Sir T. D. Acland has had a correspondence with Mr.
Mitchell, one of the most prominent leaders of the agricultural labourers, who has recently published a statement showing that a labourer, with four children, cannot be comfortably maintained on less than 21s. a, week. Sir Thomas Acland places a room at Mr. Mitchell's, disposal to hold a meeting in Broadclyst, but argues that in his dis- trict men are fairly paid, —their low rents and cottage-gardens being- taken into consideration,—good bands earning 15s. or 16s. a week ; asks consideration for the farmer, whose margin of profit is so kept down by competition, and admits that much may yet be done to house the labourers better, but deprecates attack on a single class. the practical farmers—because they do not offer wages beyond the market rate. The letter is only a sensible business-letter, but we notice it for its tone, which is altogether free from that bitterness and assumption of superior rights which so exasperates the labourers. So far as agitation is directed to good ends, it has Sir T. D. Acland's sympathy; and at all events, he will secure for the agitators a fair hearing, confident that the labourers can then judge for themselves.
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