THE PROGRESS OF THE WORKING-CLASSES. 37. 



An increase of tenfold in the number of depositors, and of fivefold 

 and more in the amount of deposits ! It seems obvious from these 

 figures that the habit and means of saving have become widely dif- 

 fused in these fifty years. The change is, of course, in part due to a 

 mere change in the facilities offered for obtaining deposits ; but allow- 

 ing ample margin for the effect of increased facilities, we have still 

 before us evidence of more saving among the masses. 



There is yet one other set of statistics I should like to notice in 

 this connection, those relating to the progress of industrial and provi- 

 dent co-operative societies in England and Wales. These I extract 

 from the special appendix to the " Co-operative Wholesale Society's 

 Annual Almanac and Diary " for the present year (pages 81 and 82). 

 Unfortunately, the figures only go back to 1862, but the growth up 

 to 18G2 appears to have been very small. Now, however, most mate- 

 rial advance is shown : 



Number of members. 



Capital — Share.. . 



Loan. . . 



Sales 



Net profit 



1S62. 



90,000 

 £428,000 



55,000 



2,333,000 



165.000 



1£81. 



525,000 

 £5,881,000 



1,267,000 

 20,901,000 



1,617,000 



Such figures are still small compared with what we should like 

 to see them, but they at least indicate progress among the working- 

 classes, and not retrogression or standing still. 



To conclude this part of the evidence, we find undoubtedly that in 

 longer life, in increased consumption of the chief commodities they 

 use, in better education, in greater freedom from crime and pauper- 

 ism, and in increased savings, the masses of the people are better, im- 

 mensely better, than they were fifty years ago. This is quite consist- 

 ent with the fact, which we all lament, that there is a residuum still 

 unimproved, but apparently a smaller residuum, both in proportion to 

 the population and absolutely, than was the case fifty years ago ; and 

 with the fact that the improvement, measured even by a low ideal, is 

 far too small. No one can contemplate the condition of the masses of 

 the people without desiring something like a revolution for the better. 

 Still, the fact of progress in the last fifty years — progress which is 

 really enormous when a comparison is made with the former state of 

 things — must be recognized. Discontent with the present must not 

 make us forget that things have been so much worse. 



But the question is raised. Have the working-classes gained in pro- 

 portion with others by the development of material wealth during the 

 last fifty years ? The question is not one which would naturally excite 

 much interest among those who would answer the primary question as 

 to whether the working-classes have gained or not, as I have done, in 



