Page:History of Adelaide and vicinity.djvu/152

 126 ADELAIDE AND VICINITY The Producers At first, responsible government was accompanied by a measure of depression. For four consecutive years the seasons were dry and the crops below the average. With the large introduction of gold from Victoria, and the considerable investment in property, there had been a boom in land ; high wages ruled, fictitious values were created, and improvident habits became too common. These bad years hurried on the usual re-action. In 1857-8 the depression was somewhat severe. The laboring classes do not appear to have recognised that such difficulties inevitably assail every country jiractically dependent on its soil for subsistence, and, in particular, one that is young. They believed that it was detrimental to their interests, and presumably to the interests of the Province, to continue to introduce immigrants. Many men were out of employment, and an increase A Wheatfield, with Reaping Machines at Work of population would, it was said, reduce wages and intensify the troubles of the unemployed. People of opposite views declared that the rates of wages were so high that capital could not be profitably engaged. A " Political Association " adopted such an advanced programme as cessation of immigration at public expense, equal political rights for all citizens, payment of members of Parliament, taxation of unimproved land alienated from the Crown, law- reform, and a free and unshackled Press. The central princi[)le of the Association seemed to be embraced in a clause which announced : " We believe that property should never be considered in comparison with manhood ; that the happiness and well-being of the mass is paramount to the aggrandisement of the few."