Page:Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal, Volume 1, 1869.djvu/822

 664 The Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal. [April, THE VALUE OF MAN By George J. Henkels. POLITICAL economists have al- ways adopted the precious metals, as a standard of value; and, so long as surrounding circumstances favor this rule, their theories seem correct ; but the developments of the last twenty years have so unsettled the conditions of the whole world, that the old rules do not seem to be infallible. The annihila- tion of space, through the magnetic tel- egraph, and the rapid communication, by steam vessels and railroads, have revolutionized commerce and science ; and what was formerly, by sound com- mercial judgment regarded as a promis- ing profitable speculation, and which, although requiring a year to develop, is now reduced to an almost instantaneous certainty ; and, instead of the merchant purchasing largely, of an article for ex- port to a foreign country, without the knowledge of what price the article might command, when the vessel should arrive at its destination, he is enabled, by the use of the telegraph, to know, at any time, the foreign value of his goods, and instead of shipping cargoes to run the risk of rates, in most cases, he sells at a fixed price, not only before he ships, but before he buys for export. Thus , the market values, in the principal marts of the world, are always to be obtained. The consequence is, that he, who was formerly known as a merchant, that is, a man who exchanged, by his own ships — freighted with cargoes, mostly belong- ing to himself — the commodities of his own country for those of another, is now known as a ship-owner, whose prin- cipal business is to carry goods for other owners, or as a commission merchant. The changes affecting importers have had corresponding influence on manu- facturers and storekeepers. Formerly, a manufacturer in the country, or a storekeeper in some remote place, was obliged to lay in, at certain seasons, the stock or materials required in his busi- ness, several months ahead of bis posi- tive immediate wants, as the distance to be traveled by stage, to purchase, and the length of time required to transport the goods, by canal and wagons, ren- dered the time of receipt uncertain. Now, by the use of the telegraph to send orders, and the quick despatch of freight by railroad and steamboat, he is enabled to supply his wants daily ; and the trade of our large cities, which was formerly concentrated into two months, each season, is now distributed over the whole year. These changes, in the manner of doing business, have had their influence on the matter and method of productions of all kinds. Now, proceeding to our subject proper, The Value of Man, we will try to ad- vance some new ideas, in vindication of the new theory that, instead of gold be- ing the standard of value, the worth of man is the true standard. When the writer was apprenticed to learn his business, the day's labor was considered, by all indoor mechanics, to be from seven in the morning until eight in the evening, in winter ; and from sun to sun in summer. Some years ago, when mechanics obtained a concession, and ten hours was agreed upon as a day's work, the writer then opposed it, on principle, as it was but agrarianism in a modified form. At the present time, we have a national law. making eight hours a da_y's work in the Govern- ment employ. If eight hours' labor is to be recognized as a day's wortt, why not make it six hours, four hours, or even two hours, on the same principle ? You will, no doubt, say, that this mat- ter will correct itself, in time; but 3 r ou