The Relations of Labor and Cai^ital. 51 



him, in tlie margin, appear representatives of half a dozen dif- 

 ferent professions. The Lawyer saj^s, "I plead for all ; " the 

 merchant, " I trade for all ; " the clergyman, " I pray for all ; " 

 the soldier, " I fight for all ; " the railway manager, " I carry - 

 for all," and the physician, " I prescribe for all." But in letters 

 of double size, the farmer is made to say with emphasis, " I 

 ^ay for all." 



Now I suppose this picture fitly represents the cun^ent pop- 

 ular notion on the subject. But according to the views just 

 expressed, the notion is false. None can deny that agricultu- 

 ral labor lies at the foundation of human society, at the be- 

 ginning of human industry, because it is busy producing the 

 necessaries of life. For that very reason it is sustained, stim- 

 ulated, and imid hy all. It gives no more than it receives. 

 Its interests are all identified with the growth of diversified 

 society, organized, protected, enlightened, refined. In well 

 ordered society each branch of honest industry is tributary 

 to every other, and all are mutually dependent. For, to quote 

 the words of holy writ, "the body is not one member but 

 many, and the eye cannot say to the hand I have no need of 

 thee, nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you ; nay 

 much more those members of the body which seem to be more 

 feeble are necessary and those members of the body which we 

 think to be less honorable, upon these we bestow more abun- 

 dant honor; and our uncomely parts have more abundant 

 comeliness." There is necessity fixed in the nature of things 

 that the greater part of men must be occupied with agri- 

 cultural labor or other forms of manual labor. Let the 

 intrinsic worthiness and dignity of all such labor be re- 

 cognized and honored. But, at the same time, let it be 

 ■understood that with this labor is closely interwoven all 

 the busy brain- work of the minority who, though they seem 

 to stand aloof, are efficient partners in both the toil and its re- . 

 suits. The correction of the false and substitution of true 

 views respecting labor itself, is the first step in every wise and 

 sincere movement for labor reform. 



