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154 JfETHQDS OF SOCIAL REFORM.
workman an insight into the difficulties of employers; but he
wm strongly of opinion that the plan would cut two ways, and
he feared that it would content the working-men with their
position, and in this way be mischievous. He believed it
would apply to many branches but not to others; but he had CL
faith, moreover, that tho time would come when large capitalists
would conduct business in tho country with a more true and
proper regard to the interests of their workmen than had been
the case.
Dr. Eodgson said they had had an honest as well as an
intelligent man speaking to them, and telling them what ho
had seen, for tho good of all classes iu society. He agreed
with tho Iecturor with respect to arbitration; it showed that
thero wns somcthing unsatisfactory in the state of things.
Suppose that thoy were told that arbitration was an excellent
modo of reconciling di5eronces between husband and wife,
would they consider that an evidence of the satisfactory nature
of the marriage relations? There ought to be no more occttsiou
for arbitration between employer and workman than
between husband and wifc. He had no idea that this principle
of partnerships would supersede the principles of free trade
and competition. As to the amount of the sun fixed as the
first chargo on the business, that was not a matter of equity or
inequity; it was simply a mktter of pure arrangement between
the employers and the employed. There was no principle in
tho matter, just as thero was no principle concerned in a
working-man’s having 30s. a day, or 30s. a week ; it was a pure
matter of arrangement dependent on the labour market.
Professor Jevons did not think there was much difference
between himself and Mr. Applegarth as to the rate of wages;
some workmon, such as the iron-pnddlers, made much moro
than $100. As to the breaking of Trades Unions, he had said
that they either do 00, or place a burden upon posterity. If a
colliery took fire, and the works came to an end, the loss could
not be charged upon future profits. Certain allowances had
to be made for risks of an extraordinary character, and this
was one of them. In the company which Briggs was now
organking he proposed to make 15 per cent. the minimum