The Express.
London, England, 1860-08-28 00:00:00

THE STRIKE IN THE NOTTINGHAM LACE

TRADE.

(From the Notting/law Jourieal.)
We are sorry to le it'll that a cousiderable number
of operatives are out of work, some of their own free will,
and others because their employers cannot find them work,
on account of the stagnation in demand for our local menu.
factures. This state of things is always a matter for
deep regret, and at the same time it is a matter very
difficult to deal with. There is no doubt that very
many of these operatives have, up to the present time,
been earning very good, some of them large,
and yet at the first reverse or check io tradews=
immediately come before the public, soliciting relief as
objects of charity. Many persona will say they ought to
put something by when Unice are good to provide for times
of depression like the present, and if they neglect to do so
they deserve to starve; this would certainly be a wise mod
prudent thing to do. But do those who insist that work-
men who earn good wages ought either to save or starve
always act wisely and judiciously in money matters
themselves We are afraid they do not ; and al-
though
we should be sorry to say anything amounting
to aa approval of improvidence, yet we are almost
tempted to say, " Physician, heal thyself." All
clears, upper, middle, and lower, would be better o(,
and mare happy in their respective positions, if
they practised more economy, and exhibited more fore-
thought than they do. The feeling of independence is in-
valuable in itself, and those who have experienced it are
able to appreciate its worth. That there is a
want of employment and some consequent distress
and suffering there seems to be no doubt—the
question is, bow is it to be dealt with ? Before
we proceed further, we would caution the unemployed
against listening to or paying any heed to lecturers like the
Mr. Wood who addressed them in the Market-place after the
meeting on Tuesday evening. These men always come out to
create distrust and dissatisfactine in times of depremion. No
good purpose can be served, except perhaps the selfish one
of the lecturer, by pointing out and dwelling upon such
things as what is called • monopoly of wealth, the inequali.
ties of condition, and the evils of machinery. There always
have been monopolies of wealth and inequalities of con-
dition in this world, and there always will be ; and we
believe that more hands are now employed io making
the machinery so much condemned than there were
bands capable of work in these islands two centuries
ago. The results of machinery have been uniformly
beneficial to the communities in which machinery
has been introduced, and if • fair comparison were
made between the condition of the people at the present
time sod that of the inhabitants of any time or place when
or where there was no machinery, or what there was of the
simplest and rudest kind, it will be found that the balance
is greatly in favour of the machinery generation and lo-
cality. In fact, we scarcely know a more certain criterion
of the happier, civilisation, and prosperity of • nation
than the use within it of elaborate, ingenious, complicated,
and costly machinery. But to return to the unemployed.
We learn that application has been made to the Board of
Guantiana for pecuniary help to relieve the preseut distress.
The board seems inclined to entertain the application, bat
to require work of some public kind as an equivalent.
This, perhaps, seems the least objectionable mode of meet
ing the case ; but it will be well fur the guardians to bear
in mind that there are two dares of the uneuiployed, those
who would work but cannot obtain it, and those who
will not work at prices which the masters can afford to
pay. Of course it would not become the board to consti-
tute themselves judges between the masters sod the
men ; this is neither their duty nor their peculiar
fort ion. If there is a dispute about the rate of wages, let
the parties to the dispute settle it between themselves ;
but the guardians would not only be overstepping their line
of duty if they applied the poor rates they obtain from the
master, to maintain the workmen in • state of oppo-
sition, but they would be guilty of a great injustice.
We give no opinion now shout strikes in general,
but if workmen choose to strike upon a question of
wages they ought to maintain their position from their
own resources, or from such funds as sympathisers may
provide them. Compulsory tars should not be applied to
maintain the strife. We trust the board of guardians,
therefore, without inquiring too etrictly into the providers
or improvidence of the parties, will satisfy themselves in the
relief they administer, that the applicant is unemployed
from necessity, and is or on stoke ; that he is out of work
because there is no work to be had, and not because he will
not work at the price that is offered to him.

Sorra Kamera()Tow Mussua.—During the week
easting August 23 the visitors have been u follows :
On Monday. Tuesday, and Saturday (free 9M days), 4, ;
on Monday and Tuesday (free evenings), 6,113. Ou the three
students' days (admission to the public 6d.). 1,221 one
students' evening (Wednesday), 110 total, 11.439. From
the opining d the Yessom, 1,014177 s