34 INFLUENCE OF 



unjust in the labourer to say, you shall fix only 

 on such hours as I choose to dictate. The price 

 for labour will and must vary from a variety of 

 circumstances, but this most frequently arises 

 from a redundant or scanty supply of manufac- 

 tured products ; and the capitalist will naturally 

 and reasonably calculate to receive at least the 

 ordinary interest which such capital would yield, 

 if employed in agriculture, or which he could 

 obtain by lending the same to those who might 

 wish to borrow. This will lead the capitalist to 

 procure his raw material as low as he can ; and 

 labour and food constitute a part of his raw 

 material. 



Thus the merchant, the manufacturer, and 

 the agriculturist, proceed to lessen their expenses 

 by every means in their power, whilst the opera- 

 tive tries to enhance the price of his labour. 

 Now this seems a principle to use as the basis 

 of our common and statute law respecting com- 

 binations, and the important inquiry is, how to 

 frame laws to meet exigencies of this kind so as 

 not to infringe upon the liberty of the subject 

 on either side. 



The recent repeal of the modern combination 

 laws, joined to the great demand for labour in 

 every department of our manufactures, has pro- 



