There is still a real mystery about the alleged depression
of trade. In spite of the outcry about it, which appears to be nearly universal, we are told this week that at a meeting of some of the Liverpool guardians,—the guardians for Toxteth Park,—a member of the Board stated that the returns of out- door relief showed a diminution of nearly two hundred cases, as compared with last year, notwithstanding the prevailing distress. He added that the statistics of that particular Union are borne out by many other Unions throughout the country. Undoubtedly, up to 1883, in spite of a great increase in popula- tion, the number of paupers had diminished, as compared with ten years ago, and in many Unions this improvement seems to be still going on• How is this consistent with the alleged unusual distress ? Or is it only that commercial profits are very much less, and that this makes the middle classes complain, while, except in the case of a few great productive operations, the working classes are better off than ever ?
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