Milford chronicle., 1893-01-06
a sooIAusrIc ExPERIMENT.
A Unique ofer Of an English mnnni@s-
nrer and why It Was Declined.

~
eurer and why II Was Declined.
a wealthy manufacturer Of Bradford,
rnpland. recently made a proposition %
the ofiicers Of the trades union controlling
fhe workers fiji the worsted and woolen
mills Of that place which has attracted
Vic attention and considerable comment
- ENGLAND. His proposal was based on
statements made at the meetings Of the
trades rnion that, il the business Of manu-
factnre was carried on upon what would be
termed sociaiistic principles, It would oe
s,reatlv for the benefit Of the working
classes The manufactures IN question
r,ade fhe Droposition that he would allow,
~. . ,7as,.is tin1e. the trades union to have
tba nsa of one Of bis mills, thoroughly
eoninned FOR the business. without rent OF
s5v' Kind. that he would. furthermore, FUR
/ nish them. under Sufficient guarantees OF
reDavment. SOS, 600 as a working capitai,
I and If after u year OF trial It was proved
that the men employed IN this es1aDisn-
lment earned by means Of TINS eo-opera.0ls.sS
employment larger returns than were p.lo
To other operatives in Bradford mills en-
ployed in manufacturing similar goeus' ne
would ut the end of the twelve llontns !,s
agree to let the trades union have ms iillil
sf a reasonable valuation and on terms
that would admit Of their easy ana fe'soy
nayment and would besides arrange 70
Er,Dnlv under favorable conditions the
lands needed for a permanent working
lcapital. In making this offer he stated that
lhe was as desirous as any one OF demon
lstrating whether or not the socialistlc plan
i ~ production was or was not feasible, ana
that he thought the best mode OF demon
etr,tion would be by a practical trial
After considering the matter for some
vveelzs the trades union Of Bradford decided
tbat It was expedient to decline II, and
number of the English newspapers Of con
lservative Tendencies IN commenting upon
tbis declaration, made the point that the
, rrns,lish vorkingman has certainly great
deai of discretion, and that when put TO tht
800 be has very little faith in the merit o.
fbese advanced theories Of social and Indus
trial reform Now, while we believe thh'
tbe soeialistic reforms that have been advo
) cafed as a means Of healing the ills OF soci
etv are much more attractive IN THEORY
; than they would prove IN practice, II Is onl!
fair to point out that the conditions unde
( which It was proposed to give thenl ses
] were not in this case the ones calculated q
s demonstrate the value Of the method.
/ If sooietv were to be recognized ON the SC
cialistic plan the reorganization would nee
a
r would not npply alone to those who areno'
!, vyaae earners, but also TO those who are no'
S employeYs-thati is, the captains Of tndustr
e vonld need to be counted in as essentli
? factors in the social reorganization. II tn
r bradford manufacturer had proposed
sr live his mill for ore year to an honest den
d lopstration Of the value or defects Of the 8
1t cialistic plan Of work and had said, \ WI
,r myself take charge Of the administration
l. work under conditions as to share IN Il
Il nrofts that would be considered equitab
ie under sociaiistic dispensation, " an opp.o
tunity would have been afforded OF haviI
o. NJ lsast AN interesting test made. But
Ii men who had spent their lives sorting wo
is or tending spindles and looms, and who hi
"a no practical knowledge Of the wool marke
II. or ihe demands of consumes, to underta
he for twelve months TO run large mill wou
he have been to invite failure, as the odds y
ne der such conditions would have been al
st Vether against a successful outcome OF u
st opdertalxing. Boston Herald. Ann