Friendly Societies^ State Action, and the Poor-laic. 
167 
whose claims for sickness have expired by age, or other limita- 
tion. 
The effort to establish and popularise Labourers' Unions, 
which was commenced a few years ago, has not met with the 
success which the promoters of the movement anticipated. 
There is no valid reason why the employers of farm labourers 
should view the Union with hostility. They can, if combina- 
tion be improperly used, follow the example of their labourers or 
of the manufacturing classes, — combine and protect themselves. 
Where the Labourers' Union is led by men of exceptional 
ability, the results of a struggle with employers who do not 
organise are not likely to be altogether satisfactory. There 
were, however, unmistakable signs in one or two localities 
affected by agricultural strikes, that the English farmer would 
be roused by the action of the labourers to greater care and 
vigilance in the administration of Poor-relief. In this way the 
good of the community, and especially of the country labourers, 
who compose part of it, would possibly be promoted, though 
not exactly in the manner anticipated by their leaders. 
One disadvantage the labourer does not commonly take into 
account when he joins the Union. If he refuses to leave his 
employment when the strike begins, he forfeits all moneys paid 
into the sickness and other benefit funds, and all claim to his 
benefits. He is turned adrift, possibly at an age when no club 
will enrol him on its list of members. 
Some insight will, it is hoped, have been gained by a 
perusal of the foregoing remarks into the present condition and 
probable prospects of the insurances of farm labourers and 
others who belong to the wages-earning class. It will be seen 
that their societies are not improving, and that, unless other 
means are resorted to than those which the law in its amended 
form provides, there is grave reason to fear that they will go 
from bad to worse. The number of societies which register 
their rules and seek the help which is placed at their disposal 
is on the wane. That much opposition to the law, oftener 
indirect than open, is forthcoming, is no matter of surmise. 
Many societies will be maintained, not for the benefit of 
the members, but of their managers. Warnings or remonstrances 
in reports to Parliament by the Chief Registrar will be in- 
geniously twisted into the form of laudatory notices in local 
papers, or answered in so triumphant a manner, that the faith 
in the management, far from being shaken, is greatly increased. 
Doubtless much loss will continue to be inflicted on the 
credulous but honest people who fall into the hands of scheming 
adventurers in the Friendly Society. But the benefit and 
sharing-out clubs of the labouring poor are not fraudulent 
