Part 37 (1/2)

We reply to this, that, according to learned physicians, the left side of the body has a natural weakness, which is very reassuring for the future of labor

Finally, Sire, consent to sign the law, and a great principle will have prevailed: _All wealth comes from the intensity of labor_ It will be easy for us to extend it, and vary its application We will declare, for instance, that it shall be allowable to work only with the feet

This is no more impossible (for there have been instances) than to extract iron from the mud of the Seine There have even been men rote with their backs You see, Sire, that we do not lack in to fail us, there remains the boundless resource of amputation

If this report, Sire, was not intended for publication, ould call your attention to the great influence which systeiving to men in power But this is a subject which we reserve for consideration in private counsel

XVII

SUPREMACY BY LABOR

”As in a time of war, supremacy is attained by superiority in arms, can, in a time of peace, supremacy be secured by superiority in labor?”

This question is of the greatest interest at a time when no one seems to doubt that in the field of industry, as on that of battle, _the stronger crushes the weaker_

Thisanalogy between labor, which exercises itself on things, and violence, which exercises itself on s be identical in their effects, if they were opposed in their nature?

And if it is true that inas in war, supremacy is the necessary result of superiority, why need we occupy ourselves with progress or social econoed by Providence that one and the saonistic principles?

Referring to the new policy tohich coland, many persons make this objection, which, I adthe same end by different means? Does she not constantly aspire to universal supremacy? Sure of the superiority of her capital and labor, does she not call in free con as a sovereign, and conquer the privilege of feeding and clothing the ruined peoples?”

It would be easy for me to demonstrate that these alarreatly exaggerated; that all our great branches of industry not only resist foreign competition, but develop themselves under its influence, and that its infallible effect is to bring about an increase in general consun and domestic products

To-day I desire to attack this objection directly, leaving it all its power and the advantage of the ground it has chosen Putting English and French on one side, I will try to find out in a general way, if, even though by superiority in one branch of industry, one nation has crushed out similar industrial pursuits in another one, this nation has made a step toward supremacy, and that one toward dependence; in other words, if both do not gain by the operation, and if the conquered do not gain the most by it

If we see in any product but a cause of labor, it is certain that the alarm of the protectionists is well founded If we consider iron, for instance, only in connection with the ht be feared that the coift of nature, would extinguish the furnaces of another country, where ore and fuel were scarce

But is this a complete view of the subject? Are there relations only between iron and those who make it? Has it none with those who use it?

Is its definite and only destination to be produced? And if it is useful, not on account of the labor which it causes, but on account of the qualities which it possesses, and the numerous services for which its hardness and ners cannot reduce its price, even so far as to prevent its production aood, under the last statement of the case, than it injures us, under the first?

Please consider well that there are es which surround theard to which we are placed, _in reality_, in the hypothetical position which we examined relative to iron We produce at hoold nor silver Does it follow that our labor, as a whole, is thereby dis, to acquire theeneral labor a _smaller_ portion than ould require to produce thes

We are so er All that external rivalry can do, even in cases where it absolutely keeps us froe our labor, and increase our productive power Is that the road to _supreold were to be discovered in France, it does not follow that it would be for our interests to work it It is even certain that the enterprise ought to be neglected, if each ounce of gold absorbed ht in Mexico with cloth In this case, it would be better to keep on seeing our old is true of iron

The illusion co is not seen That is, that foreign superiority prevents national labor, only under some certain for at our disposal the very result of the labor thus annihilated If -bells, under the water, and had to provide themselves with air by the use of pumps, there would be an i men in this condition_, would be to do them a terrible injury But if labor ceases, because the necessity for it has gone; because men are placed in another position, where air reaches their lungs without an effort, then the loss of this labor is not to be regretted, except in the eyes of those who appreciate in labor, only the labor itself