money answers all things-第3部分
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st Parishes find； is greatly encreased of late Years； witness the Numbers we are continually transporting； and the late Invention of erecting Workhouses for the Poor； and Complaints of Tradesmen all over the Kingdom； which have been； and are very great； and very just。 Now suppose Corn； etc。 were considerably advanced； to enable the Farmers to pay their Rents； what must become of the trading Part of the Nation； who already with justice； complain they can hardly get Money to support themselves； at the present Rates of Things？ And how much more would the Poor and their Calamities increase； by such a Rise of Necessaries； together with the still greater Decay of Trade it must occasion； since if the Prices of Things were to be advance； the People in general for want of Money must； if possible； be still less Consumers； and consequently make just so much less Business amongst them； who have already much too little？ Besides； it is always found that as Trade lessens （or is divided amongst more Particulars； which is much the same Thing in Effect） the Profits of Trade lessen in still greater Proportion to the Business transacted。 But to proceed： To shew that Gentlemen will lose nothing by falling their Rents； Let it be supposed； that all the Land in the Kingdome were to be raised 20 l。 per cent per annum。 Since the Land would bear no more Corn； graze no more Cattle； etc。 than it now doth； must not the Corn and Cattle； etc。 be considerably advanced？ and must not the Labourer； whose Necessaries must then cost more； have more for his Labour？ and must not Timber to make Carriages； and for every other Use； cost more to fell and hew it； etc。 and must not Horses； to draw the Fruits of the Earth； etc。 to Market； be more valuable； and consequently Carriage； and every Manufacture cost more too？ I think all Things would certainly thus be raised； if Money could be found to circulate them at such an Advance。 And then； since Gentlemen are Consumers； and must buy every thing； as well as others； at this Advance； what would they be advantaged by receiving 20 per cent per annum more； and paying that at least； if not more； for what they want？ But if Gentlemen should say； this would be so as to what they spend； yet what they save； and lay up； would be more： For instance； suppose a Gentleman of 1000 l per Annum； now spends 500 l。 and lays up 500 l。 per annum； if Estates were thus raised； he would at the same Rate spend 660 l。 and lay up 600 l。 per annum： but how wou'd he be the richer； since the Price of every Thing being raised in like Proportion at least； which is an unavoidable Consequence； his 600 l。 would purchase； nor more than 500 l。 did before？ Wherefore Gentlemen would； in this Case； be not one Jot advantaged。 If therefore Rents should fall 30 l。 per cent per annum； every thing would certainly fall； in at least the same Proportion； so that Gentlemen would lose nothing； but the name of so much per Annum； which； I think； the Argument above doth sufficiently evince。 But lest the name of losing so much per annum should be a Prejudice； strong enough to prevent the Execution of this so necessary Proposal； let it be further consider'd； that empty Houses； the Number of which at present is very great； and will be greater still； if this Method be not taken to fill them； I say； empty Houses； if they can be filled； are real Estates； as well as Land。 Now if Money be thus made plentiful； as it certainly may； Plenty of Money will soon make Trade flourish； and a flourishing Trade will soon enable the People to occupy more Houses； and hereby the Number of People likewise will soon be increased；（1*） so that landlords taken in their full Extent； including Landlords of Houses as well as of Land； will thus certainly be Gainers； by falling their Estates so much as shall be needful to make Money plentiful； which will soon fill their Houses。 But it may be said； if Lands must fall 30 per cent which is near a third； to fill the Houses； and but an eighth； or a ninth of the Number of Houses； as I shall shew； remain to be filled； how are Landlords； taken in the full sense of the Word； including Landlords of Houses as well as of Land； Gainers？ I answer； that the Rents are now raised above their proper Value； for the proper Value of any thing； is really no other； than what the Money circulating among the People will well enable them to pay； nor can any greater Value be long supported by any Means whatsoever。 But it will be asked； How we shall know when the Prices of Things are at this proper Value？ I answer； that as the Price of Labour is always constituted of the Price of Necessaries； and the Price of all other things chiefly of the price of Labour； whenever the Price of Necessaries is such； that the labouring Man's Wages will not； suitably to his low Rank and Station； as a labouring Man； support such a Family； as is often the Lot of many of them to have； the Price of Necessaries being then evidently so much too high； every thing else is so too； or then may the Prices of Things justly be said to be above this proper Value； which will more clearly appear in the Course of this Essay。 