صفحة 255 من 2651

The employer of the flax dressers would, in selling his flax,

require an additional five per cent. upon the whole value of the

materials and wages which he advanced to his workmen. The

employer of the spinners would require an additional five per

cent. both upon the advanced price of the flax, and upon the

wages of the spinners. And the employer of the weavers would

require alike five per cent. both upon the advanced price of the

linen-yarn, and upon the wages of the weavers. In raising the

price of commodities, the rise of wages operates in the same

manner as simple interest does in the accumulation of debt. The

rise of profit operates like compound interest. Our merchants and

master manufacturers complain much of the bad effects of high

wages in raising the price, and thereby lessening the sale of

their goods, both at home and abroad.