Current:

Leader (1850-1860), 21st December 1850, Edition Country of 1, Page 10, 922 1&ttt ZLtaHet. [Saturda y ,. . . mm ...

Page 10
Page 10
10 of 24

On this page

  • Departments (1)
    • GA irtvi+^X^lZ+ir * / ^C**YY^>t+tV ir ^ $S3nnattO£ jfotBSXtM 1 °
  • Text (7)
  • Transcript

    • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

      Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.

      922 1&Ttt Zltahet. [Saturda Y ,. . . Mm ...

      922 1 & ttt ZLtaHet . [ Saturda y , . . . mm ,-, WfiM «^ BMim » - - i i -- ' iii II 1 mi -- —— ¦ ¦ -

      Ga Irtvi+^X^Lz+Ir * / ^C**Yy^≫T+Tv Ir ^ $S3nnatto£ Jfotbsxtm 1 °

      iMnriaiittt Tm ^ tsn

      The Promotion Of Co-Operation. Those Who...

      THE PROMOTION OF CO-OPERATION . Those who have made the experiment of collecting information of the progress of working-class bodies know with what difficulty the proper information is extracted , not from unwillingness to tell it , but from hesitation . The unusualness of reporting produces disinclination to attempt it ; and , again , there is the doubt so many peisons feel as to whether what they know will be interesting to others . An instance may be given from the north . Most persons in the metropolis are under the impression that only a few cooperative associations exist in the country , that the metropolis affords a few recent instances , and

      that confidence in them is pretty much confined to London . If , however , the reader should happen to stay a short time in Rochdale , he would be surprised to find that whole groups of these experiments exist around that town . There are places where they have been in operation for some time—for years in some caseswith great social and moral advantages , as well as established pecuniary success . Yet none of these associations think of reporting their existence . Each one thinks its efforts of no importance to the public at a distance , and thus the whole are silent , when the voices of the group would reecho in neighbouring counties , and

      reverberate even in London . Even intelligent persons in the midst of them , fully acquainted with all the facts , cannot be induced to report them . The organization now perfecting at the Working Men ' s Association affords a legitimate centre where all such knowledge may be attracted . It would be a useful thing to collect authentic statistical facts of all existing cooperative associations in Great Britain . Perhaps no man could tabulate these more advantageously than M . Jules Le Chevalier . The wrapper of the Monthly Parts of the Christian Socialist would be a convenient and a profitable place to keep the record .

      When , at length , you succeed in convincing those from whom you seek industrial information , they will relate it , not by giving a simple relation of simple facts , but with comments and , perhaps , encumbering theories . It implies a high degree of cultivation , or considerable reflective experience , to see the value of naked facts . In many cases you succeed in eliciting facts by desiring working men to tell you all they know—not interrupting them when they tell you also what they feel and think . You may then enumerate the parts which you wish reported , and ask that so much be written down as told , which will commonly be in striking , homely , and telling language . But it will be well not to trust to this being done ; for

      few men—perhaps only practised writers—have the skill of talking with the pen . Thn safe course is to listen to the narrative you solicit , and make the report yourself . The writer of this lately tried the experiment of standing over a working friend of whom he sought information , directing him to write down from dictation what he himself had said . When his own words were repeated to him , his astonishment was so great , that he could not believe that he had talked an excellent newspaper report . New facts arc continually springing up , which ought to be collected into a central bureau , and thence radiatp in a revised and authenticated form through the press . The Christian Socialists have the credit of attempting organized activity , when those from whom it was to be expected stand b }' , we suppose , to see that done which it

      became their duty and their honour to do . This new ]> arty , therefore , have the means of promoting cooperation in a way not yet attempted . They might appoint an intelligent officer , who should put himself in communication with all the corporators of the country , and out of their letters and reports prepare useful , brief , wellexpressed paragraphs , and send them weekly to all editors of newspapers , who , could they come to trust the accuracy of the paragraphs , and find them written in a serviceable manner , would make it a point to insert them . Throughout the press there is a growing disposition to create departments of " Associative Progress . " Several papers have produced this feature since its institution in this paper . Many others would do it , but they do not know where to look for information . Those

      departments are sure to arise widely in a few years , but they might be initiated now . The suggestion is offered to those who can best carry it out . Every town and village has its cooperative lact or facts now unnoted , and , of course , unrcportcd . The progress is incalculable which might be made in a few years if well-devised and energetic endeavours were made to stimulate editorial attention in this direction . Columns now devoted to police reports of broken heads and wanton burglaries inif-ht be filled with instructive facts of social progress , which would soon load to such a change in the condition of the people that strife and crime would fall so low as to be hardly worth reporting . Ion .

      Christian Coururation.—'Ihe Llevcrencl T...

