tead of degrade. And this can be done by the state allowing
those armies of men who now unwillingly represent unproductive labor to
become armies for increasing the wealth of the country, by extending the
productive area of the nation's domain, and by providing against the
ruin which constantly menaces tens of thousands of industrious people in
such a way as to stimulate business in all its ramifications by placing
in circulation the equivalents for the work performed and the wealth
earned. The ancient Romans understood the importance of having great
works substantially built. The mighty highways which centred in the
Eternal City, and the great public works which contributed so much to
the comfort and happiness and grandeur of Rome, while not constructed
with a view to affording employment to the unemployed, were wise
measures for the benefit of the state, and it is safe to say that no
expenditures were more serviceable or contributed more to the greatness
and essential wealth of the empire, save the money spent in the
patronage of education.

The ancient Peruvians went further. They argued that the happiness,
welfare, and prosperity of one was the concern of all. They banished
poverty by giving every person productive work, and by their system
transformed every foot of tillable land into productive gardens,
enabling them to support in affluence an immense population, only a
small fraction of which could have subsisted under conditions such as
prevail with us. In our country to-day we have vast areas of useless
land, only waiting to be transformed into tillable acres second in
richness to no land in the country. To-day we have necessary work in the
way of internal improvements which is imperatively demanded, and which,
but for the slothfulness and indifference of our government, would be
performed, thereby enormously increasing the wealth of the nation; while
the performing of the same would give productive employment to millions
of idle hands.

A striking illustration of the criminal neglect and shortsightedness of
our government was seen this last spring in the devastation created by
the floods in the Mississippi Valley, rendered possible through the
inadequate levee system. Here the losses to crops and in stock killed
are said to have been considerably over twelve million dollars, to say
nothing of the enormous outlay which will be required to patch up the
levees and make the devastated farms again habitable. This g