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—v ¦ ¦ . ¦ .¦¦ .. 1M THE LEADER. [g^fi ^
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PROGRESS OF ASSOCIATION. THE MASTEKS * 8...
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NATIONAL DEFENCES. A.nnrx.K club having ...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Poor-Law Association And 'The Weekly Dis...
family , should it not govern national economy ? Reduce the annual charge for pauperism from five tofour millions sterling , the million so saved , what is it but so much money retained in the hands of the people , to be expended in the' purchase of articles produced by the independent labour " at large" ? Reduce it two millions more , by the common-sense application of the labour of the poor to works of a reproductive character , and the two millions go to the purchase of products in the general market . All this is quite irrespective of the humane feature of the questionor the collateral advantages derived by society
, from the instruction of the poor in habits of thought and industry , and their preparation for a future life of selfreliance . At all events , it is surely high time that Free Traders should cease to stultify themselves , and ignore their own principles , by calling ou , t for " protection to native industry , " against the competition of the labour of our own poor—whom , whether we like it or not , we must support—after having exposed the same native industry , whether agricultural or manufacturing , to the competition cf all the nations of the earth .
" Publicola" is easily pleased with some things , for he derives great , consolation from a recent return , which shows that the number of persons in England and Wales on the list for poor-relief , fell from 862 , 827 on January 1 , 1851 , to 835 , 360 on January 1 , 1852 , —the interval , be it remembered , having been one of remarkable activity and prosperity among the working-classes . The damning fact remains , that in a period of almost unprecedented
animation in the principal seats of national industry , nearly a million of paupers , day after day , are fed , lodged , clothed , nursed , physicked , and buried at the expense of the community . That , under the present system of administering the poor-law , this burden will be augmented , in the inverse ratio to the ability to sustain it , in a season of monetary or manufacturing crisis , brought about by over-competition or other causes , which may operate under free trade as well as other systems , no one can for a moment
question . In glancing across the Channel , and contemplating the condition and prospects of " poor Ireland , " I am sorry that I cannot look through the rose-coloured spectacles which have been applied to " the eyes of " Publicola , " who has discovered that " a process is going on there of a consolatory and encouraging character . " Alas ! this is but " fancy-scene painting , " which , he tells us , is the abiding sin of Mr . Carlyta The annual charge for the support of pauperism increased from 37 .. 00 Q / . in 1840 , to 803 , 000 / . in 1847 ; to 1 , 826 , 000 / . in 1848 -, to 2 , 177 > 000 Un 1849 ; falling to 1 , 430 , 000 / . in 1850 . By a return placed in
the hands of members of the House of Commons at the commencement of the session , the numbers relieved in workhouses in 1848-49-50-51 , respectively , were 610 , 578 , 932 , 207 , 776 , 532 , 709 , 235 ; while the deaths in these years , in the workhouses , were 47 , 756 , 73 , 170 , 47 , 172 , 48 , 332 . 216 , 390 persons died in the Irish workhouses in the course of four years ; upwards of a thousand a-week , exclusive of the frightful mortality outside of the workhouses , some idea of the magnitude of which may be formed from the statement that 1225 died oihunger in the Kilrush Union for the year ending March , 1851 . The Irish government organ , the Dublin Evening Post , which , of course , is not indisposed to put the best possible face on matters , in
publishing the above return on Saturday last , says , " It will be seen from the foregoing that , although the number of those relieved had greatly diminished , the deat / ts have increased . Most probably this is owing to emigration , which left the old and feeble in the workhouses . " The truth is , that death and exile have made sad havoc among the once-teeming Irish millions . The numbers in the workhouses , as well as the numbers outside , have diminished ; but have we a right to congratulate ourselves on the result ? Have we reason to rejoice , and call this solitude " peace" P As well might the parent rejoice in the restoration of health and tranquillity to his hearth , after having seen the flower of his family carried off from him by disease and misfortune I I have the honour to bo , your 3 , AllCHIBAtD G . STAIIK .
—V ¦ ¦ . ¦ .¦¦ .. 1m The Leader. [G^Fi ^
—v ¦ ¦ . ¦ . ¦¦ .. 1 M THE LEADER . [ g ^ fi ^
Progress Of Association. The Masteks * 8...
