The New York herald., 1870-10-22
ron HUGHES FAREWELL.
work and wealth"-The Rising Conflict Be-
tween Capital and Labor Discussed by the
Author Of tom Browns School Days"

left the building. The platform was crowded
with conspicuous representation OF thC
intellect, the divinity, the law and tht
commerce OF the city. Mr. Hughes has refresh
ing ruddy English features the clerical aspect OF al
English country clergyman, and his accent and the
delivery Of HIS sentences have that harmonious
euphony that Is noticeable In the public reading
or the English common Prayer No one would take
him jn his own land. either from his personal ap-
peafance or his mode OF speech, for what he Is
namely, o practising lawyer.
The lecture, which dealt somewhat minutely with
abstract political and social questions was listened
to with marked attention, and was only occasionally
interrupted with applause when some reference was
made TO his recently acquired admiration OF demo.
cratic institutions, and the mention OF prominent
names which are well known ana respected on both
sides Of the Atlantic.
Mr.. Mundella, the member for Shefleld England,
was present. and when the lecturer mentioned his
name In connection with the English courts OF arbi.
tration the applause was loud and significant. MIR.
Mundela, 1t is understood, will deliver lecture on
the question OF trades union and arbitration before
he leaves for England, in the hall Of the Cooper In
stitute, when this great question OF capital and
labor win be discussed somewhat In detail.
Avoiding the great question OF free trade and
protection, the lecturer confined himselkto the broad
outlines OF the labor movement in England during
the last quarter or a century.
The earlier part OF tine lecture was chiefly his.
torlca, skeLGnlng the progress OF lcgis-
lation In England as TO trades unions
ana the passing and repeal OF combinat. on
was given in 1s4s from the experiment in France OF
the national ateler5, the principle OF which was
utilized by the English working men, In 1865 the
law OF partnership IN england was SO modified that
working men could receive share oil the profits OF
an industrial partnership without jeOpa dlzing the
entire capital invested by the capitalist. or the
success OF an experiment In this direction
Mr.. Hughes gave the following illustration
On the 9Th of July IN that year the act 10 amend the
Law OF Partnership was passed, and from that time
&c became possible for employers without legally
risking their all TO associate their wokmen as
sharers In the profits OF their businesses. The
act was not long In bearing fruit. In that
same autumn u e the principle was adopted by EN-.
showing you how the new system was adopted
and worked out, ! will conane myself to one
cessiul OF all, SO far as know up to the present
ume-tne WhitewOOd coiereS OF Messrs. Briggs &
Son. Mr, Henry Briggs, the head Of the drm, was
Yorkshire district. lie was resolute. upright
Yorkshreman, kind and generous to all about him,
but above all things determined and unfnching
wherever he believed himself IN the right. such u
man was sure 10 be in demand as leader, and accord
inglys Henry Briggs had been lor years the chair
man OF the Masters Association OF coal owners IN
In his own district This association had been uni
fOriny successful In its contests with tne coal
workers, and so bitter was the feeling there mat
the coal owners are devils and Briggs Is the cher
OF the devils'' had passed into proverD. In 1881
allu DcSI1HiuR Vi IcOo LBS Hdu cOule 10 SuCn
pass that the WILDWOOD and other collierics were
standing stu. often Tor weeks toseth.r r:
and when In work had to be protected
at last got thoroughly sick OF living in constant
state OF with his poorer neiahbors. Colileries
were returning scarcely i've per cent capital lie
proposed to his sons to sell the mines and invest
their money In some other way, which would bring
them at least as large return, and peace
Fortunately, a. / believe, Tor England, his
sons had been attracted by the theories Of
tors, and proposed to their father to Try what
/ nffH fSrlNi un ahoro ~, =
under the new act would have on their business.
! Things could scarcely be worse and persons VINO
had been studying and preaching Oh the subject Tor
years declared that they could be better. Mr. Brlggs
consented, and the first Industrial partnership WIS
accordingly found at the Wildwood Collieries the
manner OF its formation was as iOiOW5:-The stock,
plant anu other property were valued, not icing seg
down lor the good will OF the business. The valua.
ton amounted to something over tS0 900. The sum
was divided into shares OF 4lO each In order to place
them within reach OF any prudent workman. The first
charge ON all the earnings OF the coeres after pay
menL OF the current ate OF wages oil the district 10
tne work people, was q payment OF ten per cent on
the capital, Inat being the rate which, according
the best authorities, money invested coal in
England ought 10 bear All surplus earnings, Ii any
were made, were TO be divided equally, hair being
being divided among the Work people "a q bonus IN
pro- portlon TO the amount earned by each OF them
during the year. The articles OF TINS Industrial So
the larger part OF the snares Ill their own nanus,
and the rest were sold TO friends OF the movement
and to the work people, arrangements being made
by means Of share clubs TO enable the latter to pay
up their shares by small weekly lnstaments so
great was the suspicion among the men that
although the matter was thoroughly talked over
with them and explained. scarcely one OF them
would take a share. Messrs. Briggs, for the
sharing in whatever bonus might be earned
that each workman should take penny book
| therefore bonus should be payable should be en-.
| tered by the proper clerk Ut the end OF each
week Only about on. one-tenth Of the 100 WORK
| people employed took the trouble to take
| out this book. However, the leaders were
determined to give the scheme a far trial, and
| accordingly, though there were many threatening )
no strike took place during the first year. AT tle
end Of that TIME it was found that, after putting
| aside reserve fund OF several thousand pounds
| something more than thirteen per cent h;ld beef
made on the whole capital, and there was accord
ingly sum OF more than fifteen hundred pounds io
| a bonus ON their earnings. | went down tt
| the meeting IN the great room at the col
| lleries where this announcement was made O
the result OF the first years working. and i shall
easily forget the at the great party
hearty speeches predicting the good time coming
the Importance and delight OF hard-handeI fellows
carrying in their pockets more coin than they mac
ever seen before at one time, the blank looks
and goA resolutions Of those who had neglected
to take out books They all took out books
next morning, and / came away with very
hrm 1aith IN the future OF the first indus
trial partnership OF Briggs Company, iIll
tied. That confidence was well grounded. From
that day to this the success has gone increasing
A large proportion OF the work people now own
shares One oil their number has been elected OIL tle
board or directors The dividends have never fal.en
and have in some years advanced largely. The
economy in material, such as timber and oil, has
been sufficient to pay dividend Of believe more
than one per cent. Above all, whe there have been
many disputes and stoppages Of work in the district
the Methwood colllerlcs nave never lost day, and
the feeling between the Messrs. Driggs anu their
work people as cordial as The strongest phiian.
tnropist could desre.n
A glowing encomium OF the vast private benen-
ceDce OF the rich men Of America like Cooper aud
Cornell, aud It's contrast to the BiggarulIne5s OF
rich In England, who climb the ''dreary a0aer''
TO baronetcy to the higher ranks Of Inc British
arstocracy, brought Mr. Hughes near 10 the close
OF his lecture. His parting words were very well
chosen and were cordially and enthusiastically ap
pauded. They were as follOws.-"And now, my
TASK lor the night is done, and duty alone re-
MAINS 10 which turn with very mixed feeling.
Tomorrow sail for my own country, and have
| now TO bd you all farewell. IL seems very long
| time since crossed your border and came among
you, full OF expectation To what have found.
can scarcely believe, now am gong away, that II
/ Ii only few weeks since first saw and women
| upon whom l can hencelorth only look as old and
dcar frtenda. and IL Is only from these from