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Show IN DULL TIMES During the recent financial stringency, when Wall street was throwing a fit. every day or two, which was relieved in a measure by the action of the secretary of the -treasury in making government govern-ment deposits in New York banks, the suggestion .was made that if government rescue of distressed financiers was a good thing, there might be a broadening of that same principle without unnecessarily unnec-essarily shocking the sensibilities of those already relieved by having government aid extended to those who work for a living and have that means cut off in times of depression. The suggestion i rather a novel one on its face, but examined, it will be seen that the proposition is not without precedent. prece-dent. As long ago as the days of ancient Rome, public works were undertaken to supply work for those who had become dependent after the Avealth of the empire had been gathered into a few hands. In European countries for years there has been an almost constant resort to this method f keeping keep-ing things moving. Indeed, most of the monumental monu-mental works so much admired by tourists had their origin in the need of employment of labor. The accumulation of great quantities of anything any-thing which is limited naturally leaves in othpr places a void of that same article. Money is limited, lim-ited, else'i: would have no value. When, therefore, there-fore, large stores of money are accumulated and held by a f jw, there is a consequent scarcity of money to be distributed among the many. In the complex civilization of the present day, we seem to need money, whether it be gold, or clearinghouse clearing-house certificates, to carry on the business of the world. It . really doesn't make any difference what amy be !hc medium of exchange,, scrlong as there. is sufficient stability to the currency to warrant, confidence. We could get along on clearing-houso certificates forever if our confidence remained unshaken un-shaken in the power of ultimate redemption. We often hear condemnation expressed of the paternalism of certain operations of the government govern-ment on the score that they are a menace to that individualism which it is claimed has made our country and our age great. But individualism is as chimerical, though hardly so charmed a word as are collectivism or equality. Families will work for the family prosperity almost as earnestly individuals will endeavor to advance their own material ma-terial welfare. Partnerships, communities, companies, com-panies, corporations, all tend to monopolism. .Monopolism .Mon-opolism is but the enlargnient of individualism and the family. It is not likely that the paternalism which is so freely condemned by one branch of thinkers or the socialism which is equally frowneu upon by eminent political economists will niaterial-! niaterial-! ly affect the striving for that ultimate goal which is the earthly ambition of about 09 per cent of the human family. When affairs get too complicated, compli-cated, when men go idle and hungry, when the small tradesmen and artisans and laborers art-forced art-forced to the side by the resistless progress of wealth in one man's hands, or in one corporation's corpora-tion's control, or even in the hands of one nation of the world, then all the chimerical isms of ihe times will be seen to have been but an expression, half understood, of the words of the Saviour, that we should love one another. If the secretary of the treasury may tide over the financial crisis, so may the government inaugurate inau-gurate public works for the benefit of men out of work. Municipalities and states might undertake the relief. It is all. probably, a makeshift tending-only tending-only to delay what history shows to be inevitable When the real wealth is exhausted, or is withheld from common use, the day of reckoning is near at hand. However, the opportunities for individual improvement are so large, and the actual requirements require-ments for ordinarily comfortable existence so few as compared with the many luxuries which come with industry and frugality, that the day when a readjustment by revolution seems far away, indeed But the present depression, with its thousands of unemployed asking for bread and receiving a stone, cannot be passed over lightly. If (vcr there was a time when public works should be inaugurated, it is when the day of depression is upon industry. Public improvements by government aid seems to be a solution for part of our present inactivity. |