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I 16
hfETlODS OF SOCIAL REFORM.
Bat I believe there are no grounds for asserting that a general
rise of wages has been secured by means of Tmdes Unions.
Assuming such a general rise to have occurred, there are
several other causes which would amply account for it. The
liberntion of industry and trade from many mistaken restrictions,
the removal of Government protectivo duties, and the
progress of free trade, in many countries, have thrown manufactures
into a state of progress more rapid than was ever
known before. Our exports nnil imports were doubled in the
twclvo years from 18-54 to 1866. This could hardly fail to
increasa wages in many trades. A candid observer who
inquircd into the subject mould soon, I believe, come to this
conclusion, that it is only in progressive trades that strikes and
combinations succeed at all in raising wages, and it is the
progressivo state of tho trade that is the secret of their success.
It is a littlo of tho breeze of general prosperity which really
fills the sails of the unions.
Continued and extcnsivo emigration has further contributed
to the riso of wages. It has gone so far that we have
henrd complaints, both from theunited States and New South
Wales, that you are swamping the labour market there, and
infringing your own union principles.
Another cause that has contributed to the rise in money
wages is tho depreciation of gold following upon the greatly
increased supplies from California and Australia. It seems
now to bo pretty generally received as true that the prices of
materials nud such articles as are not cheapened by tho
removal of duty or tho improvement of manufactures, have
tended to become seriously higher. It is doubtful whether
the money cost of living has not advanced for this reason, in
spito of the causes which would render it cheaper. Under
these circumstances it was to be expected that wages and
all salaries not invariably fixed would advance; otherwise the
receivers would be worse off than before, instead of better.
I ask you then how you can be sure, supposing you receive 20
or 40 per cent. higher wages now than fifteen years ago, that,
a good part of the increase is not due to the depreciation of
gold, and the rcst perhaps to the prosperity of tmde.