168 LAND AND LABOR. 



opening of the war, in 1861, found us with vast 

 stocks of products, foreign and domestic, crushing the 

 life out of us because they were not sold and con- 

 sumed ; thus preventing the employment of the peo- 

 ple in reproduction, and compelling them to idleness. 

 , Now what was then our greatest economic need ? 

 Why, the consumption of these goods, that there 

 might be a demand for additional production, that 

 the people might be employed, and thus be enabled 

 to enter the market as purchasers and consumers. 



This is exactly what the war did. All the idle men 

 in our country were quickly brought into government 

 service, together with large numbers who could be 

 well spared from the peaceful pursuits. This gave 

 our whole people active employment, with means to 

 become active consumers. The result was that the 

 large stocks on hand quickly disappeared before the 

 consumption of our masses ; a great demand was cre- 

 ated for additional production, and new demands for 

 large supplies of war material. The success and wel- 

 fare of our industries depended upon the quick con- 

 sumption or destruction (in this connection the words 

 are synonymous) of all those products, and they were 

 all consumed in the manner indicated. 



This general and active consumption created an 

 immense trade and traffic of every nature, giving ac- 

 tivity and prosperity to every interest. Instead of 

 causing a "waste and destruction of wealth" the war 

 showered wealth on all by consuming and destroying 

 all those products which must be consumed in order 

 to obtain pay for their production. So long as tin -y 

 were unconsumcd they were a crushing weight ; tin ir 



