro-
duction of Canada and South America
was reached we would face another
crisis Of high prices. this time much
more serious than we are undergoing
at present. The only way the price
level can be permanently adjusted and
lasting prosperity assured is ty in
creasing the proportion of country
dwellers.
AT present there are too many drones
IN the hives of industry. The unearn-
ed increment, the rapid rise in real
estate values for which community
growth is responsible, has placed hun
dreds of thousands of people where
they can live from the proceeds of
rents-live without working. They are
| granted perpetual tax upon the in
dustry Of others-on the necessity Of
| people to live. Legislation that will
put heavy tax on this unearned in
crement will in large measure right
| ~
owners into productive labor. The
decentraliZing of the cities will force
down the abnormally high rents and
help to thin the ranks of the people
whom excessive rents have allowed to
remain in idleness.
Aside from the people who do not
work. there is vast army of nonpro-
ducers who are supported by the men
| who work at productive labor. Our
system Of getting goods from producer
to consumer is needlessly expensive
and cumbersome. There are too many
middlemen on the way, who through
custom have come to think they have
divine right to an easily earned share
of the consumers dollar
l y
tribution has been made necessary by
the concentration of the manufacture
ing industries in large cities and by
the location of these cities without ref
erence to the markets for their manu-
| featured goods or the source of their
food supply. 1t has been estimated
that if Philadelphia were located close
to it's food supply the cost of living in
that city would be reduced 20 per cent
The time has come for a radical re-
| adjustment Of the system of distribu
ton. The consumer and the produce,
> must be brought closer together and a
large share Of the energy wasted In
duplication and rehandling of products
: turned into productive labor. AS ar
example. there are nearly 100000 com
mercial travellers in this country
The cost Of selling goods through then
is enormous. The consumer pays thi.
cost in increased prices. The plan O.
selling all sorts of goods in small guam
=, titles by personal solicitors is rem
= nant Of the old days of cutthroat com
/, petition. 1t has little, il any, place il
!, modern business. Today business ha
\ been put on a scientific basis. Consol
=. idation is the keywOrd of efficiency
!, Consolidation has reached its highes
y development in manufacture. Trans
- portation is not far behind 1t. 1t
time that competition - the kind Q
, competition that fosters inefhcienc,
duplication and excessive COSTS elm
mated from the unproductive indus
tries.
In the very nature of the case the1
~ must always be a class Of unprodu'
le