BY E. M. JOHNSTON", F.L.S. 



231 



paper, and he agreed with him, that it was not the actual 

 amount of wages paid that benefited the workman, but the 

 satisfactions that could be procured by the results of the 

 labour of the workman. Mr. Johnston had shown what was 

 an undoubted fact, that owing to increased production the 

 working man was able now to get better satisfaction of his 

 wants with bis wages than was the case a few years ago. He 

 attributed the origin of strikes to the combination in the first 

 place of capital, which ruled prices. Of late years, through 

 the improved condition of labour, some of the labourers had 

 been able to make savings which accumulated so that they 

 could do for a certain time without actual labour. They 

 were, therefore, to a certain extent capitalists, and by com- 

 bining they had been able to demand their own terms. He 

 thought that this was the secret of the source and success of 

 all strikes. There was no question but that the product of 

 individual labour had greatly increased, but the question was 

 how this increased product was to be divided if it was the 

 case that, owing to the combination of capital, the amount 

 paid by the consumer was too great in proportion to the 

 amount paid to the labourer. This was a difficult question, 

 but he hoped that it would be settled in the future without 

 resorting to such barbarous methods as strikes. He con- 

 sidered that the main question at issue was whether it was 

 possible by the present appliances to produce a great deal 

 more of the articles necessary for life and comfort than 

 was produced previously ; if so, by labourers having the 

 Weans of getting a larger share in the products their condi- 

 tion would undoubtedly be improved. 



