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Leader (1850-1860), 15th May 1852, Edition Country of 2, Page 15

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      Wagner Analyzes. Why Does The Brave Engl...

      A . ppzinir hands with the Wow , has execrated it ; I haa retreated to find rent in the voice of art , . ^ Molt the English envy and cannot imitate . The Srman Wagner only p hilosophizes : he Has taught the maJttle of a JVlephistopheles .

      May 15,1852;] The Leader. 467

      May 15 , 1852 ;] THE LEADER . 467

      French Strychnine And English . : ¦ ¦ -¦...

      FRENCH STRYCHNINE AND ENGLISH . : ¦ ¦ - ¦ " ; - . ¦ ¦¦¦ ' ¦ BEEK . ; ¦ ' ' ; . . . .. we are happy to be able to announce , on author ritv that the anxiety of the French government with regard to the destination of the strychnine manufactured in Paris , as far as English bitter beer is co ncerned , is at an end . Had that government , f it ever heard of the circumstance at all , given itself the trouble to inquire about the alleged laro-e quantities of strychnine made in Paris , of whose destination and objects it was stated to be ignorant , it would have discovered what we now know , that there was no foundation for the charge ¦ w hatever . We have no dotibt at all of the good likely to result from lectures on public health ; let us arm the public at all points against death , whether "in the pot" or any where else , but we must beseech the bland instructors in the principles of hygiene , to adhere to the truth in all they say . le nave no public lecturers on health in England paid by the government , but we have a good many private tutors who do this kind of work , and amongst others our contemporary the Lancet , employs an analytical sanitary commissioner , who before he asserts a thing to be adulterated has proved it to be so , has sent for the article , analyzed it , knows its contents , and gives the name and number of the person who sells it . Not so with Professor Pagen , who lectures on public health in Paris ; he slates , ex catfiedrti , that the government of France is aware that large quantities of strychnine are manufactured in Paris , and that it is sent to Englandtherewith to make bitter beer . Of coarse those persons in this country # ho had been prophecying an invasion of the French , and a destruction of our lives

      and property , saw in this fact the fulfilment of their prophecies . But Mr ; AJlsOp and Mr . Bass saw in it something more , They knew the statement was false , but felt that the insinuation Tincon tradicted would at least be an invasion of their property , to which they ought not to submit . In order , therefore , to bring the matter at once to a point , Mr . AllsOp commissioned two of our

      most distinguished chemists , Professor Graham , of University College ^ and Dr . Hoffman , of the Eoyal College of Chemistry , to examine specimens of all his stores , and see if they could detect the deleterious ingredient . We have now before us the report of these celebrated chemists , and the conclusion they have arrived at is , that after having examined aoove twenty specimens of Mr . Allsop ' s beer , they were able to state , with

      the most perfect confidence , that not one particle of strychnine was contained in any of these beers . The report is a beautiful instance of the perfection which the chemistry of the present day has reached ; so perfect are its processes , that had but one thousandth of a grain existed in a gallon oi beer , it could have separated it from the beer , mj au ? rded abundant evidence of its existence , llio evidence of the presence of strychnine is so simple that any one can satisfy himself on the point . All that is necessary is , to add a drop of undiluted oil of vitriol to the strychnine , and Dr mg it in contact with a morsel of bi-chromate ot potash , when immediately there ensues a ueauutul

      evanescent violet colour , which occurs with no other substance . JNor has the evidence acquitting bitter beer of jaogmjtof " poisoning" closed here . We find ft tJ ^ t number of the Chemica l Reco rd , that ' o \ ^ ormanby has not only examined specimens tL , ° 5 from Mr . Allsop ' a stores ( selected E f ' barrels ) , but also from Bass ' s , J ^ oor o s , and other brewers , both in and out of I _ j ' 7 wm , \* a MX U TV Ui O j 9 J \ J 9 Jli . JIJL UtXUL UUW \ JM .

