Page 148 - clra62_0019-(GIPE)

140 ECONOMIC INQUIRIES AND STUDIES
known as staple industries, it need not be becoming
poorer for that reason; all that is happening is that its
wealth and income are taking a different shape.
I t is quite conceivable, then, and is in truth not im-
probable, that a check to the former rate of material
growth in certain directions may have taken place of
Jate years without any corresponding check to the rate
of material growth generally, which would seem to be
inconsistent with such facts as the growth of popula-
tion, diminution of pauperism, increase of houses, and
the like. The truth would seem to be that with the
growth of staple industries, such as cotton, wool, coal,
and iron, up to a point, there being reasons for the
remarkably quick development of each for many years
up to 1875, there comes a growth of new wants, the
satisfaction of which drafts a portion of the national
energy in new directions. Just because certain staples
developed themselves greatly between 1855 and 1875
the time was likely to arrive when they would grow
not quite so fast. For the same reason the rapid in-
crease for a certain period in the consumption per
head of articles like sugar and tea was likely to be
followed by a less rapid increase, the wants of con-
sumers taking a new direction. Probably owing to the
more and more miscellaneous character of modern in-
dustry, it will become more and more difficult to follow
its development by dealing with staple articles only,
while changes in aggregate values are untrustworthy
as indications of real changes owing to changes in
prices. Already there seems to be no doubt the staple
articles are no longer a sufficient indication.
A supplementary explanation may be added which
helps to explain another difficulty in the matter by
which people are puzzled. I can imagine them saying
that it is all very well to pooh-pooh the non-increase
or slower increase of the production of staple articles,
and to assume that industry is becoming more and
more miscellaneous; but other countries go on in-
creasing their production of these same staple anicles.