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I am confirmed in these opinions by the fact that, in a
great many occupations in which combinations are quito
unknown, considerable improvements in wages have been
enjoyed, together with a reduction of tho hours of labour in
, many cases. No on0 has over heard of an Amnlgamatod
Society of Cooks and Housemnids, aud yot cooks and houaomaids,
as svery housekeeper knows and fecls, nro able to ask
higher wages nom by 20 or 30 per cent. than they were ten or
twenty years ago. Those mho uscd to got L10 to S1.6 a year
would x;om get bctwcen 513 and 218.
In the sarnc way I believe tllcre has been n general rise in
thc calarics of lucrcautile clcrks; and it WLS 011 this ground
that tho clerks of tho Bank of England not long since npplicd
to tlw Directors for a general advance oE salaries, which they
readily obtained. In all Goverument offices thcro has been
a rise of salaries, varyiag fro111 17 to 70 per cent., nnri tho
Custom €louse clerks are now urging a further advance of
their salaries on the ground that they stand much lower in th6
scale of increase than tho other Government establishments.
Similarly it is found ncccssary by degrees to raise tho wages
of soldiers, policemen, nnd postmen. 'l'bese arc dl facts which
tcnd to s11om that increased money wages arc not necossnrily
due to the beneficent action of Trades Unions. To the cxtcut
of 20 per cent., or more, the rise may be nftor all nominal, and
due to tllc depreciation of tho money in which tho wages are
paid. After we deduct this, the surplus is, in most caso5,
probably duo to tho natural prosperity of the trade; and it is
liberty of trade and industry-not restriction-which favours
industrial prosperity.
VIII.
To go to another point-that of the introduction of
machinery-I really will not insult you by supposing that
you are, generally speaking, opposed to tho introduction of
machinery. It must be apparent to you that it is by the use
of machinery that the power and usefulness and prosperity of
the artizans of this kingdom are created. Opposition to its
introduction is purely snicidal. A11 the more enlightened