REMARKS ON THE PRICE OF LABOR. 121 



by him to higher attainments in mechanical ingenuity 

 and skill, and a more eminent degree of commercial 

 knowledge and enterprize. 



The curious machinery for forming organzine, which 

 for a long period existed only in Piedmont, was intro- 

 duced to England, in 1718, by Sir Thomas Lombe, 

 who established vast mills at Derby. At the present 

 day the machines for throwing silk are wonderfully im- 

 proved ; cast iron geering being now substituted for 

 the cumbersome wooden wheels, and metallic bearings 

 having superseded the shoulders of wood, the rough 

 wrought iron spindles being now replaced with those of 

 steel accurately turned ; and with diminished power the 

 spindles of the English now revolve with more than 

 four-fold speed. So decided is this superiority, that 

 while the throwsters of France and Italy are still con- 

 tented if their spindles do but revolve from 300 to 400 

 times in a minute, those of the English are now per- 

 forming from 2000 to 3000; but by a late improvement 

 of Mr. Ritson, they are now made to perform 4500 re- 

 volutions in a minute or 75 in a second of time. 



On a careful investigation it will usually be found that 

 the apparent difference in the price of labor between 

 different countries, is in many cases rather nominal than 

 real ; and that in those countries where labor is highest, 

 in regard to price, there the greatest encouragement is 

 always offered for the exercise of the ingenuity of man, 

 in curtailing and diminishing its amount in every possi- 

 ble mode. Sufficient and ample evidence of this im- 

 portant fact is taking place daily before our own eyes, 

 and in our own country. 



Every experienced farmer and artizan well knows that 

 low priced labor is far from being the most profitable to 

 the employer ; the very reverse of this being usually 

 true ; the cost of board being equal. 



In the old world, lands are very dear, and their cul- 

 tivation to a very considerable extent, is effected by 

 manual labor. The poor, by various acts of oppression 

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