PASSING EVENTS

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1612, 21 January 1903, Page 48

PASSING EVENTS

History is philosophy teaching by ex““J’l6B —Thucydides. Our cablegrams this w r eek again refer to the consternation which lias seized representatives of trades unionists in Great Britain on account of the decision of the Law Lords that “picketing” is illegal and that the funds ot trades unions may be attachable for any damage done by tbeir members to foe business or property of employers. The decision is a far-reaching one. Happily the adoption in this country of a peaceful .solution of trade disagreements, has rendered the judgment of the highest British Court of little value to New Zealanders. The matter is of considerable importance, however, to the industrial world, and the present action of the British workman’s leaders display a lack of imagination and progressive instinct. Three committees, we learn, representative of trades union organisations in Great Britain have decided to call a national conference to support a Bill to legalise the picketing. They also desire an amendment of the English law of conspiracy, so as to absolve trades unions from actions for damages on account of offending unionists unless the offender’s conduct has the sanction ot the union’s rules. It is always characteristic of unimaginative persons to ? pply to themselves in a particular sense a broad and general principle. Thus, instead of accepting the principle laid down by the Appeal Court as being sound, and seeking other ways of raising the standard of their members and an amendment of the law in a progressive direction, these trades unions’ representatives seek the amendment of the law for the purpose of clearing the unions of any liability in respect to the action of their members against their employers. This is not the way to establishthat confidence between master and man so essential to the welfare ef all industrial ventures; neither is it likely to promote enterprise among capitalists, whose money after all is necessary to the employment of labour.

Capital and labour are indispensable to one another, and they should cultivate relations that will bo productive of the highest good of both. There is a n inclination among employers to interest themselves in the material well-being of their employees, but every aggressive act on the part of the men stifles good intention. There are, no doubt, unscrupulous employers just as there are “ca’ canny” men, but for the faults of a few all are not to be condemned. Among the industrial classes of this country there are yet probleins to be solved, but we have abandoned that barbaric weapon the strike, and resorted to the more civilised method of conciliation to settle our trade differences. Trades unionists are not now feared; they are respected in New Zealand, because it is being recognised that their efforts to raise their own status has been helpful to their employers. In some countries the thorough organisation of labour has led to the formation of trusts, and although, ais in America, much encouragement is given to labour to put forth its best efforts in the interests of capital (which is to some extent itself) the trust like the trades union has become a menace to tne well-being of society. Recently the great coal strike caused much misery as well as loss in the Eastern States, and various combinations have divided huge profits by raising the prices of “trusted” articles to the consumer. Now, President Roosevelt is confronted with two great industrial problems—how to deal with the trust and the trade union.. They are not without objectionable features, and it is to eliminate these that the President has resolved to employ the authority of Congress and the Senate. Picketing arid boycotting are to. be suppressed and adequate supervision of huge industrial combines is to be instituted. With whatever faults its working has exhibited the legislation initiated by the Government of this country for the adjustment of trade differences is in advance of anything yet suggested abroad, and it is just possible that in our system the legislators of Great Britain and America may find the basis of a solution of the problem with which they are confronted.

