The Sun.
London, England, 1868-10-07 00:00:00

trraoubtedy the chief attraction to-day was Professor
Fawcett's address, delivered in his capacity as president
of The department of Economy and Trade. Amongst its
other merits was the rare one of brevity—l mean com-
parative brevity, for it was quite long enough for any
practical purpose, and contrasted most favourably with
the two hours' discourse of Dr. Rumsey, against which I
took occasion to lodge a modest protest yesterday. This,
the last day of sectional business, has produced (as will bo
seen below) some papers of importance, which have under•.
gone- vigorous discussion. In the afternoon a meeting
was held, to promote the establishment of a branch of the
Ladies' Sanitary Association in Birmingham.
The soir6e last night at the Town Hall was a pleasant
reunion, and was well attended, although, if the truth be
told some of the visitors who ought to have been there
were in another place, that other place bcirg the theatre,
where Miss Bateman was playing Lady Macbeth. The
usual dinner of the membeis of the Association takes place
at the Great Western Hotel this evening.

PROFESSOR FAWCETT'S ADDRESS.
In the department of Economy and Trade, Mrs. Fawcett
read very effectively an address by Professor Fawcett, M.P.,
president of the department. ing at the outset remarked
how important and desirable it was to trace the connection
existing between the principles of economic science and
their practical application to trade, and noted that many
a great political blunder would have been avoided if prac-

ical men had more frequently been guided by the teach-

ings of science, the professor warned his audience not
to forget the reverse aspect of the question, viz., the aid
which was rendered to economic science by the.
knowledge derived from practical men. He then pro-
ceeded to notice that the most remarkable characteristic
of the mode in which industry was carried on in this
country was the circumstance that capital was supplied.by
one class, and labour by another. Although capital and
labour must combine to produce wealth, yet between them;
who supplied the capital and those who supplied the
labour there often existed no other relations than those
between the buyer and the seller of a commodity. Having
applied these remarks to agriculture and manufactures,
Professor Fawcett turned to the consideration of the
co-operative plan which had been adopted in the works of
Messrs. Crossley, of Halifax, and the collieries of
the Messrs. Briggs, at Methley, near Leeds. Were the
principle to be generally adopted, it would go far to do
away with strikes. Though not opposed to courts of
arbitration for settling trade disputes, he feared that such
an artificial remedy could be but partial in its operation.
But the present state of things could not continue. "All
will be eager for a change when the evils and the perili
resulting from the present state of things are adequately
recognised. England has now to carry on in some of her
most important branches of industry a keen and closely-
contested competition with foreign countries. The slightest
additional burden cast upon her may cause the balance to
turn against her. Let us, therefore, inquire, ' What are
the sources from which peril may come?' At the outset
of such an investigation I would lay most emphatic stress
upon two maxims. Employers should remember that
any deterioration in the condition of our labourers may
induce the best and most skilled workmen to emigrate.
Equally important is it that the employed should remem-
ber that any rise in wages obtained by an undue reduction
of their employers' profits may ultimately bring serioua
loss upon themselves. Capital is always withdrawn from
an industry when profits are reduced below the ordi-
nary rate. Grave disaster may ensue if employers
try to enrich themselves by reducing the earn-
ings of their workmen, or if workmen augment
their earnings by diminishing the profits of their employ-
ers below the ordinary rate. Those agencies, therefore,
will produce the most permanently beneficial influence
which give additional prosperity to capitalists and
labourers alike. Such an agency will be brought into
operation by the establishment of some system of indus-
trial partnerships." Passing to the subject of education,
the professor remarked that most of the serious
burdens which the industry of this country has to bear
were, either directly or indirectly, due to deficient educa-
tion. It was a truism to assert that ignorance was the
Ifruitful source of crime and pauperism. The vast annual

cost of maintaining our criminals and paupers represented
so much abstracted from the profits of the capitalist and
the earnings of the labourer. A reduction in profits
and wages might cause capital to be withdrawn
from our industry, and might encourage or r
best labourers to leave us. Experience had shewn that the
moral qualities of man were developed by bringing his
mental faculties into activity. "If a higher moral tone
and a keener sense of honour prevailed, what an incal-

