ARE WE LIKELY TO HAVE A PEASANT WAR?

North Otago Times, Volume XX, Issue 965, 25 August 1874, Page 4

ARE WE LIKELY TO HAVE A PEASANT WAR?

'' The Bishop' of Manchester thinks the most frightful thing that could happen for English society would' be a " peaBants' .war ;" and, alarmed lest the " insane counsels'', to which farmers and laborers are alike listening may produce so grave a disaster, he has published an •appeal to the fafmers^ warning 1 them: of the terrible mistake they fyave committed in resorting to the suicidal policy of a lock-out. In the neighborhood of Newmarket, from 1500 to 2000 laborers are now either on strike or 'We lockedout by the farmer* ; and the Bishop; is afraid the struggle will sprefl^L'^likeji, j pestilence in the Eastern Countiefe."T " He~Bsks the farmers if they "are Agoing, mad? — if:*B reasonable men, theVThink ; that a lock-out will " stave off ror 1 afny appreciable time 4 the . solutioa of . the inevitable question— what is the equitable wage to pay the men who till their gtOund. tend their stock," gather in thpir harvest?" He reminds them "of the inopportuDeness' of thi& they bajve selected for the struggle ; points out i ! that with the increased facilities' jof communication now at their- disposal, I the laborers can quickly .remove to the Northern provinces, where wages are20 or 30} per cent, higher than in the Rast'antt 66ufli v ; and oh behalf pf^the workmen be offers the plea that' the Trades' Unions they have formed] — although he is no 1 lover of Ihe principles on which these societies . are based]— have been forced into existence " by the inequitable use -of the pbwer of capital. 1 *