What is the future of the world? is a question of captivating interest to the human mind. From certain indications the weather prophet is able to forecast the state of the atmosphere foi a period of twenty-four hours. History repeats itself,” says the philosopher, and the seer is enabled from the knowledge of the past to proclaim the future. As a man sows so shall he also reap, saith tho preacher, and if the individual s extravagant penury and want will assuredly be his portion. Industry is the mother of prosperity, hut prosperity is the encourager of indolence, and indolence leadeth to vice and degeneracy. Thus it has been seen that the wealth, and power and brilliancy of historical nations have been followed by poverty and effeminacy and decay, they ultimately flitting from the world’s stage, their memory but a name. But it is Vtith the future of the world in an industrial sense that Mr Carnegie, the philanthropic millionaire, dealt in his recent rectorial address at the University of St. Andrew’s. The “seer of Skibo ’ is an astute and worldly-wise Scotsman. Having made his vast wealth as a king in tho industrial world, he is entitled to be heard with respect when discoursing upon a subject in which all classes of people are more or less interested. He considers that Great Britain has already been outstripped by the United States in manufactures, and that Germany is rapidly assailing the position now occupied by England. He had not, of course, beard of the German deficit of fifteen millions, nor had he been informed of the industrial and Agrarian depression which has overtaken the Fatherland. These may be but passing phases of industrialism not affecting the prospective position of Germany as the rival of Great Britain; still, it is not plain that Germany will, under the existing circumstances, rapidly attain the position which Mr Carnegie predicts for her. Tho position of the great American republic is not .disputed. She lias vast areas of fertile soil yet unoccupied. Theso areas are attracting population at the rate of nearly one million annually, whereas the rural population of Great Britain is not only not increasing, but considerable estates are falling out of cultivation. The surplus population of Great Britain is finding a home on American soil, and although there has been an exodus from the United States to tho Dominion the number of American farmers settling in Canada is but a twentieth of the annual increase in America’s population. As population is of “prime importance in considering the industrial development of nations,” the United States must easily take the lead in manufactures, and as there is there an abundance of raw materials and an ever-growing demand for commodities in the Home market the United States will stand in the future pre-emi-nent among the manufacturing nations of the world.. In this connection a passage from .Mr Carnegie’s address is worth quoting. He says the home market is of more importance to- a manufacturing nation than a foreign market, and proceeds: “The home-market of America takes ninety-six per cent, of all manufactured articles ; only four per cent, goes to foreign markets. Even Britain’s home-market takes four-fifths of her manufactures ; anly one-fifth goes abroad. Politicians give far too much attention to distant foreign markets, which can never amount to much, and far too little to measures for improving conditions at home which would increase the infinitely more important home-mar-ket. If tlie people of the United Kingdom could spend even one pound per head more per year, her home commerce would be increased more than the total value of her exports to all of Australasia, British North America, and Chi:ia combined.” In all this there is food for reflection for those who are guiding the policy and forming the destiny of New Zealand. The future of the world’s nations depends entirely upon the unremitting energy and industry of their peoples.

Undoubtedly Mr Chamberlain’s tour through South Africa is tending greatly towards the settlement of several difficult problems with which that territory is confronted. The destitute and oppressed are ' being protected and relieved. The millionaire is -becoming generous and the formerly hostile Boer patriotic. All classes are being actuated by a spirit of liberalism in the best sense in promoting the common weal. The Transvaal and Orange Colony war votes are assurecT. The capitalists of the Rand are not only contributing freely, but are increasing the wages of black labourers at the suggestion evidently of the Secretary of State for the Colonies. Mr Chamberlain’s personal influence is great. He is seeing things for himself. He is not afraid to declare what he - sees, and therein lies his strength as a statesmau. The knowledge gained i n this tour will be of the utmost utility to him in the future, and it is not possible to estimate its usefulness to the Empire. It is plain a great effort is to be made to obliterate all the ravages made by a prolonged and devastating war. Money is to be spent in promoting the well-being of South Africa. Real estate values are rapidly advancing. There is a ready acquiescence in the proposals of the Secre-

tary, and apparently those best able to part with .capital are willing to lend vast sums to the South African colonies for the objects in view. It is to be hoped that the advancing of so much capital will not lead the politicians to adopt a policy of extravagance. The methods of the War Office during the war and since have evolved the severest criticism alike from po! itical friend and foe. One authority declares that Great Britain received only fifty -millions in value for the one hundred millions spent on supplies for the army in South Africa, the other fifty millions going into the pockets of the contractors. One company, having a capital of less than naif a million is reported to have cleared six millions sterling inside of two years!