      f ' i ' and that in no ono instance has ho arhS ? ^ S atest indication of the alleged ua ration . rors ° nk thifl Ol ? £ . fc to b ? a ! 08 son to" glib loctutlmf * ow Ottsy is it to insinuate a suspicion won ay ., ruin a * individual , nay , a class , and ( Inn , ! * i i , a business on which thousands iff lctfor thoir livelihood . Nor docs Profossor J £ ° ° n » o well out of this . Ho has boon fenoo fw T subject , and Bays , in his dowlin ?' i llG hna hoon misrepresented , That am nvf ? tatecl Wn 8 » that the lato M . Polletier , JtatS l j manufacturer of organic products in from ' ? 'i , twelve years ago , a large order m England for strychnine , and that he had

      ¦ understood that it was employed to complete the bitter of * some kinds of beer . But , adds M . Pagen , I stated my conviction that this fraud had ceased . His reporters were certainly not obliging enough to add the last comment , and on looking back to the original notices of his lecture , we cannot but think that M . Pagen brought the subject in ^ an injudicious manner before his audience . What then has become of the strychnine sent by M . Pelletier to England ? There are two ways in which it has been employed ; which will account

      for its consumption . In the first place it is used to poison animals , and in the second it is employed as a medicine . In this latter way much more was used at one time than the present , although in a large nuntber of Cases it is still regarded as a valuable remedy . We should like very much to know how large a quantity of strychnine M . Pelletier sent into this country , as it strikes us very forcibly that this would settle the whole question ; In conclusion , let us hope good will come

      of this inquiry . The Lancet Has promised an examination of beer . We trust that Mr . Wakley will send his commissioner to the places where the poor man buys his porter as well as where the rich man gets his " pale ale . " The chemist must not stop at strychnine , let him look out for green vitriol , sulphuric acid , tobacco juice , eoceulu 8 indicus , and other of those precious commodities known to the gentry called brewer ' s druggists . ; iiet these be fully brought before the public eye , and we may yet have to thank M * Pagen for his incautious charge against our bitter beer .

      The Manchester Working Man. A Stoet Of C...

      THE MANCHESTER WORKING MAN . A STOET OF COMPETITION . The fact will come out one day that the well understood interest of the masters is to take care of their men . The suggestion of late years made , that employers should accord to their workmen a share of their profits ^—a suggestion which has received little encouragement hitherto—we shall live to see accepted with cheerfulness , and adopted in self-defence . The class of great masters are by no means well pleased to see the class of little masters spring up and succeed diminishing the profits of large investments , and intensifying competition . The great masters have themselves to thank for the increase of their small , unwelcome , but indefatigable opponents . The harsh and ill-considered monopoly of all profits by the employer , outrages the workman ' s sense of justice , and stimulates him to try mastership for himself . The Co-operative Workshops , everywhere multiplying , are symptoms of the reaction of self-employment against the blind cupidity of mastership . The great establishments already existing might at once become efficient and profitable co-operative firms by the intelligent initiative of the masters , who might by common consent retain the lion ' s share . They will , however , listen to no division of surplus , and thus they force antagonistic confederations into existence . These small co-operative

      efforts will succeed . Despite of some internal strife , serious misunderstandings , and limited capital , they will succeed . The doom of monopoly , whether founded on the favouritism of Parliament , or upon tho private combinations of plethoric capital , is scaled . Tho public morality and tho public interest are both against it . Many wealthy establishments now flourishing , and which might continue to flourish wore the workmen made sharors in tho profits , will be broken up within tho next few years .

      In Manchester there exists , at present in a disordered ebbing condition , a recently flourishing Coffceroasting company . At their commencement they mado no profits ; but engaging a servant , of whoso fidelity and knowledge they still speak ( for special reasons ) approvingly , pecuniary matters soon nionded . Under his superintendence and practical skill tho company began to command profits . For several ycara this continued , and they wore enabled " to pull down thoir barns and build greater . " Yet during this period this servant received no proportionate share of those profits which his fovtilo industry created . Ilia

      strength was being exhausted ,, and his host years were being spent , without any adequate provision being offered him against tho dayn whon both youth and vigour Hhould Jail ' . Tho discussion of tho associative phase Of Political Economy , which is doing so much for tho working classes of this country , awakened in him ft justifiable- curiosity on i \ m point- Ho was neither a Holilsh , a discontented , nor a hasty man , and ho spent two or three years in rovolving tho chancos ho had of finding some industrial security conceded to him by the company whom ho served . Ho watched tho disposition and conduct of his employers , in cases

