398 THE REIGN OF LAW. 



are found to have fallen into the inevitable track 

 of competitive industry, when unrestricted by law, 

 — namely, to cheapen prices by the employ- 

 ment of women and children in the first instance, 

 and then to increase production by protracted 

 hours of work, without much regard to age, to sex, 

 or to physical capability." This is the result of 

 Nature — of Nature, at least, such as ours now is. 

 But it is the result of that Nature with all its 

 nobler powers allowed to sleep. Power to control 

 such evils has been given to Man, and he is bound 

 to use it. " Free labour, even in a free country," 

 as Mr Baker says, " requires the strong arm of the 

 law to protect it from the cupidity and ignorance 

 of parents."* And by the " strong arm of the law" 

 is meant nothing but the law of Conscience and of 

 Reason asserting itself over the lower instincts of 

 our nature. If under such conditions of society, 

 higher motives are ever to prevail, they must be 

 supplied from without, and must be imposed in 

 authoritative form through the legitimate organs 

 of Positive Institution. 



* Reports of the Inspectors of Factories, half-year Oct 1S64, 

 p. 84. 



