The morning times., 1896-08-09
9 iaa!sTazCCe!s@!92
The Times undertakes no RESPONSE
biiity for any views Expressed IN
this cOlunl u.
THE PRIMARY FACTORS OF PRoDUC
TON

Having previously shown that capital Is
| not q primary factor in the production OF
wealth; that il Is the result anu not the
cause OF labor, and that those attempt
ing TO prove the contrary, make SHOW
OF reason only by stretching the meaning
OF the word capital 10 as to make IL cover
pretty much All the phenomena OF nature,
Including nan himself. We now proceed
to consider what the primary factors OF
wealth production are.
1t is OF the utmost importance in the
development of any science that its terms
be not confused. II we mekc the ultimate
means OF producing result identical with
the result itself, the mind becomes CON
fused by terms OF its own creation, and &C
curate classification, the very process oil SCI
ence, is impossible.
One of the most fruitful causes IL con-
fusion in economic science Is the contohnu-
ing of ultimate means TO wealth. WIN
wealth itself While 1T is true that GER
tain forms Of wealth are used up and
destroyed as mere instrume;itaiities, or
aids 10 the production OF other wealth
needed for the maintenance and comforts
of life, 1t is not true that wealth causes
itself.
What really takes place In such a use OF
wealth is an exchange OF one kind or guam
tity OF wealth for another. When farmer
plants wealth in the form OF seed corn Tor
the sake or next years crop, he simply ex-
changes one quantity OF wealth TOR an
other quantity OF like kind, made larger
tnan the former by the cooperation OF his
labor with forces embodied in land.
IL he sells the corn and buys clothing, he
extends the productive process from mere
CO operation with nature forces 10 CO.
operation with other human forces linus
he becomes by means OF trade un employer
OF other men, no matter how many capital
ISIS intervene to facilitate and extend Tie
productive process.
What we have to bear in mind is that the
primitive seed corn was 4 spontaneous
product of nature, which, through culture
and d long series OF exchanges comes down
to the present farmer In the form IN which
We find it, and is always available for use
by means OF exchanging other products OF
dor for 1t, under the form OF hiring OF
other modes OF trade. We have also to re-
mem Der that the capitalist undertaken,
merely possessing a lot of money, would
be totally unable TO hire any one to work
for him in the erection OF buildingsand con
struction of machinery as mechanical aids
to the production OF any one kind OF con
sumption goods" II Others were not con-
stantiy supplying orher consumption
goods necessary to the so-cailed wage
workers.
VALUE OF LAND.
Production as We now find il Is thus
seen TO he long series of ufually sus-
tanning links in the industrial chain, and
not the simple bring OF men 10y few
capitalists Yet this complex and ex-
tended form of industry has grown out
OF the original and simple process of ex
tracing wealth directly from land. aud
IT the chain We're not still connected with
the land at various points, the uterine
Hat which maxi. In sn mneh ,tf
modern industry would he US useless as
candies in sunlight.
While we have taken notes OF the I'M
portance OF land as primary factor IN
production, So far agriculture is con
cerned We have acted as If no one was
particularly interested in land adapted to
other pursuits. But when we realize how