The vote of the Trade-Union Congress in favour of an
Eight-Hours Bill has already proved sterile. Mr. Birtwistler the principal representative of the textile manufactures, at once resigned his seat on the Parliamentary Committee ; and it is fully understood that those trades, with their million of workmen, regard the proposal as impossible and absurd. The margin of profit is well known to them, from the great number of mills owned by workmen, and the margin of profit is too low already. It is asserted, too, that the Congress of next year will be a widely different one from the present, the dele- gates having settled that the number of representatives sent up shall be proportioned to the number of working electors. This will destroy the influence of the small Unions to which the New Unionists are mainly indebted for their success, and will greatly reduce the significance of the Socialists who most adroitly captured this Congress. The old and great industries are not inclined to go begging to Parliament, and are not without suspicions of the result of federation upon their own position. Universal brotherhood is a great thing, but no weaver ardently desires to receive less in order that a miner may receive more. The Cain of to-day is a converted man, and would like Abel to be fat, being his brother; but it must be at the expense of Seth.
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