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so far blended, often largely combined in the same person, 
that no line of separation can be made applicable to them, 
as a whole, the working classes are thus all “ operatives,” 
and as such they may be taken to constitute a distinct 
“ order,” and I venture to suggest the propriety of calling 
this the “ wealth producing order,” and if we are then to 
rank as of “ the lower orders ” be it so, but I know of no 
higher order of citizens than those whose productive labours 
sustain the wealth and power of the nation. In the business 
of farming, mining, and several kinds of simple mechanical 
labour, the products are but slightly increased in proportion 
to the numbers employed, by improvements in such bran- 
ches of industry, whilst over the wide field of “ power 
driven machinery ” the products of labour have been in- 
creased to a vast extent— -say to double, quadruple, ten to 
twenty, and in some cases even a hundred fold — compared 
with what the same number of hands could produce if de- 
prived of the new machines and powers now in general use. 
In statistical tables besides giving the rates of increase of 
the population, exports, imports, and the kinds of goods com- 
posing our foreign trade, &c., with the growing wealth and 
revenues of the nation, it would be highly instructive to 
have tables, showing the increasing productive powers of 
labour realised in our times. Manufacturers and others 
employing labour would readily afford the data for such 
tables as to the leading articles of export — -say the money 
cost of labour for each class of goods. This information 
would enable us to form sound opinions as to the chances of 
our continued prosperity in competing with foreign nations 
in the like branches of industry. We have taken the lead 
in making and using superior engines and machinery, and 
with wisdom and prudence in our councils, may hope to 
keep ahead of other nations for many ages to come, especially 
as we have now a well trained army of workers, as well as 
builders of complex mechanisms in sufficient numbers for 