From this it would appear as if the War Office knew little of its business, and cared less. This office, it may be remembered, paid as much as lid per lb for meat under one contract, 7d under another, and New Zealand’s AgentGeneral lias just pointed out that for two years the War Office has been buying meat for South Africa which was inferior to New Zealand at a price more than double what a superior quality could have been supplied for from this country. Mr Chamberlain Avili not, of course, enquire into tho methods adopted for the supplying of meat to the troops remaining in South Africa, but it is pretty certain that he will note how much better it would be for future supplies to bo drawn from either this country or Australia. Indeed, it may have been at his instigation that the present overtures are being made for a supply of meat for the army from N“w Zealand. However, It is not part of Mr Chamberlain’s mission to re-establish trade, but to prepare South Africa for tho peaceful development of all her resources, of enquiring into the difficulties that beset her forward movement, and of discovering and applying such remedies as the wisdom and experience of a British statesman may devise. The labour question has already been partly solved. At Mr Chamberlain’s suggestion the wages of Kaffirs have been raised, but it is - yet a moot point whether Asiatics may be introduced into South Africa. One thing is certain, that the visit of the Secretary of State for the Colonies has inspired confidence among those interested in mining, and the promptness with which the capitalists are subscribing the war loans for the Transvaal and Orange Colony speaks well for the prospects cf a territory rich in natural wealth, but still distressed by a ruinous and extravagant Avar.

A story is told among commercial travellers representing Avoollen manufacturers that is appropriate to the subject of this paragraph. A certain English Avoollen mamafact.urer Avhose name was a. household AA'ord over three counties in Great Britain, and Avell knoAvn in other parts, Avas travelling through this country, and Avas being sho\A r n over one of the ? up-to-date Avoollen factories in NeAA T Zealand. The Avool-shed Avhere were stored the hundred or more bales Avas being visited, and the merits of. the colonial product were being extolled. The remark Avas made that doubtless the visitor would he a large buyer of the New- Zealand staple product when, to the consternation of the NeAV Zealand manager, the visitor exclaimed: “I am a Avoollen goods manufacturer, you knoAV; hut I have never had a bale of wool in my factory for years.” This seems scarcely credible, bui recent returns shoAV that it is not only perfectly feasible, hut absolutely the fact in quite a number of factories in Great Britain. Woollen goods, “quite innocent of pure avool ” Avere manufactured last year in England to the value of considerably over tv\ r o millions sterling. Thirty years ago there were only two or three rag teasing and Aveaving mills, and their total output Avas valued at less than one hundred thousand per annum. The manufacture of shoddy is objectionable on tAVo counts. It displaces pure Avoollen goods, and is a menace to the public health. The shoddy manufacturer is a competitor with the manufacturer of pure wools, and the cheapness of the former’s product tends to lower the value of the latter’s commodity and to keep doAvn the price of wool to the grower. The product known as “shoddy” is frequently passed off to the consumer as sound, good and pure wool, and the buyer is probably incapable of telling the difference between the genuine and the spurious article. But attention is being directed to this subject “on the score of the public health, and -although opinions differ as to the exact effect the av earing of “shoddy” goods on the health of individuals, some authorities affirm that the spread of disease is largely attributable to it. “The primary consideration for the public to Ariew tbe matter in is unquestionably that of health, and when it is distinctly stated that r shoddy’ mills receive qmpitities of rags, etc., to w'ork up as woollen material, it makes one’s flesh ereer) at the bare idea of being brought into contact with any garment in which such cast-off stuff mhy have been used.” But that is not all. '“The highest medical authorities,” observes “Dalgety’s Review,” “unite in their condemnation of the traffic and introduction of these

rags into the manufacture of material for AA r earmg apparel, as not only is the carriage and handling of them a source of danger to those directly engaged at the work, but they may also be a vehicle for the spread of infectious diseases.” The siubject is one which concerns not only the Avearer of Avoollen fabrics, but the groAA'er of avool. Many persons imagine that they are wearing woollen goods when they are really wearing “shoddy.” The test is the price. “Shoddy” is kept and sold to people who Avili have their garments “cheap and nasty”; . but they little know the risks they run from a health point of \ T ieAV,Avhile the Amending of woollen goods adulterated by the admixture of cast-off clothing from all classes tends to loAver the value of avool. The duty might be raised upon goods of this quality and in that AA ay avert uie chances of contagion and lessen the effects of illegitimate competition.