Page:Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal, Volume 1, 1869.djvu/824

 666 T/ie Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal. [April, Christian Era, the labor of man was con- sidered the standard of value. Bj< turn- ing to the twentieth chapter of Matthew, we find the parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard : where the master of the Vineyard agreed with the laborers, early in the morning, for a penny a day ; and, at the third, sixth and eleventh hours, he agreed with others for the same hire, thus making the man's labor the standard of value. This parable also shows, that, at that time, a laborer could only command a penny — an infe- rior coin — a day. At this day, a laborer can command nearly two hundred of the same coins for the same amount of labor. Now, if the precious metals are the standard of value, why is it, that they will not purchase as much labor, now, as they did eighteen centuries ago ? It is not because labor is more scarce, as the increase of population has always been in the same ratio. The fact is, you can purchase more gold, with a day's labor now, than formerly ; and the rela- tive difference in value, between labor and gold, is widening every day. The value of labor, all over the civilized world, has increased greatly within the past six years. Taking Italy, where labor is plentiful and cheap, as an illus- tration, we find that, in 1865, the steve- dorage for loading marble was two and a-half francs per ton ; and, in 1868, it was four francs, in gold, per ton. Other labor has advanced in proportion, throughout Europe ; and, in our own country, we find, that the commercial value of gold has no influence on the value of labor, particularly on that of skilled labor. If I am right, in my opinions — and the signs of the times seem to verify them — the value of man will still in- crease ; and the prices of all raw mate- rials—even if we return to specie pay- ments — will not depreciate, to any ex- tent. Houses will cost more to build ; machinery and ships will cost more to construct ; and everything that requires skilled labor will increase in value. The workingmen begin to know their value ; and persistent demands for increased wages, and fewer hours to a day's work, will neutralize any advantages, that may be gained, in time, by inventions in labor-saving machinery. Those who look forward to specie payments, as the panacea, that is to cure all the ills of the body politic, and reduce the price of house-rent and living, are deceiving themselves, as workingmen, even at the present wages, cannot support a family ; and they, too, are looking forward to specie payments to enable them — not to reduce their wages, but — to indulge in some of the good things of life; and, possessing the power, as they do, they will see that their wants shall be attend- ed to. In all future operations, the value of man must be considered as paramount, and to it all other values must be subservient. The time has passed, never to return, when fifty thousand dollars in gold was considered a sufficient fortune for a man to retire on ; and, for the future, those with limited incomes must cut their gar- ments to suit their quantity of cloth. A revolution in the applicability of time- honored maxims is progressing ; and it seems, from the tendency of things, that all men, instead of " bringing their wants within their means,'" must, in the future, 'bring their means up to their wants." The workingmen, throughout the world, are organizing, not only for their own protection, but for the purpose of compelling capitalists to yield to their demands. Whether those demands will seem just or- unjust, to those who will be compelled to submit, is not the question. The workingmen possess the power of numbers ; and, knowing from the past, that they were almost starving, on low wages, in 1858 — when good me- chanics could be had for six dollars per week — they will take care, that such a state of affairs will not occur again. It does not require a prophet to foretell, what is coming, as he who runs may read, that the great efforts, now being