The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1910-08-20

TILL the SOIL or W no live close to 1t ID
absolutely necessary. We might and
temporary relief BY. letting down our
tariff barriers to the wheat of Canada
and the cattle Of Argentina, but such
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 by in
creasing the proportion Of country
1wellers. ...,& r. r.. "a. =
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 a perpetual tax upon the in
dustry of others-on the necessity of
people to live. Legislation that will
put a.heavy tax on this unearned in
crement will in large measure right
this: wrong and force the property
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. z.@~,.~. .-t...'
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.
Much of this awkward system Of dis
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 its 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 producer
must be brought closer together and q
large share Of the energy wasted in
duplication and rehandling Of products
turned into productive labor AS an
example, there are nearly 100000 COM
mercial travellers in this country
These men are we'll fed and we'll paid
The cost of selling goods through them
Is enormous. The consumer pays this
cost in increased prices. The plan Of
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, If any, place in
modern business. Today business has
been put on scientific basis. Consol.
idation is: the keyword Of efficiency.
Consolidation has reached its highest
development in manufacture. Trans.
portation is not far behind it. 1t is
time that competition - the kind Of
competition that fosters ineficiency.
duplication and excessive COSTS elm
mated from the unproductive indus
tries.
In the very nature Of the case there
must always be a class Of unproduc-