But I will proceed to shew； that the Gentlemen will be the richer for falling all the Lands in the Kingdom 20 or 30 per cent per annum； provided this Fall be effected only by the Addition； and Cultivation of so much more Land； as will make Farms so plentiful； as to reduce the Rents of Lands so much。 For if it shall appear； that the Gentlemen would be the poorer； if all the Lands in the Kingdom were raised 20 per cent per annum； I think the Reverse must follow； that they would be the richer if all the Lands were fallen 20 or 30 per cent per annum； that is 70 or 80 l。 would certainly buy more； if all the Lands were so fallen； then 120 l。 would do； if all the Lands were so raised； which I shall endeavour to prove。 If all the Lands were raised 20 per cent per annum it's certain they would not produce more； but perhaps less； than they now do； by putting it； in some Degree； out of the Farmers Power to use so much Skill and Charge to cultivate them； as they could do before their Rents were so raised： I say； since the Land could however produce no more than it now doth； all the Produce； whatever it consists of； must be sold not only for all the 20 pounds more； but there must be Profits likewise on all those 20 Pounds； to enable the Farmers to buy whatever they want at higher prices； which every thing must needs be advanced to from thus raising the Produce； which； as it passeth through every Hand and Manufacturing； must still have proportionably increased Profits on the thus raised prime Cost； before it comes to the Consumer； who； therefore； must thus certainly； in the End； not only pay all the advanced 20 pounds Rent； but likewise the necessary Profits thereon through all the several Hands it must pass： And since the Labour； which adds the greatest Value to every thing； must in this Case be inhanced likewise； it's evident； the same Quantity of Produce must be dearer by all the first advanced 20 Pounds Rent； and by suitable Profits to all the several Hands through which it must pass； together with a greater Charge of Labour thereon； whence； if the same Quantity of Produce must thus cost a great deal more； than all the 20 pounds Rent； by which it was first inhanced； the Parts must cost more too in such Proportion； so that； I think； I need not scruple to assert； that 140 l。 could not in this Case purchase what 100 l。 now doth； whence Gentlemen； who are consumers in common with others； would thus evidently be much the poorer for so raising their Estates； and therefore I think it an undeniable Consequence； that they wou'd be the richer for lowering their Estates 20 or 30 l。 per cent per annum since it must be equally certain； that 70 or 80 l。 would purchase more in this case； than 100 l。 now doth； as it is certain 120 l。 in the other case； would not purchase so much as 100 l。 now doth。 And this both accounts for； and verifies an Observation； I have heard some Gentlemen make； and wonder at； that they find they can't live so well and hospitably on the same Estates； as their Ancestors did； who had vastly less Income from them； than their Successors； who make this Observation； now have。 If therefore； Gentlemen； find themselves streighten'd； by raising Rents above what the Money circulating amongst the People will well enable them to pay； how great must the Streights and difficulties be which are brought on the People； out of whom such heavy Rents are raised！ But perhaps it may be objected； that this Argument concludes too much： Since； if 70 l。 will in this Case purchase more than 120 l。 why will not nothing purchase more than something？ To which I answer； There is a proper Point； at which it will stop of itself； which is this： Whenever the Wages of the Labouring Man； and Price of Necessaries are mad so near equal； that he can； suitably to that low Rank in Life； support such a Family as he； in common with all the human Kind； chiefly came into this World to raise； （which Things I hope to shew may be brought much nearer together than they now are）； I say； when the Labouring Man's Wages will do this； the Rent the Lands will then bear； is that proper and fit Rent； which will enable the Gentlemen to purchase more of every Thing； than any larger Rents can enable them to do； which I prove thus： Suppose the Rents rais'd so much； as necessarily to carry the Price of Goods to the Consumers in general； to higher Rates than the Money they can get will enable them to purchase what they really want： this makes a Kind of unnatural Plenty of Goods； presenting themselves for buyers； who； though they really want them； can't find Money to purchase them；and therefore are forced to abridge their necessary Wants as much as they can； and this depresses the Value of those Goods （which thus in the End must want buyers） below the Rates which the Rents have made necessary； and this will necessarily keep the Produce of the Ground which the Farmers bring to Market； so low； that they can't make it answer to bear all Charges； and pay their Rents； whence the Gentlemen must find it difficult； if not impossible； to get their Rents； whilst at the same Time； whatever they buy； as hath been prov'd； will necessarily be dearer in a greate
