210 SCIENCE SKETCHES. 



the price of boots was suddenly lowered, until the 

 competing dealer would be willing to sell out on 

 favorable terms to some of the society's members. 

 There were a few dealers in Issoire who still 

 brought boots over from Clermont. These were 

 made to understand that their course of action was 

 unpatriotic, and that it was displeasing to the mem- 

 bers of the Equitable Society. The office of the 

 octroi was visited by several men who accused one 

 of these dealers of having silk stockings concealed 

 in an invoice of boots from Clermont. All the 

 boxes were opened and each boot examined. 

 Then all were thrown in a pile by the side of the 

 street. The owner gathered them up as well as he 

 could ; but the street boys helped him, and before 

 he knew it several boys and several pairs of boots 

 were missing together. And so in a hundred ways 

 the Equitable Society discouraged outside and in* 

 side competition, until at last the entire boot-trade 

 fell into its hands. 



But the rise in the cost of boots had its effect on 

 the workingmen. Clearly the increase in the price 

 of boots was due to the growth of labor, for the 

 price of hides was no greater than it was before, 

 while the value of hides made up into boots was 

 materially higher. If a day's work was worth five 

 francs, before, nine francs was not too much now, 

 when labor was so much more valuable to the 

 capitalist. 



The big workman Jacques thought this out, and 

 in the caft of the Lion d'Or he advised the work- 

 ingmen to march in a body to the President of the 

 Confidence Society to demand their rights. They 



