138 EMPLOYERS AND WORKMEN 



labour almost exactly as it is practised by the 

 inhabitants of an Indian village, as described a 

 little farther back. The bricklayers, masons, 

 plasterers, carpenters, painters, and others have 

 their ov/n special trades, are very particular not 

 to trespass on others, and are jealous of any 

 trespass on themselves. There is little monotony 

 in the work of the men ; on the contrary, there 

 is variety ; they see its progress from day to day, 

 and they can see its completion and purpose. 

 Great numbers of these men by no means work 

 continuously in large establishments ; rather they 

 complete one job and then find a new employer, 

 under whom they complete another. Many of 

 them, on the other hand, work in threes and fours 

 in some small business, to which they remain 

 faithful ; and many wander about, taking a job 

 here and part of a job there, as the spirit moves 

 them. 



There is likewise a large class of workmen, 

 represented by the navvy, who scarcely practise 

 the division of labour, but work otherwise much 

 in the same fashion as the builders. 



It is typical of these different trades — builders 

 and others — that their condition depends on the 

 good or bad state of trade in general, while the 

 good or bad state of trade in general does not 

 depend on them. 



What the workmen we are now considering 

 require, therefore, is plenty of employment at 

 suitable wages. To bring this within their reach 

 it is necessary to do as much as possible for 

 trade in general. When Government has, by 



