The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-11-29 00:00:00

CAPITAL AND LABOUR.

-in the course of his speech, referring to the relations of
Dayital and Worm, air. Disraeli said
It in an extremely painful thing that of Late years
we so frequently hear of misunderstandings between
the employers and the employed, that they look upon
each o' her with ens,Acion—with mutual suspi ion—as
if each were rapaciously inolined either to obtaia or
retain the greater glare of the profits of their tide;
Chase loci& nte with which you are all acquainted, of
• very painful nature, being the consequence. Now,
I AU3 not talking of demands fur an increase of
waates when 'men are carrying on what is celled a
roaring trade— I believe that is tie classical
epithet (a laugh) when a roaring trade is going
on, I am not at all surprised that working men should
ask for an increase of wages. But the trade some-
times ceases to roar (a laugh), when wages naturally,
on the some principle, assume a form more adapted to
the eircumqtancee. But, no doubt, during the last
twenty years there appears to have been, not a tensing
and temporary cane. of disturbance like thisincidente
of trade being very ac,ive or reduced, but some per.
cement cause disturbing prices, which alike confuses
the employer in his calculations as to profits and an.
barraeses the employed from the greater expenditure
which they find it necessary to make, Now, I cannot
but feel myself —having given to the subject as much
consideration sat could—l cannot help feeling that the
large and c intim ins increase of the precious metal', ee-
pecially during toe-last twenty y-are, has certainly pro.
ducetla. 'neon sidereble effect— Ant only an trade, but no
inconsiderable effort Ii prices. I we: I nest on an cceseion
ii ~• 3/i p to, into any thin like an ab- 'raise .I,scia.sicli.
I confine myself to giving my °Anion and the results;
said this moral, which I think la worthy of considera
tion. If it can be shown accurately and scientifically
that there ia a cause aliening a prominent claw, re-
ducing the average remuneration of the employed, and
cool tieing and confounding the employ or in his calcu-
lilt ions A/3 to pro tite—if that can be shown, and if it is
prored to be the result of inexorable laws, far beyond
the reach of legislatures and of circumstances over
which human beings have no control—l think if thae.
could be ph awn, and employers and ecriplo) el had sufli
dent acuteness and knowledge—and I am sure that ile
Scotland b th will have to acknowledge that re tilt—
would very comb change those mutual feelings
of suspicion and sentiments of a not pleasant cha-
racter which occasionally prevail when they find the'
hey aiyi both of them the victims, as it were, of some
iuesoraale law of political economy which empot be
resisted. I think, inst ad of seeppodog that each wanted
to tate advantage of the other they would feel inclined
to put their shoulders to the wheel, accurately ascertain
whether this le tine, and come to some waders' andieg
which would very much mitigate the relations which
subsist between them, I have little doubt the effect
would be to in crease the average rate of wages, with
my views as to the effect of the continuous increase of
the precioue metals. But, at the same time, I have
not the slightest doubt the employer would, in the
nature of things, find adequate compensation for the
new poteition in which he would find himself. (Cheers.)

Mr. Disraeli on Monday received a deputation from
the Gla.gow University Council, which laid before
him some mints in which it wag held that the T_Tni-
versity Act oi 1868 r. quirrd amendment. The right
hon. gentleman promised to give his careful considers
thin to the various points of the memorial. His .first
duty in this matter, however, would be to confer with
the originator of the Act (Lord President Inglis) on
the amendmenta proposed. ilia he would do, and
afterwards weigh the subject with the care it. im-
portance demanded. The right hon. gentleman was
afterwards present at a ship launch.