128 THE. ADDRESSES, LECTURES, ETC., OF 



disturbed by misconceptions, regarding the supposed antagonism 

 between labour, and the capital and skill directing it, which 

 misconceptions have exercised a baneful influence upon the in- 

 dustries of this and other countries in recent times. Both 

 employer and employed have reason to reflect seriously upon the 

 experience gained during the late period of high prices. Whilst 

 employers added largely to their producing plant, and acquired 

 additional colliery and mining property in order to increase their 

 output, and so took advantage, unwisely I think, of the temporary 

 inflation, it can hardly be considered a matter for surprise, that 

 the working classes caught up the feverish excitement, and en- 

 deavoured to obtain their share of the golden fruits that were 

 supposed to accrue to their employers. Scarcity of labour was 

 naturally suggestive of combination, and high rates of wages 

 supplied the means of imposing onerous conditions upon the 

 employer, whereby the development of economical processes was 

 effectually retarded. 



The commercial crisis which ensued has rendered the depression 

 more general and more sweeping than could have been reasonably 

 expected, and now that we find ourselves at what we hope may be 

 regarded as the extreme ebb of the ever-fluctuating tide of pros- 

 perity, it behoves us to consider carefully how a recurrence of the 

 same causes of mischief may in the future be rendered less 

 dangerous in their results. 



One of the most effectual methods of attaining this important 

 result would consist in establishing the relations between employers 

 and employed upon the basis of mutual interest. I hold that 

 capital has its duties to perform as well as its rights to maintain, 

 and that whilst the minimum of wages is that which enables the 

 workman to live with reasonable comfort, both parties would be 

 materially benefited by so arranging wages as to make them pay- 

 able in great measure upon results, both as regards quality and 

 quantity of work produced, whilst, by the establishment of 

 mechanics' institutes, reading rooms, and mutual benefit asso- 

 ciations, in connection with individual works, the feeling of 

 community of interest would be further strengthened, and a 

 recurrence of antagonistic action, so destructive to commercial 

 results, might be avoided. 



FUEL. Next in importance to cheap, or rather to efficacious 



