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    noon , " a * provided by the Factories Act- The Bill " as proposed and altered by mine owner */ " says " JEd # eatM » ud $ ' c , sectutu 14 *> S printed EM omitted . ' Of course 1 this is jusfr . wliat we should hare predicated of ignorant , selfish ecouoiabte . On general , and therefore true principles , Is it not better to have fr W-J" ** knowledge than with ignorance ? Aud w » ll not ufeUtgeat labour be more productive and economic than ignorant and consequently gross animal power ? Will not the same true economy principles Sbtain in the case of the miner , whose « mouodmg gangers are peculiarly requiring more than average knowledge of both chemistry , geology , andI the laws of mechanics and general physics , to protect himself from danger , death , and to provide for the satisfactory working of the article required ? Is it true economy to keep these men ignorant , poeketing the present cost of their education , and risking—no necessarily incurring the certainty of accidents , loss of lifewid sicknessand the natural results of stupidity and

    , , sensuality , and the disorders selfish ignorance will and must engender ? Were there no such explosions destructive to life ^ property as those of the Oaks Pit in 1847 , and the Lundhill in 1857 at Barasley , and still more recently the Burradon fcriigedy—¦ all most probaWy the results of ignorant hardihood—we know of two remarkable cases which proved by experience it is far cheaper upon economic grounds to pay for culture and discipline , than to employ ignorant and untrained hands . One of the largest spinning firms in Yorkshire years before the Factories Act compelled the provision of education , provided for themselves a good school , attached to their works , and from the children attending they used to draw their supplies for the factory workers . Another , less euUghtenedj-a rival firm , and nearly as large—seemingly saved the money which was paid for good teachers , books , &c . In a few years , however , the selfish firm found that they could not conduct their works so

    economically as the firm eould who had schools , and so m sheer " self-protection " they built a school , and spent five hundred pounds a year , because it paid better and saved more to obtain intelligent and framed people , than to deal with semi-savages , the condition in which all ignorant children must necessarily be . We therefore assert , it is not sound economy to resist a scheme for securing a good education to the children of miners . It might be that Government felt the influence of the employers . class , for they do not pi-ovide any means of education far miners , or eveu _ direct it to exist at all . They merely cut off from that employment those who cannot read and write . Now- this , besides being grossly unfair to the factory employers , is positively inflicting a punishment upon vieducationneither

    Samuel Holliday ) was also highly culpable for his disregard to the provisions of the Act of Parliament . I had repeatedly but unsuccessfully urged upon him the necessity of better observance of the general and ^ special rules ; nevertheless , ne perseveringly neglected the fencing of his pits , until an unwary boy was fearfully maimed bv falung ' down one of them , on a dark morning in November ; his drawing engine was without break—though the engine man had frequently complained ; his steam boiler had no proper water- ^ uag-e attached to it ; and some of his servants had never been supplied with printed rules ; and at one of his niin . es there was no map ofthe workings . For these various , and numerous delinquencies I deemed ifc incumbent on me to prosecute Mr . underviewer John ) befor

    Samuel Hollitday and his - ( Jaggee , e the Bradford magistrates , who , in order to mark their decided disapproval of such flagrant misconduct and mismanagement , fined the owner £ 35 , besides costs , and the agent £ 30 3 s . besides costs ; and the Bench further expressed an opinion that the penalties inflicted ( though the greatest allowed by law ) were not commensurate with the magnitude of the offences committed . We agree with the worthy magistrates ; but in the name of justice , why does not the law provide that these men may , nay shall be imprisoned , and kept to hard labour , just as the operative is liable to be , whose guilt could not be so heinous really , because they have neither the means nor the knowledge the others have , or ought to have . We could multiply instances by scores of this kind / calling for at least an

    equitable law of punishment . Take just one—a paragraph from the Leeds Mercury , April 10 , 1860 ;—" Fatal Colliery Accident . —On Saturday last , an inquest was held at the house of Mr . Froggitt , the Hare and Hounds Inn , before T . Badger , Esq ., on the body of Hexry Kitchen , hurrier at the Wharncliffe Silkstone Colliery . Deceased , who was about seventeen years _ of a ^ e , was working for his uncle on the previous Thursday , and in pushing a ° corve along , it came in contact with a puncheon , causing a quantity of roof to fall , among which was a large stone . In answer to the coroner , Mr . PLATT 3 , the steward , said he had not seen that part of the colliery for a fortnight . Mr . Badger strongly condemned what appeared to him . to be great neglect , and expressed his intention to write to the government inspector , informing him of it . The jury returned a verdict of Accidental death . "'

    —i » iil 4 a ^ fuyJhflFnri ^ na . ivimdLj ^ ile 3-have hitherto been made arbitrarily by the owners of each mine , and relate , of course , chiefly to their own interests alone . They relate to the time and modes of working , the use of tools , the cure of horses , and the conduct of the workmen . Now , were these regulations guided by principles of equity , and for mutual advantage of masters and men such special regulations are necessary , and would be highly advantageous . It is certain , however , the coal-owners consider their own interest first . In one case , of thirty regulations twenty relate to preserving the horses , and not one to preserve the lives or health of the operative . A horso costs something , — -another man can beset on , without oost . Laws of a most unjust and arbitrary character are enforced by

