The Express.
London, England, 1864-11-02 00:00:00

THE STRIKE IN SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE.

At a recent meeting of the council and friends of
the Working Men's College at Wolverhampton, adder the
presidency of Lord Dartmouth, the Recorder of Wolves..
hampton (Mr. J. J. Powell, q.c., and M.Y. for Glouces-
ter) concluded his address to the working classes with
these observations:

I know that there are even now some persons so mistaken
as to suppose that it does not conduce to the public benefit
that working men should he educated, and I regret to learn
from a statement of Lord Lyttelton that many greet em-
ployers of labour io this and a neighbouring county have
withdrawn their subscriptions from some educational
institutions upon the ground that it makes the working
men die patented with their lot in life, and more exacting
in tbeir demands for the wages of labour. I entirely concur
iu the Admirable remarks of Mr. Lloyd in reference to the
ignorance of the working classes, and, indeed, I am afraid
we may say the ignorance of the public generally, as to the
plain and simple elements of political economy. It would
well become anybody, especially working men, to study that
subject, arid I would most emphatically recommend those
who withdrew their sulecriotione from educational institu-
tions front the fear that education makes working men dis-
contented— I say I would emphatically recommend those
gentlemen to turn their attention to the study of political
economy. (Hear, hear.) If only masters and working
men were properly educated such disturbances of the labour
market. these this district and other districts are at pre
soot suffering from would never occur. (Cheers.)
Without in the slightest degree entering into the merits of
the question between the workmen and their employers in
this neighbourhood —a question, indeed, which Ido not
understand, and on which 1 .m not competent to express;
an opinion—I will say that the barbarous custom of resort-
ing to what are called strikes to settle disputes between
mestere and men as to the rate at which the one shall buy
and the other shall sell labour is a disgrace to the civiliza-
tion of the age. (Applause.) There never was a strike and ,
there never will be a strike, that was Dot or will not be die- •
estrous both to masters and to men, and the melancholy
feature of the matter is this—that there is not the least
necessity for the great evils which arise from these strikes,
evils which °steed tar beyond the parties immediately
concerned, evils injuriously affecting the workmen's Moe
cent wives and families, aid indeed, all the members of
the community. (Applause). I will show why there is
no necessity for such evils. In this country we are not
much accustomed to think the French superior to our-
selves ; we are very loth to admit that such is the
case, but there is no question that in this particular matter
the French are far in advance of us. Strange to say, from
the earliest ages —(it is not the result of modern political
economy)—but from the earliest ages io France there hey,
existed institutions called " Consetle des Prud'boniness "
the duties of which councils are to inquire into and adjudi-
cate upon dispute. between meters sod workmen on the
subject of wages, and the plan punned is as simple as
possible. Is every district, and with referee°, to every
class of trade and manufacture in that district, a cowed is
appointed, the masters electing three members sod the men
Dore. A president is chosen to preside over their discus-
sloes. if the sierisioo of the council be not acquiesced in,
an appeal lies to the Chambers of Commerce, but, as I as-
certeioed, when in Paris a few weeks ago, although on an
average 4,000 or 5,01.10 cases ere annually brought before the
council in that city alone, appeals are almost, if not quite
unknown. Thus that large number of cases is settled be-
tween the masters and men without soy disturbance or diffi-
culty whatever. (Applause.) And what estranger still is
that, although these councils have power to adjudicate, end
although by law the adjudication Mgr be made au binding
upon the parties, es would be the judgment of a court of
competent jurisdiction between litigant parties io this
country, vet so admirably is the eaten' managed that out of
these 4,000 or VICO eases, of which three-fourths relate to
wages alone. the great majority are not adjudicated upon at
all, but settled by the conciliatory action of the council. I
trust some of the working men will hear what I my, not
because! say it, hut because I thisk they must use at once
that the way I have described is a much mom rational way
of settling their disputes with their masters than by resorting
to the terhamos end expensive practice of a strike. I pie
some the workman wants only what is fair, acid I presume
the master only wants what is fair, and if as, why not resort
to some such system as exists in France to settle their differ.
sties, instead of Being on in the absurd way in which they
have been going on lately to their own detriment and the
injury of everybody else. ( ppleuse ) not suppose
that what I have said is foreign to the subject before the
meeting, or of the resolution I have to propose, because it
strikes me they are intimately connected. I believe it is by
the agency of such institutions as this college that we can
aloes look for the enlightenment that will adopt such a
course as I have suggested ; and as it would be equally for
the benefit of masters and men, all ought to com►ine to
maintain this and similar colleges. I trust that they will
do so, sad that in the result they may feel and enjoy with
the rest of the people of this country—

The softening arts of Peace,
Whateer the humanising Mimeo teach
The godlike wisdom of the temper'd breast
Progrewilve truth, the patient force of thought ;
Invrstigation calm, whose elk:4A go • Cr.
Command the world . the light that leads to Heaven .
Kind equal rule, the go,eromefil of laws
And ell protecting Prre,l„m. which alone
Sustains the name and dignity of Man.
(Applause.) I have great pleasure in proposing "That
this meeting warmly roomettes the benefits arising from
sound education among all classes of the community ea one
of the best moans of promoting order, good•fellownhip and
Prugtose." (Prolonged obeeriog.