PROGRESS OF ASSOCIATION . THE MASTEKS * 8 TEIKB . Tuns strike in the iron trade continues much in the same position . The masters have gainod very little by the famous , or rather infamous , " declaration . " The men have boon " out" sovon weeks ; but , as Mr . Newton justly observed , in St . Martin ' s-hall , on Monday ,
many of thorn huvo been forced , by dearth of employment , and monopoly of employment caused by the system of overtime ; to bo out much longer . Altogether , the declaration policy , whioh Mr . Coningluun called a <• most disgraceful proceeding , " sooins to huvo failed , as it deserved to fail . At the meeting in Longacre , Mr . Newton stated some faotn illustrative of tho present position of tho question : —
" Tho 1600 skilled men at work in Manchester had never been turned out . Sharpo ' s Hhop had not more than four skilled men at work . Mr . Fairbairn had endeavoured by misrepresentations to engage hands at Newcastle , but had failed . Mr . John Platt , also , had made a similar mij > ttcce 88 f . ul attempt at Glasgow . Both towna h ^ d no ^ oniy
" The great strength of the Amalgamated Association was the defensive position which it had maintained . Ihe manner in which it had been supported by the trades throughout the country showed a determination to resist the tyranny of the employers , and the prophecy that their funds would be exhausted , and that they would be starved out in a month , had completely failed . Let the question be settled in any way , many sacrifices would be made , and it was for the support of such members that they were resolved to carry out the scheme of co-operative workshops not of
acted in this noble manner , but had ^ supported them with money contributions . ( Cheers . ) The ' declaration' had proved a complete failure , and the masters were now again contemplating to close their shops until they could get a nroper understanding with their men . Some of the men who had signed had only earned 3 s . in two days , and only 15 s per week , and the foreman declared that thai was more' than' they were worth . There was no mutuality in the ' declaration . It was aUfrom the workman to the master , and none from the master to the workman bo little did the masters think of it , that they were discharge ing men who had signed it with contemptuous expressions . The masters had discharged apprentices because their fathers would not work , and vice versd . :
Next week they proposed to summon a meeting , their own , but of all trades , and to lay their course and principles of action before them . It had been computed that the present strike had cost the country 100 , 000 / . In Manchester the masters would give up overtime if they could get the men to work piecework . In London they would give up piecework provided they got overtime . Let them each give way , and they would find themselves in a better position than by remaining in antagonism with their men as at present . " ( Cheers . )
Mr . William Coningham was present at the same meeting , and made an excellent speech , full of instruction and sound advice . He first ; pointed out the advantages of co-operation : — " There was one point to which he had paid particular attention—viz ., co-operative associations . ( Cheers . ) He believed that the principle of co-operation was the most important practical means that the working classes possessed to emancipate themselves from their present dependent state on the capitalists of the country . ( Cheers . ) It was not merely the object of the employers , with whom they were contending , but it was the principle entertained that it
by all the holders of capital in the country , was necessary to keep the working classes in the state in which they had been . It was clearly their interest to emancipate themselves from that state , to make themselves selfdependent ; and he maintained that it was quite possible , by a combination of small capitals , to establish a system which would effect this result . An improved ' law of partnership had been introduced and discussed last year , and the Whig government had pledged itself to bring forward a measure on the subject , but it was now shelved for the present session . He had observed the state of things in Paris , and , whatever might have been said to the contrary by the press , ho maintained that the Paris ouvriers had
been eminently successful in their attempts . ( Cheers . ) There were associations at that time in existence having each nearly 200 members , while some numbered 80 and 100 men , employed by their own capital . In almost all the instances they were associations started with extremely small capitals , yet they had been brought to a prosperous state timid enormous pecuniary and political difficulties . ( Cheers . ) Every obstruction had been thrown in their way , and tho opposition to them had reached its culminating point under the military despotism which now prevailed in France , and the consequence was , that they had formed an emigration benefit socioty to carry themselves and their slcill to tho shores of America . " ( Cheers . ) ¦
Afterwards ho showed , by a reference to Franco , the benefits of combination : — " There were two important towns in France—Rouen and Nantes . Tho working-clnsscs in Nantes were well off and well paid , and maintained those of their body who were out of work by combination . In Rouen , combination at one time existed , but had been broken down , and the consequence was , that tho working-classes there were completely at tho mercy of their employers , and were in tho most miserable condition . " The aspect of tho prosent struggle to him was that of a declaration of war between capital and labour . Tho following resolution marks tho firmness of the men in tho maintenance of their position : —¦
