THE SOURCE OF PROSPERITY. 221 



debt. Was there nothing real in all that ? Was it 

 merely inflation ? " Our wives and children dressed 

 better than before ; families indulged not only in the 

 necessaries, but in the luxuries, and everybody had 

 abundance." And that was done without running in 

 debt, said Secretary McCulloch. Was it merely infla- 

 tion ? Nothing but wind ? 



For some years before and down to the sudden 

 commencement of this prosperous period there were 

 large numbers of our people without employment, 

 and consequently without the means of living hun- 

 gry and nearly naked begging their food from door 

 to door, or in other ways living upon charity. The 

 very first incident that marked the beginning of that 

 period of prosperity was the bringing of these idle 

 people into employment, until "there were no men 

 wanting work who failed to find it." This is the 

 great initial fact that governed the whole matter, and 

 should not for a moment be lost sight of. But our 

 orator does not appear to see that it possesses any 

 significance. Then followed all the succeeding inci- 

 dents as follow the workings of the parts of a great 

 machine, or the operations of a great factory after the 

 engine is put in motion, or the motive power is ap- 

 plied. " Wages advanced as the industries increased. 

 Workers in iron, and steel, and brass, and wood, and 

 stone were as greatly in demand as workers in cotton 

 and wool. Mechanics commanded from three to six 

 dollars a day ; common field laborers demanded and 

 realized from two and one half to three dollars ; pro- 

 fessional men doubled their charges, and church com- 

 mittees recommended of their own accord increase of 



