18 OCTOBER 1890, Page 1

Mr. Champion telegraphed on Thursday from Melbourne to Mr. J.

Burns to say that the Australian strike had been miF.- managed, and that failure could not be averted by any remittances from England. This is confirmed by the state- ments that the strikers in South Australia have already revolted against the federation, and that in Melbourne. but for the difficulty of obtaining coal, all business would be going on as usual. The employers have not given way in the least, except in paying high wages to the free men, and have adhered to their resolve not to confer with the unionists unless boycotting were explicitly condemned. But for the huge misery involved, we could find it in our hearts to have wished that the men had won, and had discovered thereby that "federated labour," when successful, will mean nothing except the reorganisation of society without freedom. When all are unionists, the laws of supply and demand must act exactly as they do now, the only difference being that the un- employed, now maintained by the community, must be main- tained by the Unions. Otherwise, individual competition recommences at once.