Factory Act Legislation. By Victorine Jeans. (T. Fisher Unwin.) —This
essay obtained the Cobden Club Prize for 1891, and is a careful, well-reasoned piece of work. Miss Jeans remarks that the Act of 1850 practically fixed the working-day of adult males at ten hours and a half, by so limiting the day of women and young persons. When one class of workers is withdrawn from a factory, the others cannot go on. The limitation has not been followed by a decrease of output. Improved machinery has made up, and more than made up, for it ; and—an important point— there has been increased energy in the workers. Of course there are limits to the operation of this latter cause. Because you have been able to reduce the time from twelve hours to ten and a half, it does not follow that you can reduce it again from ten and a half to eight. Why not from eight to six ? It is the fallacy ruentis acervi reversed. It is curious to find Factory Act legislation altogether blessed by a prize-winner of the Cobden Club. It was not regarded with favour by Cobden, and John Bright was a per- sistent opponent.
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