      Christian Coururation . — 'Ihe llevcrencl T . G . Loe , of Manchester , delivered on Tuesday evening , in the Mechanics' Institution of that town , a lecture on this subject to a numerous audience , chiefly composed ol working men . That there must be something wrong in our nodal system , he ssiid , was obvious from the frequent misunderstandings which arose between persons and elapses . The eperatives of this country had never yet had due respect for themselves , nor had they received

      duo consideration from others . They—the only lnchs-• prnsabli 1 class—had olten viewed with envy the fortunes they had reared for others , wliilo they had neglected to erect fortunes lor themselves . There was nothing in the nature of things to make it necessary that one man should , by the toil of others equally worthy with himself , amass a princely fortune ; while the producers of that fortune were left in the most abject poverty . Wore the men who had thus contrived to climb to affluence to blame more than others ? By no means

      The operatives had worked ; their labour had been productive ; and , inasmuch as they had no notion of turning their own industry to good account , others , more wise , at once came forward to husband it for themselves . But human labour was the great seed of wealth ; and though the working men had lost many splendid harvests they had still the seed in their own hands , and if they began to cultivate their own fields of action , and only use the same diligence in their own service as they had been obliged to use in that of others , none of them need be poor two years longer . The cardinal difficulty ^ which they had to overcome was the want of confidence in each other : —overcome this , and the work was half done . The

      divided state of the working classes had been the strength of their opponents' cause . If the operatives had , during the last twenty years , been looking to some common good , the millions of money spent in drink and other useless indulgences would have been far otherwise devoted . At the lowest computation the operatives of Manchester and Salford had expended on things worse than useless , during the period under notice , £ 15 , 000 , 000 sterling . And what had they to show in return for this appalling outlay ? — miserable hovels , ragged and uneducated children , half-famished and broken-hearted wives , magnificent gaols , an imposing magistracy , a burdensome police , despotic poor-law guardians , and an oppressed manufacture of the

      people . These things were the working men themselves . But if the operatives of Manchester were to begin , under a solemn determination , to improve their own condition nothing could defeat them . There were at least 41 , 000 persons in connection with manufacturing industry within the municipal limits of Manchester ; supposing each of these were to pay one penny per week towards forming a capital for commencing a cooperative mill , there would , in one year , be accumulated a sum of £ 8880 . But he ( the lecturer ) thought there might be found in Manchester and Salford ten thousand persons who could each command two pounds within one month , and thus raise a capital of £ 20 , 000 , with which to take or buy a mill , and thus compete with others who were enriching themselves while

      the operatives were kept poor . But the working men must keep their eye also upon the land . If a fund was established for the purchasing of land , employment for those whose age or state of health might be such as to render labour in the mills inexpedient , might be at once afforded . Some of the advantages which would attend a rightly-directed movement of associative labour were summed up by the lecturer as consisting in the reduction of the amount of poverty in the land—in consequence of the more equal distribution of wealth ; the promotion of education—from the non-requirement of the labour of young children ; the placing of women in their proper sphere—the domestic ; the promotion of national peace and honesty ; and the opportunities afforded for the growth of intelligence and religion .

      The Silk Tkade Board at Macci / esfiei / d . — During the last twelve months the weavers and manufacturers of Macclesfield have been trying an important experiment—that of endeavouring to reconcile the interests of both , and to regulate the price of labour without having recourse to strikes . The experiment originated at the time of a general " turnout , " about a year ago . At this time a suggestion was made to the effect that , if any committee could be formed of an equal number of masters and men , to whom all disputfs relating to prices should be referred , the evils of protracted disputes would be obviated . The suggestion was at once adopted . The masters met , and appointed twelve of

      their number to represent them at the Silk Trade Board , " as it was called , and the men did likewise . The board met , and drew up a list of prices , to which the whole of the masters consented ; and since that time the board have held monthly meetings for the purpose of fixing the wages to be paid for new fabrics , and to transact other business . While trade remained tolerably brisk everything went on harmoniously enough ; but during the last few weeks an almost unprecedented slackness of trade has put the experiment to a most severe test . The weavers cry out against the masters

      for sending work into the country while town weavers arc walking about in idleness . The masters , on the other hand , say they are perfectly justified in sending their work where they can get it done cheapest . While trade was brisk no complaint was heard of work being sent away from the town , because all were fully employed ; and , as the list of prices adhered to by the board is made imperative on the masters for all work done in the town , the town weavers are not permitted to compete for labour with their country fellow-operatives . Hence the fluctuations in trade are scarcely felt

      by the country weavers ; the whole evil of want of employment falling on those who live in the town . One of the results of this state of things is tliHt numbers of weavers are leaving the town for thr > countrj ' , in order to obtain the means of living , which is now denied them . It is evident from these facts that the board must find out some other method of attaining its object . Some of tho manufacturers are beginning to cry out against all interference with wages on the part of the board , and the weavers , many of them , ask for a power to regulate the prices paid in the country as well as in the town , which would require a legislative enactment applicable to all trades , and to thcTwhole country—an enactment authorizing the establishment of district trade boards for regulating wages . —11 .

      TuKllKUKMrTiox Socikty . —It is very desirable that all tho Communal Building funds bo in before Christmas , and wo hope all our friends will endeavour to raise the sum . Moneys received for the week ending Deo . 16 th , 1850 : —Leeds , £ 3 « s . 4 . 1 ( 1 ; Hyde ( per Mr . Bradley ) , 11 s . Id . ; Iluddi rstield ( per Mr . Gledhill ) , 5 a . ; Newcastle-on-Tync ( por Mr . Woodruff ) , Is . Communal Building 1 ' und : —Leeds , Ifis . ; A . Trevelyan , Esq ., £ 2 ; J . Newton , Edinburgh , ' 2 s , ( id ,, G . Coombs , London , 2 a . 0 d . ; Thomas Woodru ( F , Newcastle-on-Tyne , Is . — D . Gkef . x .