      from which he had something to hope or to fear . At last , the painful conclusion was forced upon him , that he must protect himself while strength and energy remained . To have even hinted a desire for higher wages would have cost him his situation instantly . He would not only have been starved like the Amalgamated Engineers , but have been humiliated when he was beaten—struck when he was disarmed— -kicked when he was down . To have asked for a share of

      the company ' s profits would have been treated as the presumption of industrial lunacy . He who risks a few hundred pounds of capital may claim profits ; but he who risks the capital of his manhood , his skill , and life , is frowned upon as an impertinent and dangerous upstart , if he asks . for a share of that surplus which his own hands , brains , and strength have created . Such are the ethics of capital in our Christian land ! This workman , therefore , wisely resolved to set up" for himself , and wrest by Competition what was denied by Social injustice . In this , however , he exemplified that better feeling and honourable conduct which workmen have much

      offcener displayed of late than their employers . He made no attempt to get the custom of his late masters To their customers lie preferred no solicitation whatever , but by . independent advertisements appealed to the general public for a share of their orders . More than this , he resolved not even to add fuel to that encroaching competition which is the disgrace of this counter-jumping age and the demoralization of traders . Not only would he not undersell his employers , he raised the price of his coffee-roasting many per cent ., offering , in return , his ripe experience , and thorough knowledge of the business , and his industrious punctuality .

      And his claim to better payment has been respected . How did this company of employers meet this manful and honourable opposition ? They reduced their prices still lower ( they had reduced them in another competitive contest two years before ) , and by still meaner arts sought to destroy the trade of their late workman , whose only crime was , that he had ceased to serve them unrequited . This man , however , trained in the school of self-employing association , has been too brave to fear , and too honourable to stoop to the usual arts of competitive retaliation . He maintains both his ground and his commendable spirit . Nor has this

      wealthy company succeeded against him , nor are they likely to succeed . They engaged another servant in his-place ; but though they could buy a man , they could not buy the knowledge , the integrity , the untiring industry with which their former servant voluntarily advanced their interests , while he had hope of living by the discharge of his conscientious duty . Nor can they , at competitive wages ( that is , by giving the least payment for the most labour ) , find any men able to compete with tlie honest industry of one who is also animated by the receipt of his proportionate share of profits .

      The Cooperative Associations of the Manchester district are lending help to tho subject of this anecdote . The profits of the company of coft ' ee roosters have again sunk to zero ; and tho successor they have forced into the field will soon have a permanent occupation there . One of the early numbers of the Leader contained a letter from the working man referred to in this narrative , upon the adulterative phase of tho coffee-roasting trade . Tho good sense in which it was conceived , and tho practical facts communicated caused its insertion , winch was tho occasion of tho present writer , on a recent visit to Manchester , inquiring into his experience , arid learning , the particulars communicated in this short story .

      Thin narrative is ono of many illustrations that might bo given of tho value and justice of tho self-employing associative advocacy to tho working class : and it also shows that the recommendation of Industrial Partnerships between Workmen and Employers , so far from being Utopian or detrimental to tho profits of Capital , is tho only mode whereby dangerous competition may bo averted , and vested interosts secure a profitable and harmonious operation . Ho it said to masters who have ears to hear , that tho participation of profits with Workmen is but a well understood system of solf-dcfenco for Employers . ION ,

      On The Cultivation Of Flax. J[0w To Ob0w...

      ON THE CULTIVATION OF FLAX . J [ 0 W TO OB 0 W WHEAT BENT - VUEJ 3 . II . In our paper of tho lnt inal ; ., wo demonstrated , satisfactorily ^ wo think , tho probability that an English former , by tho nhnplo introduction offiox into hisrogulnr rotation of crops , could grow nino-tenths of all his other produce rent-free ; and in support of our proposition , wo quoted tho example of Mr . Wurncs , of Trhnmgham . In < ror prtifionfc article wo propose to supply some 'ftttWwic

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), May 15, 1852, page 15, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_15051852/page/15/