abraham lincoln and the union-第32章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
r military and partly for commercial reasons。 In this project； both as a field of labor and as a stimulus to Western settlement； there is also to be found one more device for the relief of the labor situation in the East。
*This Act； which may be regarded as the culmination of the long battle of the Northern dreamers to win 〃land for the landless；〃 provided that every settler who was； or intended to be； a citizen might secure 180 acres of government land by living on it and cultivating it for five years。
There is no more important phenomenon of the time than the shifting of large masses of population from the East to the West； while the war was in progress。 This fact begins to indicate why there was no shortage in the agricultural output。 The North suffered acutely from inflation of prices and from a speculative wildness that accompanied the inflation； but it did not suffer from a lack of those things that are produced by the soilfood； timber； metals； and coal。 In addition to the reason just mentionedthe search for new occupation by Eastern labor which had been thrown out of employmentthree other causes helped to maintain the efficiency of work in the mines； in the forests； and on the farms。 These three factors were immigration； the labor of women； and labor…saving machines。
Immigration； naturally； fell off to a certain degree but it did not become altogether negligible。 It is probable that 110；000 able…bodied men came into the country while war was in progressa poor offset to the many hundred thousand who became soldiers； but nevertheless a contribution that counted for something。
Vastly more important； in the work of the North； was the part taken by women。 A pathetic detail with which in our own experience the world has again become familiar was the absence of young men throughout most of the North； and the presence of women new to the work in many occupations； especially farming。 A single quotation from a home missionary in Iowa tells the whole story：
〃I will mention that I met more women driving teams on the road and saw more at work in the fields than men。 They seem to have said to their husbands in the language of a favorite song；
'Just take your gun and go； For Ruth can drive the oxen； John； And I can use the hoe！'
〃I went first to Clarinda； and the town seemed deserted。 Upon inquiry for former friends； the frequent answer was； 〃In the army。〃 From Hawleyville almost all the thoroughly loyal male inhabitants had gone； and in one township beyond； where I formerly preached； there are but seven men left； and at Quincy； the county seat of Adams County； but five。〃
Even more important than the change in the personnel of labor were the new machines of the day。 During the fifteen years previous to the war American ingenuity had reached a high point。 Such inventions as the sewing machine and the horse…reaper date in their practical forms from that period； and both of these helped the North to fight the war。 Their further improvement； and the extension of the principles involved to many new forms of machinery； sprang from the pressing need to make up for the loss of men who were drained by the army from the farms and the workshops。 It was the horse…reaper； the horse…rake； the horse…thresher that enabled women and boys to work the farms while husbands； fathers； and elder brothers were at the front。
All these causes maintained Northern farming at a high pitch of productivity。 This efficiency is implied in some of the figures already quoted； but many others could be cited。 For example； in 1859； the total production of wheat for the whole country was 173 million bushels； in 1862； the North alone produced 177 millions； even in 1864； with over a million men under arms； it still produced 160 million bushels。
It must be remembered that the great Northern army produced nothing while it consumed the products of agriculture and manufacturefood； clothing； arms； ammunition； cannon； wagons； horses； medical storesat a rate that might have led a poetical person to imagine the army as a devouring dragon。 Who； in the last analysis； provided all these supplies？ Who paid the soldiers？ Who supplemented their meager pay and supported their families？ The people； of course； and they did so both directly and indirectly。 In taxes and loans they paid to the Government about three thousand millions of dollars。 Their indirect assistance was perhaps as great； though it is impossible today to estimate with any approach to accuracy the amount either in money or service。 Among obvious items are the collections made by the Sanitary Commission for the benefit of the hospital service； amounting to twenty…five million dollars； and about six millions raised by the Christian Commission。 In a hundred other ways both individuals and localities strained their resources to supplement those of the Government。 Immense subscription lists were circulated to raise funds for the families of soldiers。 The city of Philadelphia alone spent in this way in a single year 600；000。 There is also evidence of a vast amount of unrecorded relief of needy families by the neighbors； and in the farming districts； such assistance； particularly in the form of fuel during winter； was very generally given。
What made possible this enormous total of contributions was； in a word； the general willingness of those supporting the war to forego luxuries。 They ceased buying a great multitude of unnecessary things。 But what became of the labor that had previously supplied the demand for luxuries？ A part of it went the way of all other Northern laborinto new trades； into the army； or to the Westand a part continued to manufacture luxuries： for their market； though curtailed； was not destroyed。 There were； indeed； two populations in the North； and they were separated by an emotional chasm。 Had all the North been a unit in feeling； the production of articles of luxury might have ceased。 Because of this emotional division of the North； however； this business survived； for the sacrifice of luxurious expenditure was made by only a part of the population； even though it was the majority。
Furthermore； the whole matter was adjusted voluntarily without systematic government direction； since there was nothing in the financial policy of the Government to correspond to conscription。 Consequently； both in the way of loans and in the way of contributions； as well as in the matter of unpaid service； the entire burden fell upon the war party alone。 In the absence of anything like economic conscription； if such a phrase may be used； those Northerners who did not wish to lend money； or to make financial sacrifice； or to give unpaid service； were free to pursue their own bent。 The election of 1864 showed that they formed a market which amounted to something between six and nine millions。 There is no reason to suppose that these millions in 1864 spent less on luxuries than they did in 1860。 Two or three items are enough。 In 1860； the importation of silk amounted to 32 million dollars； in 1862； in spite of inflated prices； it had shrunk to 7 millions； the consumption of malt liquors shrank from 101 million gallons in 1860 to 62 million gallons in 1863； of coffee； hardly to be classed as a luxury； there were consumed in 1861； 184 million pounds and in 1863； 80 millions。
The clue to the story of capital is to be found in this fact； too often forgotten； that there was an economic…political division cutting deep through every stratum of the Northern people。 Their economic life as well as their political life was controlled on the one hand by a devotion to the cause of the war； and on the other hand by a hatred of that cause or by cynical indifference。 And we cannot insist too positively that the Government failed very largely to take this fact into account。 The American spirit of invention； so conspicuous at that time in mechanics； did not apply itself to the science of government。 Lincoln confessedly was not a financier； his instinct was at home only in problems that could be stated in terms of men。 Witness his acceptance of conscription and his firmness in carrying it through； as a result of which he saved the patriotic party from bearing the whole burden of
