158 LAND AND LABOR. 



It was after the close of the war that the struggle 

 for work again commenced between the idle and the 

 employed. To obtain employment the idle would 

 work for less than current rates ; then would follow 

 strikes with their losses and failures. Then, again, 

 those but recently thrown out of employment in their 

 turn were compelled to get it again by still another 

 cutting under. At that time, also, commenced the 

 organization of the great army of tramps. A grind- 

 ing, cutting competition was developed which had the 

 direct effect of both lowering wages and lessening em- 

 ployment. Debts were increased; consumption was 

 lessened ; production was largely developed ; the 

 grinding competition grew heavier ; idleness in- 

 creased ; strikes were more frequent ; tramps were 

 constantly enlisted. All these operations were being 

 accelerated until 1873, when a great panic was cre- 

 ated by the paralysis of that year. Kailroad build- 

 ing suddenly contracted to small proportions, and 

 municipal work stopped in great part, both adding 

 largely to the numbers then unemployed. Specula- 

 tion and credit received a severe check ; employment 

 more rapidly diminished ; furnaces, mills, shops, and 

 all the hives of industry either closed or reduced the 

 number of their operatives, and cut down their wages 

 using less of muscular force and more of mechani- 

 cal but still crowding the markets with vast stocks 

 of every conceivable product, for which there was lit- 

 tle or no sale. 



Still wages and incomes are being reduced ; still 

 our people are growing poorer and poorer ; still fail- 

 ures and disasters are multiplying ; still strikes are 