    Again , we ask , why shouldthis sfewardjbe exempted from imprisonment for wilful neglect , and violation of his duty ? And yet the ! masters do not object to this proposed law , which will exempt them from the penalty of imprisonment . Nor should it be overlooked that colliery owners are in many cases magistrates , and who sifc . upon the Bench in their own casesj _ and who will , voiHhe common principles of Human nature , not be too severe in general upon their own interests . '; . - Many other instances of partiality in law we might give . One amendment of the operatives should be known , as indicative of what they want , and with what reason opposed . In the 11 th section , ifc is provided , that besides the general regulations of government , special rules shall be established for the purpose of meeting the peculiar conditions of the colliery , or workings , which could not be met by general regulations . We have a number of such special

    exorbitant fines , or by liability to imprisonment ; such as that a man shall not smoke , swear , nor be absent or leave work without leave , or on certificate of sickness being produced from a surgeon . Money is deducted for relief in case of accident nnd sickness ; and tha fundu ure to be administered by the muster without control , and without rendering any account , See ., &a Tlio new Bill proposes that all by-luws shall bo first submitted to the Secretary of State , who may disallow or add to regulations necessary for the safety ofthe lives of the employed , &o . The men ask that such bylaws may be publicly exposed for one month , before being submitted to the Secretary of State ; in order that they , who know by experience the conditions requisite , and by bitter experienco the evils inflictod arbitrarily upon them , may have the opportunity of memorialising the Secretary upon the said special

    laws , so that their interests may be attended to , or at least be nob grossly violated , and then enforced and backed by the general laws of the country . And is not this most right and reasonable ? In whatever aspect tills question be viewed , we submit the men's suggestions deserve the most favourable consideration . True economy requires the culture of humauity , and its progression . In colliery workings , a good , humane , and efficient act is required , and would greatly promote the interests of all concerned . Wo hope ,. therefore , all irud . pqliUoul economists in the House will bo t \ b their posts on the 13 th , and promote the real interests of the capitalists even contrary to their will , and in spite of their short-sighted nnd erroneous arguments against the amended bill . Humanity nnd philosophy should go hand in hand f nnd when law is the medium of advancing both , then it will commend itself to all judgments , and be doomed a public blessing because it will promote the public good .

    those unfortunates for the want of -which , z ., , ways nor means are provided . We ask , then , if the operative miners are riot both wiser men and truer economists than their masters , in asking for forty hours' education per mouth ; and for submitting the same means for providing it as has proved so efficient and satisfactory in the Factories Act ?_ _ In continuation we may say to avoid tedium , that ' giving the employers either trouble or expense , avoidable , is always objected * to by them , and sought to be amended (?) , We will , however , instance one rule riot objected to , and trace its bearings . Under the head of " Penalties for Offences against the Act , " we have , in all working coal-mines ; th ^ -rmTiOT--pr--ageitfc--req « M'ed--to--to be

    provide general regulations , and special rules , published , which , if not done , or " if not observed by the owners and principal agent or viewer , or if the general or special rules b 3 neglected , or wilfully violated , such persons shall be liable to a penalty of not exceeding ten pounds , " &c . and then the clause goes on to add , — " and every person other than aforesaid , employed in and about a coal-mine , who neglects , or wilfully violates any of the special rules established in a colliery , shall , for every such offence , be liable to a penalty not exceeding ten pounds , or be impr isoned , with or without hard labour , in the common gaol or house of correction , for any period not exceeding three calendar months , or to be proceeded against and punished , according to the provisions ofthe Act George IV . chap . 34 , intituled " An Act to enlarge Powers of Justices in determining Complaints between Masters and Servants . "

    Here , it is plain , a workman may be fined exorbitantly to his means , or peremptorily imprisoned ; while , to the colliery owners , the fine may be relatively nominal ; and he , and even his agent , or viewer , is exempt from imprisonment , however they may have wilfully violated the law . Now is this fair ? And to show that we are not guessing , —thut owners , viewers , and agents may be as much , nay , perhaps , more in fault than it is likely any of the men can be , we have only to turn to one of the colliery inspectors' reports , where , at page 8 , for 1859 , Mr . Morton , of Wukefield , reports : — "At Mr . Holliday ' s . colliery , near [ Leeds , two heavy misfortunes happened from want of ordinary care , by him and his agents . A miner was sent by kis undeiviewer ( John Jaggeb ) , to work with a candle , close to an unventilated placo ,

    which for several days had been in a hery condition . Jaggeb knew this , but did not even warn the poor fellow ; he had fixed no danger signal ; he made no attempt to remove the gaa , or to provide safety lamps ; and the unlucky collier had no sooner arrived at the spot than the fire-damp kindled , nnd injured him so seriously that for many weeks he was unable to resume his labour . Recklessly and ruthlessly Jaqgeb still tried tp compel other persons with naked lights , and without adequate ventilation , to work in the same hazardous place , and two men were instantly and arbitrarily dismissed by liim , because they hesitated . Moreover Jaggek was knowingly and habitually setting at nought sundry other essential requirements of the special rules relative to air-tight stoppings , doable doors , daily examination of underground works , and regular attention to the furnaces . The proprietor of the colliery ( Mr .

    Untitled Article

    £ lg The header atid Saturday Analyst . [ June 2 , I 860 .

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), June 2, 1860, page 518, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2350/page/10/