The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1931-05-07
THE REDWOOD GAZETTE, REDWOOD FALLS, MINNESOTA
History Repeats Itself


ly, despairing of progress and advancement, so
cially or economically, may find some manner OF
satisfaction in learning that similar problems as of to-
day have puzzled civilizations before and that nations
and world industries have gone forward despite
opinions to the contrary.
An analysis of business depression of 1880 with
its prophecy for 1880 by the famous essayist Macau-
lay is printed in excerpts, strikngly sound piece
of foresghted thinking, in review and preview of
government and economics. The theme of this essay
may be summed up to be "Cheer up! Our best times
are still ahead of u.s." This information is derived
from a reprint Of essay in the Edinburgh Review
January 1880.
History is full of the signs of this natural nro
gress of society We in almost every part of the
annals OF mankind how the industry of Individuals
struggling against wars, taxes, famnes confagra-
tons, mischevous prohibitions and more mischevous
projections creates faster than governments can
squander and repairs whatever invaders can DESTROY
We the wealth of nations increasing and all the
parts of life approaching and to perfec
tion in spite of the corruption and the widest
profuson on the part of rulers.
The present moment is one of great distress
But how small will that distress appear when we think
over the history of the last forty years; war; COM
pared with which, all other sink into insignfc
ance taxation such the most heavily taxed people
of former times could have conceived; debt larg
er than all the public debts that ever existed in the
world added together the food Of the people studious
ly rendered dear; the currency imprudently debased
and imprudently restored.
Yet is the country poorer than in 1870? (And is
it now any poorer than in 1902 We fully believe
that in spite of all the misgovernment of her rulers
she has been almost constantly becoming richer and
richer. Now and then there has been stoppage now
and then short retrogression; but to the general
tendency there can be no doubt
SINGLE BREAKER MAY RECEDE, BUT THE
TIDE IS EVIDENTLY COMING IN
If we were to prophesy that in the year 1880 po-
pulaton of fifty millions better fed clad and lodged
than the English of our time will these islands
that machines constructed on principles, yet un-
discovered will be in every house; that there will be no
highways but railroads. no travelling but by steam;
tnat our debt, vast It may seem, will appear to our
grandchildren trifing encumbrance which might
easily be paid off in year two; many people would
think us insane =.
To almost all men the state Of things in which
they have been used to live to be the necessary
state of things We have heard it said that five per
cent is the natural interest Of money! that twelve is
the natural number Of jury, that forty shlings is
the natural qualification of voter Hence it is that
though in every age everybody knows that up to his
place, nobody to reckon on any improvement
during the next generation I.
On what principle is it that, when we see nothing
but improvement behind us, to expect nothing
but deterioration before us Our rulers will best
promote the Improvement of the nation by strictly
filming themselves to their legitimate duties by
leaving capital to find its most lucrative course COM
modities their fair price, industry and intelligence their
natural reward, dleness and folly their natural pun
ishment. by maintaining peace by defending property
by diminishing the price of law and by observing
strict economy in every department of the State.
Let the Government do this-the People will as
suredy do the rest"