TRADE-UNIONS 57 



accurate representation of the feelings of a majority, and a full 

 expression to the opinions of a minority. The officers are 

 elected by universal suffrage, and all decrees are passed in the 

 same manner. This, we allow, affords small guarantee for a 

 true expression of feeling. Shareholders may all vote, but 

 directors govern ; fellows of learned societies elect, but the 

 councils choose. But why ? Because of the great difficulty in 

 organising any opposition, in finding a nucleus round which 

 discontented members can rally. But trade-unions are divided 

 into many branches, each with a committee and local secretary, 

 each holding a separate meeting, generally in a separate town, 

 before any vote is given. Thus the carpenters have 1 90 branches, 

 the engineers 308 branches : and any discontented branch can 

 express its opposition, and can make known its feelings to all 

 other branches, while the executive council or committee can 

 never personally explain their motives, or personally influence 

 more than a very few branches. No better plan could be devised 

 against the growth of dictation ; and except in small local 

 societies we see no signs of dictatorship. In the large 

 societies the accounts are regularly printed, distributed, and 

 scrutinised by every branch ; and each one has a direct interest 

 in preventing a misapplication of funds by any of the others. 

 The incomes of six of the societies concerning which evidence 

 was given before the Commissioners, ranged from 2,700. per 

 annum to nearly 87,OOOZ. per annum. Is not the collection 

 and successful administration of these funds a very striking 

 proof of the powers of self-government possessed by work- 

 men ? 



Xot an instance of malversation in these societies was brought 

 before the Commissioners ; no workmen appeared to complain 

 that they were defrauded : no complaint was made of any 

 difficulty in collecting the funds. The accounts appear to be 

 well kept, and the expenses of management were not shown to 

 be excessive. (The small local societies, such as those in Sheffield, 

 differ toto <-<tAo from the account just given.) The monthly 

 circulars published by the leading societies are very creditable 

 documents. They record the votes given on all questions by all 

 the branches. They contain the reports from all branches of the 

 state of trade in the several districts : also the number of sick 