" That this meeting , believing it to bo impossible , with justice to tho operatives , to resume work , whilo they arc nailed on , os « tho preliminary to doing so , to sign a declaration which would take from them all power of combination and every vestige of independence , pledge ' thornsolves to remain firm in their refusal to consent to the'terms cudcavoiired to bo enforced upon tljem . " Lout weolc , several engineers nt ; avted for Belgium . TIioho aro " signs" which the masters will do well not to contemn . At SheornoHs there is a Coiiporntivo Sooioty , which has lately oxtonded its Im « ino » H . It is said tho late Admiralty betrayed a strange and suspicious curiosity in inquiring what workmen belonged to this society ,
BEPBODTJCTIVE PATJPEB XABOUB . The rate-payers of Bolton held a meeting m tT , Town-hall on Thursday week , to consider the propriety of petitioning Parliament in behalf of the substitmti of reproductive labour in Poor-law Unions , instead of the prevailing system of compulsory idleness , and use less and odious task-work . Mr . R . Heywood , the Re " J . S . Birley , several other magistrates , and some mem } bers of the Town Council , were present . Mr . A Gr * Stark attended as a deputation from the Poor-law Association . Mr . Heywood presided . Mr . Stark
explained the objects of the Association which he represented , and alluded to the triumphant success with which the changes they recommended had been attended in various parts of England and Ireland , wherever they had been worked out with judgment and caution . We " lodged , fed , and clothed nearly a million paupers , not one of whom was allowed to return . one solitary sixpence in -lieu-of-the relief extended to him ; and yet the relief was doled out to him as one would throw a bone to a dog . Every man
was deeply interested in this question ; every workingman paid towards the poor-rates , either directl y or indirectly , and all were entitled to see that the institution supported out of their funds was conducted on principles of economy , morality , and common sense . It was right that the working classes should see that in the day of trouble and distress they could have a refuge to which they could apply for shelter " without losing all that self-respect which was the very bone and sinew of man ' s existence . "
Mr . Stark was much applauded throughout his speech . A working man named Ralph Kennedy spoko in support of one of the resolutions , and eulogized tho system of reproductive labour as the best measure ever propounded for the regeneration of the working classes A petition embodying the objects of the association was adopted . The strike of the ship-carpenters at Hylton , near Suriderland , still continues . The shipwrights of Sunderland have voted 1 OOI . to their fellow-labouxers at Hylton . . ' -. :..
A large number of registered cqal-whippers of the Port of London struck for an advance of 2 d . per ton wages on Thursday week . It is said that , in the main , they have successfully carried their point : compliance being the rule , and resistance the exception , on tie part of the captains . CENTRAL CO-OPEBATIVE AGENCY , Weekly Report , Feb . 17 to . Feb . 24 . The Agency transacted business with the following stores : —Ullesthorpe , Leeds , Mauchline , Braintrce , Middlesboro ' , Banbury ,. Birmingham , Hey wood , Woolwich , Glasgow , Svvindon , Portsea , Galashiels , Edinburgh , and Norwich . A package , of samples of cobourgs , alpacas , & c , has been consigned to the Agency from the Bradford Co-operative Store , and are now on view at their offices . The Agency are in continual receipt of demands for prospectuses , catalogues , and rules , from co-operative stores in course of establishment in different parts of England , Scotlandand Wales .
, „ W *^ ^ rf ^^ F V " * ^ * V ^ W V 1 * " K * . * ^»^"" « . * V _ n The report of the official accountant on the books ot the Agency for the first nine months has just been scut m , and the principal statements will be mentioned in the yearly report of tho partners to the trustees and supporters of the establishment , which is in course of preparation , and will bo rendy in the beginning of April . 1 he last weekly report stated the mode of distributing bonuses to tho customers of the Agency . Some analogous arrangements have been proposed by the Agency to their wholesale customers . Hitherto the large and daily increasing business of the establishment has been carried on by tno Agency paying cash for everything , and only upon tno it be sum
capital advanced by its founders . Now , may that the first experiment , which was tried at thfi « sk the founders , has proved successful ; and tho timo n « como when the increase of the grocery business , tno convenience of giving more extension , cither hi London o the counties , to the counteracting of adulteration , nnu start several new departments of tho Agency , musi »» provided for by an accession of capital coming » w "' «' supporters and customers of the Agency . To th « t clicci , some proposals arc in contemplation , winch will do known at the next general meeting . This now «« I ) C " . tho business is tho more worthy of attention , as » y (• raise , of capital would onalilo tho A ^ ncy to innki boi efforts for-opening a new field , not leas amporluiii i «« rf BucRusa of tho co-operative principle , namely , tlio hi the , produce of the different associations .,
National Defences. A.Nnrx.K Club Having ...
NATIONAL DEFENCES . A . nnrx . K club having been formed in ¦ Southamp ton composed of proHWsional gentlemon , tradesmen , othorH , Mr . Uoftnott , a noiioitor ( tl » o orig inator o ^ hon . ( secretary to' tho corps ) , a few days »™ co yfio ' of tho Duke of Wellington , who is Xiova-X-wat ^ mi liat tho county of Ilivnts , roqueting to know uimioi rules and regulations tho corns would bo cnuw
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Feb. 28, 1852, page 8, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_28021852/page/8/
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