New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-10-22

20 minutes to the dozen Potatoes are four
bushels to the hour when cultivated by the plow
exclusively, and one third or one-fourth OF
bushel to the hour when cultivated b. the hoe
Tie manufacture OF shoes, apart from the ma
eria is from three hours to nine hours to the pair
according to the quality; boots eighteen hours,
&c. sc. &c.
The next practical effect observed is, that the
principle OF exact equity when it enters into the
mind operates with such force that persons on
al hands become oyeranxious 10 ascertain the
precise truth with regard to the relative cost of
every article, while the general improvement Of
condition renders them less anxious about trihiug
individual advantage.
Still, however, although commodities thus settle
naturally and rapidly to standard price, accord
ing to what is the acreage time bestowed upon
their production, and the average estimate Of the
relative repugnance of each kind of labor there
are or may be individual differences in the estimate
Of repugnance, which viii rise far above, or sink
below the average. AS these individualites of
preference for species of industry over an
other VIII become more Marked IN proportion as,
with the general improvement Of condition. men
and women better afford to indulge their
tastes and preferences and as those tastes them
selves will become more developed or prOn0nceS
with the increase OF culture, and rs the oppOrtunl
ty for their indulgence will be afforded IN proper
ton to the augmentation of the circle in which
these principles praCtised it follows that what
ever is more exceptional orrecondite If You will,
in the subject, mast as yetbe settled by recurring
to principles.
Hence the answer to the general inquiry now
before us is, secondly, theoretical as follows:
The practical answer already given is direct and
meets the question how an equality OF price Is
established sufficiently uniform and permanent
for practical purposes. The theoretical answer to
be given Is niIrect. or consequential. looking
rather to the effects or consequences of partial
soft
repugnancc of different kinds of labor. The an
swer is this, that whenever an individual esti
mates labor in any particular branch OF Industry
as less Oner0us OF repugnant than the standard or
average estimate, he will present himself as
candidate for that kind OF labor at a less Prlce per
h01f than Others, and will, in consequence be
selected IN preference to others, unless the lnte
rior price is more than counterbalanced by want
of skill or capacity for that kind OF labor But
preference for particular kind OF INDUSTRIES
pecia-y when there are facilities tor trying one
self at various kinds-generally accompanies and
often results from superior skill or facility in the
performance OF that kind Of labor w 9 haveJust
seen that taste or ATTRACTION Tor particular
branch of industry, by lowering the price at which
the individual is ready to undertake 1t, tends to
throw that branch of industry, rather that par
ticular labor, into the hands OF that individual,
W shall now see that the superior skill or tacll-
ity which, the general rule, accompanies or
results from such taste or attraction operates III
an entirely different mode, to produce the same
result 1t is not only the party who estimates
particular labor as least onGy0ns. but also the
party who has the greatest amount OF skill
or facility in the performance OF lt-apart from
the case of an acquired skill which has re
CURED separate and unprOductlye labor tor
its acquisition, and which is, therefore, as
we have seen an element OF cost and Pftce-
who will, as the general rule, undertake. 1t Jof
I,,, ,l,o,n oI1Ny "a. N
other words contrary to what is now the case,
the man or woman who can do the most c0rH
of any given kind I'm a gieVn time and do It best,
will work at the cheapest rate so that, both as
account of the more ami better ?rOrh and OF the less
Dyace, he or she will have the advantage in bid
ding for his or her teyorte occupation. such
is the necessary working OF the COST PRINCIPLE
and hence follow certain extremely important re-
suits
|. By this means competition is directed to, and
made to work at, precisely the right point. Com.
petition is spoken of by those who live H. and
breathe the atmosphere Of the existing social or
der as : the life OF business the grand stimu-
liant without which the world would SINK INTO
stacnation 1t is spoken OF, on the other hand, BY
tbe reformers of the Socialist school, who oathe
the existing order and long earnestly Tor the
reign of harmony in human relations as cruel
and monstrous principle, kept IN operation only at
the sacrifice of the blood and tears OF the grooming
millions of mankind. Ia point OF TACT 1t IS Dothi
or more PROPERLY, it is either one the other, &C
cording to the direction in which it is allowed to
operate Competition is motive power, like
steam or electricity and IS either destructive or
genial, according to its application. In the exist
ing social order it is chiefly destructive, because 1t
operates upon the point q enSu11Ag security OF
condition. or the means OF existence. 1t Is, there
fore, desperate unreentng, and consequently de.
structiye Under the reign OF equity 1t would
operate at the point of Spperor7iy0t Pet0rmonee
IN the respective functions OF each member OF So
cietv and would therefore, be purely beneicent
in its results. In the scramble between wrecked
and struggling tarers for places III the lie
boat, we have an Illustration OF c0mptttt0h J0r Sc
cu17tY Of condition. In the generous emulation
between those safely seated in pleasure boat,
who think themselves most competent to pull at
the oar YOU have an illustration OF genial or bene-
tCent neutrality-suspicious. tor superiority o.
performance under such circumstances, that,
whoever carries off the palm, the interests OF the
whole equally promoted. In either case, 1t IS
the same motive power, the same energy-giylng
principle, working merely st different point, or
with different applications and, 1t may be added,
with a different stimulus.
Competition in the existing social orderi is chief
" destructire, because there s:now no security of
condition in any class OF society. Among the less
fortunate classes competition bears more uponthe
point oil getting the chance to labor at all, at any
occupation, which inequitably paid as the labor
OF those classes is, viii afford the bare means OF
existence Among the more fortunate classes IN
creased accumulation is the only means now known
OF approximatng security Of conditions hence
competition bears upon that point. Among all
classes therefore the competitor is chiefly for Sc
curity OF condition. and therefore merciess and
destructive 1t is only occasionally and BY way
OF exception wherever a little temporary security
is Obtained, that examples found Of the ma
turaIand beneiicent competition for Superiority Of
performance. That however springs up with such
spontaneous alacrity, so soon as the smallest
chan.c is given it, to prove to every attentive
observer that that the true spirit, the indigenous
growth Of the human soul, when uncontrolled by
a dve-se circumstances and conditions.
Unler the operations Of the COST PRINCIPLE,
which is the reign of equity. the primary wants
OF each will be certain OF being supplied by the
employment OF very small portion OF their time
and NE case and certaintE with which they can