72 POLITICAL ECONOMY 



tradiction in terms. Voluntary arbitration is an excellent 

 method for settling small points and avoiding quarrels upon 

 matters of sentiment, which are by no means the least serious 

 quarrels ; and courts of arbitration or conciliation will come 

 naturally to be established wherever unions and masters are ani- 

 mated by good feeling ; indeed, they have been established, and 

 have worked well. As a means of determining wages, or any 

 of the main conditions of a contract, they are quite useless, 

 except within very narrow limits. Mr. Kettle arbitrated as to 

 wages by the simple plan of finding out what wages were given 

 in the neighbourhood a very good plan, but hardly applicable 

 on a large scale. Arbitration cannot fix the average price of 

 sugar, land, or labour, though it may decide whether the average 

 price of the day has been offered for any small quantity of these 

 commodities. Until bargains in the market and on 'Change can 

 be replaced by arbitration, arbitration will not replace strikes as 

 a means of determining the market value of labour. 



A much more mischievous suggestion has clearly taken deep 

 root in the minds of some of the Commissioners namely, that 

 trade societies should riot be allowed to exist as benefit societies. 

 In the interests of the community, no less than those of work- 

 men, we earnestly trust that the impolicy of this proposal 

 may be seen in time. It has been put forward, as though 

 in the interest of the workmen ; but the suggestion came from 

 no working man. No man has complained of not receiving the 

 benefit to which he was entitled. No man has complained that 

 to meet such payments to others he has submitted to vexatious 

 exactions exceeding the subscriptions he undertook to pay. The 

 men are thoroughly satisfied with the mutual assurance system 

 which has grown up. Englishmen of the lower classes find much 

 difficulty in setting by sufficient sums out of their earnings to 

 provide against sickness, accidents, or old age, while retaining 

 command of the capital saved. The recklessness and impro- 

 vidence of the Englishman is too well known ; but in the form 

 of subscriptions to benefit societies they do and can save, being 

 unable to withdraw their deposits. These trade and other benefit 

 societies have induced thousands to save thus, who would never 

 save in other ways ; the best unions wholly prevent pauperism 

 among their members. These admirable provisions are to l>r 



