BY R. M. JOHNSTON, F.L.S. 177 



fabrics. The same reasoning is applicable to the remaining 

 portions of the real wealth of primary wants and ordinary 

 comforts, all going to show that underneath the nominal 

 proprietorship of the means which produce consumable 

 wealth, the share allotted and falling to the humblest classes 

 is greater than is generally supposed. 



If the material comforts are, as shown, most fully dis- 

 tributed according to wants, and not to relative powers of 

 purchase, it may also be shown that the highest forms of 

 culture and enjoyment are within the reach of all. 



We have but to refer to cheap periodicals, cheap editions of 

 valuable works, newspapers ; the stage, music, fine arts. In 

 fact, it is notorious that the more elevated and healthful 

 amusements are obtainable at the least cost, and, owing to the 

 spread of education, it is curious to observe that the children 

 at public schools are now better trained in reading music at 

 sight than are the children of the wealthy in the higher 

 academies. 



If it were possible for the skilled craftsman of the present 

 day to compare his condition with that of his representative 

 of the last century, or even with the rich of the same period, 

 he would realise that, whatever misery or difllculty still exists 

 among us, the condition of the masses is vastly superior ; and 

 this improvement could not possibly have taken place if the 

 rich in past times had 'personally consumed their yearly profits 

 in the same proportion as the poor ; for if they had the capital, 

 now engaged in meeting the demands of increasing millions 

 of men would not have been saved, and further increase in 

 population would be impossible. 



Capital and Wages Difficulty. 



It may seem a bold and hazardous thing to propose new 

 definitions for terms so frequently defined by the ablest 

 minds, but as in their application it is undoubted that in the 

 many definitions of capital and wages each varies considerably 

 from the other ; and as most of them fail more or less 

 in consistency and relevancy with the matters upon 

 which they are brought to bear, it is not unreasonable nor 

 over-presumptuous on the part of anyone to attempt the 

 solution of the difficulty, so long as these difficulties are also 

 fairly appreciated. 



The expansion or limitation of the meaning of the words, 

 Capital and Wages, I am of opinion, would not be the source 

 of so much confusion if it were more firmly grasped by each 

 one that the terms belong to two important and distinct 

 categories ; the first either wholly or partly related to the 

 agents or powers involved in the Creation or Production of 

 Wants in Exchange; the second either wholly or partly 

 related to the Appropriation of the Wants of Exchange 

 Produced. 