      To Readers And Correspondents. Just Emer...

      TO READERS AND CORRESPONDENTS . Just emerging from a very severe and tedious illness , the Editor finds that the incidents of a slow convalescence render the work of his own pen uncertain ; for this reason the Social Reform letter , in continuation of the Poor Law subject , is necessarily postponed till next week . Many correspondents whose letters addressed personally , may have escaped an answer , perhap s ' even been wholly set aside , will accept the excuse afforded by intense pain and long prostration . It is impossible to acknowledge the mass of letters we receiv e Their insertion is often , delayed , owing to a press of matter * and when omitted it is frequently from reasons quite independent of the merits of the communication . Communications should always be legibly written , and on one side of the paper only . If long , it encreases the difficulty of finding space for them .

      [The Following Appeared In Our Second Ed...

      [ The following appeared in our Second Edition of last week . " ] POSTSCRIPT . Saturday , Dec . 14 .

      The Case Of Mr. George Sloane, Charged W...

      The case of Mr . George Sloane , charged with , cruelty to his servant girl , was again brought forward at Guildhall yesterday , and the examination of witnesses continued . Dr . Heale , physician to the Royal Free Hospital , Gray's-inn-road , who had attended the girl , Jane Wilbred , said he could find no symptoms of any disease to account for her attenuated condition . He believed that it was whollyowing to protracted deprivation of food . He had had her weighed on Thursday , and he found that she did not weigh more than fifty-nine and a half pounds , whereas a person of her height , in good health , ought to weigh from 110 to 1201 b . One witness , a laundress , said she had seen Mrs . Sloane beat the girl in the most cruel manner , and then drag her out of the room by the hair of the head . Mr . Pontifex , clerk to the West London , having made some remark to the magistrate , —

      Alderman Humphery , addressing Mr . Pontifex , said he thought it was very extraordinary that the union of which he was clerk did not take up the prosecution for the poor girl , who was a daughter of the parish . Mr . Pontifex said that the guardians' were willing to prosecute , but were deterred by the expense that would be involved , as die disbursements would not be allowed from the common funds without an order from the Poor-Law Commissioners . The chief clerk informed the court that a similar difficulty nearly caused the abandonment of the charge against Mr . Kenealy , the Commissioners having declined to allow the expenses . Mr . Pontifex said he would be prepared to conduct the prosecution in its future stages .

      Mr . Parker , master of the West London Union , remembered Mrs . Sloane coming to the establishment for a servant , and his calling in some of the bigger girls into the parlour for her to choose from : — " She selected Jane Wilbred , she said , because she was the healthiest-looking of the whole lot , and that , also , she would prefer her to any of the rest , as she had no friends to come to bother her . Mrs . Sloane said she would rather the girl had no friends , as she wished to bring her up to her own ways . Mrs . Sloane asked me what our terms were , and I told her one shilling per week to begin with . She said , Very well , she would

      like to have the girl as early as possible , in a week ' s time . ' I sent to the relieving effioer and obtained from him money , and I purchased for her two suits of everything in the way of wearing apparel with but one exception . She had only one pair of stays . On Thursday , the 19 th of July , 1849 , I took the girl to Mrs . Sloane ' s . Before I left the house I made the girl Jane Wilbred promise to write to me , and let me know how she got on in her new place . Mrs . Sloane said she would see that the girl did not neglect it , and , further , she promised that the girl should have a holiday at the end of the first month , to come and see me . She did not come , neither did she write to me . She was an industrious girl , and in excellent

      healthvery cleanly in all her domestic habits , and also in her person . She was not all inclined to be lazy , but rose every morning at six o ' clock . I never experienced any difficulty in getting her up to her work . She used to serve me as parlour-maid , and nurse to the children . I did not see her again until last Thursday week , when I read the application made by Dr . Marsden and Mr . Phillimore , in the morning papers , and , recollecting the name of Jane Wilbred , I at once proceeded to the hospital and saw her . I did not know her at first , she was so reduced . { Sensation . ) She burst out crying directly she saw me , and could not be pacified until the nurse threatened to send me away again if she did not keep quiet . She held up her poor bony arms , and begged and implored of me to take her home again . "

      Tho unfortunate girl was again brought into court , when the evidence she gave on the former day was read over to her , and she confirmed what she then said in every particular . She is described as not looking any better than when she formerly appeared in court . Her colour is not in the least degree changed from the sickly hue of a person lingering in the last stage of existence . " It was stated by Mr . Alderman Huinphery that a warrant will be issued against Mrs . Sloane , to be put in force as soon as she is lit to leave her bed . Mr . Clarkson , on behalf of Mr . Sloane , said he refrained from cross-exnmining

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Dec. 21, 1850, page 10, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_21121850/page/10/