HISTORICAL. 5 



Committee, or other body, it was regarded as a liberal 

 recognition of democratic theories, but it occurred to no 

 one that they should be represented on equal terms. 



A year or two ago I had occasion to attend a meeting in 

 the market town of a typical agricultural district. It 

 purported to be a conference between the representatives 

 of farmers and of farm-workers with regard to a dispute 

 then in progress. I was shown into the conference room, 

 where I found the farmers assembled in force round a 

 large table, and I was honoured with a seat at the head of 

 the table by the side of the Chairman. After some discussion 

 among themselves the Chairman announced that they were 

 ready to receive the representatives of the workers. About 

 half a dozen of them entered, and were ranged on a form 

 against the wall at the lower end of the room. The Chairman 

 addressed them civilly enough, but with much the same 

 air of condescension as a magistrate assumes in speaking 

 from the Bench. I am sure that no offence was intended 

 or taken. The position seemed perfectly natural to both 

 parties. It was the normal and habitual relation of master 

 and man in discussion. 



The Agricultural Wages Board was the expression of a 

 new relationship. It was a body formed to discuss and 

 decide certain vital economic questions affecting Agricul- 

 ture, and its members met not as " master and man " but 

 as " man and man." It was an agricultural body really 

 and fully representing the interests of working Agricul- 

 turists, and recognising the equality of capital and labour, 

 to which Lord Ernie referred in his address. 



The title of the Agricultural Club was deliberately chosen 

 to embody the idea that the familiar term " agriculturist " 

 is not synonymous, as is frequently assumed, with " farmer." 

 The largest number of agriculturists are those who actually 

 till the soil, and they are strictly entitled to be so described. 

 It is in fact a stretch of language, etymologically at any 

 rate, to describe as an agriculturist one who employs others 

 to cultivate the land for him. 



The location of the Club and of the Wages Board was 

 interesting, architecturally and historically. The meeting- 