culable expenditure would be avoided, which is now
annually incurred because there are always some who
cannot be trusted to do their duty without being care-
fully overlooked. Education powerfully promotes the
acquisition of the most valuable industrial qualities ; it
makes the workman more skilful i it also induces him to
recognise the duty of setting aside some provision
for the future. Ignorance and recklessness generally ac-
company each other. Extra earnings are often spent, by
those who cannot appreciate rational amusements, in
drink and tobacco. A diminution in the hours of toil is a
great boon to those who can utilise leisure, but spare time
hangs heavily on the hands of those who can neither read
nor write." Professor Fawcett having noticed that the
Education Bill introduced into Parliament by Mr. Austin
Bruce and Mr. W. E. Forster did not go far enough
in the way of compulimy education, inasmuch as
it would only confer the power to enforce an edu-
cational rate, and would altogether fail to reach
those children who were either prematurely sent to work
or who were allowed to run to ruin in the streets, concluded
his address by saying : " Both in town and country there
are numbers of children growing up in a state of complete
ignorance, who live in the neighbourhood of well-managed
and well-supported schools ; but those who object to edu-
cational rates would be at once conclusively answered by
arguments based on economic considerations, if such rates
were associated with a power to compel the attendance of
children at school. It could `then be affirmed that the
outlay in the first instance made for education would
inevitably act more powerfully than any other
circumstance, not only to reduce rates, but also to augment
the wealth of every class in the community. If we had
no pauperism and no crime, local taxation would be too
insignificant to be felt by anyone, and pauperism and
crime are in the vast majority of cases directly to be
traced to vices which are engendered by ignorance.
Education would diffuse more wealth amongst every
class in the community, for as local burdens diminished
less world be taken by the rate collector from the profits
of capital and from the wages of labour. Education by
increasing the efficiency of labour would cause more
wealth to be produced without adding to human toil,
profits and wages would be augmented ; commodities
would also become cheaper, if capital and labour were
more productive. Hence greater plenty would be diffused.
over the land. Few would have to carry on such a severe
struggle for existence as many now unhappily have to wage,
and if the hours of labour became shortened our peoplo
would have the mental cultivation to appreciate
and utilise their additional leisure. Around us
on every side are unmistakeable signs of the
accumulations of vast wealth ; manufactories are rapidly
increasing ; our exports and imports have trebled within
the memory of men now living ; our capital is so enormous
that it not only supports our own industry, but is embarked
in various enterprises in every quarter of the world.
, When, however, we contrast these evidences of great
wealth with the vast sums which are annually spent in
maintaining our paupers; when we know that in some of our
most prosperous towns there is so much overcrowding that
thousands are annually hurried to a premature grave;
when we remember that numbers whose labour helps to
create an industrial greatness have to depend in old age
and in sickness upon parochial relief, we must, I think,
come to the conclusion that the economist and practical
man should unite their efforts in the endeavour to show
how the vast wealth which is annually produced might be
so distributed as to diffuse more general well-being
amongst mankind."

JURISPRUDENCE A ND AMENDMENT OF THE
LAW.

In the section of this department devoted to 'Muni-
cipal Law, a vapor was read by Mrs. Baines, on " The
Legal Aspects of the Domestic Service Question." In
brief, the document was a series of suggestions for am
amendment of the laws that affect the relations of em-
ployer and employed. The custom of requiring " a month'S
warning or a month's wages" was held to be very objec-
tionable, for it gave undue power to the servant, and it
was proposed that a weekly hiring and weekly notice were
preferable. The servant would then feel that her place
depended on her own behaviour in it. It was further
urged that a clerk or other such person should be ap-
' pointed in every borough or market town, and a day in
the week fixed for hearing disputes or complaints on the
part of servants and employers : the said clerk
to have the power of settling all minor disputes ;
more important cases ranted referred to the Town Court, a.
private hearing to beg when desired by complainant
reasniddexnecaesoonf
for
last defendant. On the question of hiring, it was suggested
denayta''ndof servant obtaining
that certificates should be issued from the office of the
clerk, stating the age, name, and parish of the servant
a servant, without
jeotialubg:etythi
nleol
pri
so
ots e ed service,e
on
nag al4 g
The other proposals made by Mr. Baines
such certificate.
ng
a.
were, that no servant should be entitled to a recommenda-
tionas ' leavingpitpti ayeti ,lf aooayrnfiediral 'co
nstl
to another situation under twelve months' good
service, unless sufficient reason could be sbewn as to the
cause of leaving ; that the amount of wages should be
decided between the parties, but with this agreement—
that there should be an increase, say of 1-16th part of the
first-named sum for the second year, and a similar addition
for the third year, it being supposed that after three •
years' good service there would be an amicable under-
standing between the parties, so that no further
disputes would arise, and that after the first year's service
any servant or employer wishing to make a change must
give proper notice to the nearest office, the time of leaving
to be regulated according to the convenience of the persons
concerned, the servant never to leave under a month from
the time of notice unless her place be filled, the wages
- paLvayq tc, be paid up to the time of leaving -