The Washington herald., 1914-09-27
ORGANIZING PROSPERITY.
Too Much Dependenc. Is Being
Placed on Government.

! Down at Washington and out in Spring
field, Ill. the idea is that there can be
no prosperity unless the government PRO-
yides, or at least promotes. It. "Intelli-
gent help from government Is the need
Of the minute. in the words OF the colonel
No one will contend that Intelligent help
from any source would not be advan-
tageous. now or at any time, but there Is
room for difference OF opinion regarding
the quality OF the assistance really given,
or even promised by the politicians. The
South wants a half billion of money
printed and paid out to the planters, and
there is such a proposal now pending.
Because this is not done the Atlanta
Constitution says that the drama Of
promises has ended In a hoax" The
Constitution points the excellent moral
that the South should depend more on
Itself and less upon government. The
South has worked out its own salvation
before and was never better equipped 20
do so than now.
The Constitutions advice 20 the South
is good for every part Of the country
True prosperity can come in no other
way, and is advancing faster than Is sls-
pected by those who despair of the future
unless government does something on d
magnIhcent scale. Statesmen think only
I'm multipIes of millions and think II use
legislation unless IL is revolutionary aid
monumental. Yet there is more TO be
hoped from the accumulation of little
things of an ordinary sort. which pass
unnoticed because Of their individual ui.-
Importance. For example, bankers every
where are trying 10 solve the problem Of
foreign exchange. They are working
wonders. and yet the final solution lags.
even when governments assist. On the
other hand, trade is solving it for its-f
There Is now in this port the Danish
steamer HermOd with a cargo Of herring.
Ordinarily she would have taken II 10
Copenhagen. but now she fears the North
Sea mines and blockade. So she brings
her herring here and takes away lO.SS
barrels Of -four. among other things
That is the natural solution Of the eX-
change problem. The. herring bring wha;
they are worth here. and the steamer
pays their proceeds for the flour at tire
New York price. Exchange is eliminated
and trade is promoted. Sandusk%r, Ohio.
received an order by cable yesterday VI
:. 10000 electric light bulbs philadelphia
reports that Italy is in the market for
100000 worth Of shoes. saddles. knaT'
sacks and other military supplies. In
this city there is reported an order by
Russia for automobile trucks for military
uses. Two saddlery manufacturers ycs-
terday divided the order from France for
20 Co saddles and brides. The Illinois
Steel Company took an order for 800
window frames Of pattern and material
which before tho war II had been sup
posed were ObtainabIe only abroad.
These uncOnsdered trifles are the oc-
currenCes of a single day. Government
had nothing to do with any OF them. and
can have nothing 10 do with countless
others of the same sort Government
can do no more than help those who help
themselves. but is constantly tempted or
driven TO help those who lean upon IL. |
Government intentions. no doubt are the
best. and yet at the present tim gov
ernment is complaining that its assist |
ance is abused Government puts out
hundreds Of millions OF printed money. |
at a time OF drepressed trade which |
has no need for extraordinary supplies |
OF hand dtO-hand cash. and then mdrvels |
that gold is exported in comparable |
amounts. taken from here 70 be spent |
somewhere else. Government proposes |
TO start a ship line and makes private |
ship lines impossible. Government him !
ders and hurts more than it helps. What |