Mechanics', operatives', and laborers' advocate., 1837-01-16


 IS not able to produce matter or material substance, of which wealth consists The Omnipotent alone can create matter. Man can only change it's form. He can make uatter useful, which is now altogeth- CT useless; and he can also make matter which is already useful, more useful By thus improving the state or changing the form of matter, he may be said to create or produce wealth. The production of wealth may, therefore, be defined to be the n,d hng any ting usefh rhich ,raS beop useless or Me maklng any thing ,ckich $ already usef,, more use JM.
 The precious and other metals, while they remain in the mines arc useless; but when they are dug up and worked, they become useful. Land, in its rude stae covered with forests, is useless for cultivation, but when cleared of its timber, and sowed with wheat or other grain, it becomes useful. The trees Oi the forest while standing, are useless; but when telled and sawed into boards, they become useful. Those particles of matter In the earth and a which are mysterlousy y extracted in the growth of the blade of wheat Were before their extraction, use- less; but when they are concentrated and embodl- cd in the kernels of the ripe grain they become very useful. Water and steam in their natural state, so far as they aid man in propelllng machinery, are useless; but when they are applied to the putting Tn motion Of mills and boats, they become useful. The skin of the buffalo, while he is roaming at large on the prairie of the west, Is useless to man, and contributes ln way to his comfort or convenience; but when the animal is killed, and sayed, the skin becomes useful for variety of purposes If a man has more wheat on hand than is requisite to supply his family with bread 1t Is to hlm useless; but if he exchanges the surplus for article which he ac- tually wants, 1t becomes useful to him.
 He therefore who digs metals from the earth and works them or clears land of forest timber and sows 1t converts trees Into boards, or raises grain; or causes water ,Or steam to prope machinery; or takes the shln from wild animals: or exchanges an article that IS useless to him for one that Is useful may be said to produce wealth.
 From these familiar illustrations, tie definition which has been given cf the production of wealth, VIZ: that It IS the making of that useful which was before useless or the making that which Is already useful more useful, will be readily understood.
 Labor, Gnd Me advantages end disadvantages of q diuision of i,
 Labor IS necessary as a means of producing wealth. Without 1t, the exhaustess resources of the earth and air would lie dormant and proitless, possessing no utility, and not contributing to the comfort and benefit of man. Labor has been detin- ed to be continued ac1onIn the peormance ot one of tAc operations oj indalstny It has been called the measure of the exchangeable value of products or commodities; that is, If the same quantity of labor be required to procure one bushe of wheat, which would procure two bushels of rye it follows that a bushel of the former grain is worth twice as much as bushe the latter. Labor (savs Adam Smlth) was the first price, the original purchase money, that paid for all things It was not by gold or silver, but by labor that all the wealth Of the world was purchased and it's value to those who possess 1t, and who want to exchange it for some new pro- ducton, is precsey ey equal to the quantity of labor it can enable them to command" The value of an artlcle therefore, is in exact proportion to the Gu2n ttv of labor requisite to procure it. It is easier to estimate the value of an article by the quantity of money which 1t takes to procure It, than by that Of !abor; but It must be borne in mind, that the value of money depends upon the quantity of labor re- quroa tc obtain it so that in5or unG labor onh ia the correct standard of value.
 Gold and silver become cheap or dear in the same manner as any other commodity docs. The discoy- cry of the mines in South America diminished the value of these metals, because they became moro plenty.
 i Man is so constituted, that when he directs all his energies to a single employment, the products cf his labor are fur more abundant and excellent tAuu when he follows several emplo ,Ecnts. bj con;rng both the mind and body to a single or": tcn Gorree of skill and dexterty in that operator is acquired, which could no! be attained if the samo or even much greater amount of labor had bee, hescwe1 uron several distinct objects. To th: principle ot cur n2tl:rc n.r;st be traced what :r: properly been called Ic division Of labor.
 ! Q iliu~trate the nature and aGvamacr3 Of :. dj vision of labor. the cct"bracd Adam >lt ct >- tt r:.,;u,}rt rc G. 'irs. Zach l'rscE ei ""fl 'o'.:. but one ,,'gt. ,@]e lr&%s tilr wire. :nOr"s GU: ;: Il tfo: 3To:.5 tho point. Tie AoeL G'}j C. ;v' or t@rc2 ::':lgt (Ycrdtu.@. c"cj' l.:.:r:4>I V l!!o!cn, intylGv4l, Ill tns .;2', gre1l c<ooI' rc' ' a:,d r2iiLt: in to m"ul'"t:.c arc ,l'.a! Tel ' mon, i; Is SAj, c"Il :aakc 4>C,G p:}:$ n & % hu if each r:sn by himself made 'ae &':ole ot @ rn they could make oHly two l,,ndod.
 '.'Ac division cr2bor has also been foun3 ta ITO ., duce Honiertul results n other branches oi bus; mess: 3"t it is only in large towns CT jr i2rgc ma