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Wisconsin state agricultural society. 
individual, and is more exacting; hence the laboring men even of 
America must combine to strengthen themselves, to expose the 
abuses to which they are subjected, to co-operate in the purchasing 
of food, clothing and fuel, and, under favorable conditions, in pro¬ 
duction, and. to mutually improve and help one another. 
The need of some reform in our country which shall make 
the condition of the laboring man more tolerable, is seen in the 
present condition of the class. The condition of the laboring men 
in our large cities, this winter, shows an increased inability to lay 
up money. Everything earned is demanded to meet immediate 
wants. Mr. Wells, in his speech before the Cobden club, asserted 
on the authority of the returns of the Labor Bureau of Massachusetts 
that, in “ the wealthiest portion of the United States, where labor 
is nominally better paid than in almost any other section, the earn¬ 
ings of the head of an average family, engaged in manufacturing 
industry, are not sufficient for its support; and that the deficiency 
must be supplied by the industry of females or minor children.’’ 
He showed, further, that, “in respect to the ordinary necessities of 
life, the purchasing power of labor has decreased in the city of 
New York, since 1860, 19 1-2 per cent., whilst, in respect to what 
might be termed luxuries—wines, precious stones, articles of orna¬ 
mentation, cashmere shawls, etc.,—the purchasing power of labor 
has actually increased.” This means, simply, bad political econ¬ 
omy somewhere, and the laboring men should organize to correct 
the abuse. “ Labor,” said Lincoln, “ is the superior of capital, and 
deserves much the higher consideration.” 
V.—AS TO THE ASSOCIATION OF CAPITAL, 
Our republican democracy seems to have shown itself more 
complacent and facile than wise. Recognizing the undoubted 
impulse given to industry and trade by large amounts of capital, 
skillfully managed, we have granted corporations for nearly every 
possible purpose, giving special privileges and powers of making 
money to organized capital, without much thought of the great 
masses who must make their money, if they made any, by earn¬ 
ing it. Now, what is the result? In the first place, a sum ex¬ 
ceeding our national debt, and probably equal, or nearly so, to all 
our public indebtedness, has been invested in railway stocks, on 
