NOTES BY THE EDITOR. V 



perous. Machinery tends to equalize labor, and to bring it to one 

 standard ; but it is to the highest possible standard. Machinery 

 puts the child on the level with the adult. It enables any one 

 of sufficient intelligence to attend a machine to do as much 

 work, and as good work, as the most skilful man. Machinery 

 spreads a given quantity of work over the fewest possible hands. 

 But what are the unions doing ? Their object is to bring down 

 labor to the lowest practicable standard, and to lower the work of 

 the adult ; to prevent a man of industry and intelligence from 

 doing more than a fixed low average of work ; in short, to spread 

 a given quantity of work over the greatest number of hands. 

 Trade Unions are, therefore, antagonistic to machinery, and the 

 introduction of the latter, instead of hand labor, into every 

 department of industry, is one of the means of counteracting 

 their bad effects. I do not, however, consider that strikes and 

 unions are interfering with the general progress of arts and 

 manufactures, or the civilization of the world at large. On the 

 contrary, their tendency is perhaps to benefit the general cause 

 of civilization, by improving the resources of other countries . . 

 .... The price of labor in this country, combined with the 

 low standard of work allowed by the unions and the uncertainty 

 in the labor market, which prevents manufacturers entering into 

 large contracts with safety, must break down some of the monop- 

 oly we have enjoyed, especially in the iron trade. It is for the 

 working men of England seriousl}" to consider whether they are 

 wise to follow a course of action which may drive away trade to 

 countries fully prepared, by low wages, by a high standard of 

 technical education, by the introduction of railways, and by the 

 development of mineral wealth, successfully to compete with us 

 in the markets of the world." 



The limitation of times of labor, the depression of the sober, 

 industrious, and most skilful workmen to an average level of the 

 more idle and unskilful ; the exclusion of apprentices, and the 

 dire effects in other branches of the trade or manufacture in 

 which, without wishing to strike themselves, the workmen are 

 dependent on the continued labor of others who will not work, — 

 naturall}' drive capital away into other countries or other trades, 

 and thus leave the infatuated workman with worse prospects of 

 success than when he began the strike. There have been sug- 

 gested as a powerful mode of co-operation, because it appeals 

 more directlv to the self-interest of the workinof-classes, industrial 

 partnerships in which the masters and workmen may unite to- 



