Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1890-03-28


estate which becomes available through
Investigation of industries. The
next fact is that all men are capable of
acquiring skill. or proficiency, and ra-
pidity of execution in any business
or employment, by education, practice
and experience. But practice demands
time, and as mans time on earth is
limited, he cannot learn to do all
things; and practically, to achieve the
best results, he must restrict himself
to one occupation. And by this means
he can accomplish more and better
work in a given time than he can by
any other method. And if all the
workers in community or state adopt
this same practice, then manifestly,
their energies are employed in such
w.,ys as to increase enormously the
total production. But, to derive the
full benefit of this division of labor,
they must have perfect liberty to ex-
change their surplus products with
each other; for each and all are en-
gagged in fabricating articles princi-
pally for others use; and, if each
could not exchange the surplus articles
he makes or produces, for things he
needs, made by others, he would make
no more than enough to supply his
own needs. Then the value of a mans
products lies in their exchangeability.
And any limitation of the freedom of
exchange, lessons the advantages which
one or both parties receive from a
division of labor, and if this limitation
goes to the extent of prohibiting the
exchange of any particular commodity,
then division of labor in the man
ufacture of such commodity is abol-
ished, and all who need it must make
it for themselves. Then if all the
workers in a state cOntine themselves
to those particular lines of industry
for which nature, or education, or ex-
perience has conferred upon them
some peculiar fitness, and freely ex-
change with each other, then each will
possess all the advantages he would
have possessed, had he the combined
skill and experience of all, together
with all their APPLIANCES and facilities
for work, minus the trining cost of
exchanges. Then it is appar-
ent that the division of labor and free
dom of exchange are complementary to
each other. They are mutually de
pendent parts of the same benefcent
system; and the utility of each is de
termined by the perfection of the
other. And only when freedom of
exchange is absolutely untramelled
can the division of labor be carried to
its highest productive limits; and when
this is accomplished production has
its maximum, 50 far as indi-
yidual division of employments are
But, beside this, there is
also territorial division of labor.
Owing 80 a difference in the soil and
climate and physical features of
a country, and distribution of material
elements of wealth, particular local
tiles present special facilities for the
on of certain industries; for
example iron manufacturing can be
at greater profit in proXim-
Ity to iron and coal mines than else
where. Cultivation of different plants
and cereals can only be pursued profit |
ably in climates and soils adapted to
their growth. by proftably is meant
large returns for labor ex-
pended. Then this territorial division
IF labor, this restriction of industries
TO localities provided with some natural
to them of internal freedom
Of commerce is enjoyed is productive of
I further great saving of labor. which
means increased production. Besides,
his territorial division of labor within |
The boundaries of each country there
S further territorial division between
different and independent countries;
and it is easy to see that this contrib |
ltes to increase the wealh of each in
the same manner that the |
restriction of industries to, and the
between different sections
Of the same country contributes to in
crease it. There is a still greater
difference between the productive ca
pabilities of different countries than
between different sections of the same
and the establishment of free
StitIllIiClti lllCItOuISt must US cor
more beneficial, subject
only to the increased cost of trans |
portation. These, then, are the prin-
cipal means by which labor is made
most productive. But the industry
aud economy of a people are also, i'm
portant factors; and it becomes neces- I
sary to inquire into the conditions IA
vorable to the promotion of such hab-
its. The strongest incentive to indus
try is a guarantee of personal safety
and security of possession of all the
rewards of honest labor; and the only
juStiiable deduction from the fruits of
labor is that small amount essential TO
secure the enjoyment of the remainder,
or, in other words, to support the gov
eminent whose duty it is to maintain
these rights. The sense of security of
person and property, and the knowl-
edge that labor is expended exclusively
for the benefit of self, must operate as
a powerful stimulus to industry; and
the prospect of rising in the world
will awaken ambition, strengthen the
-, l.