The Daily News states that influential mediation is about to
be offered between the farmers and the men, and the lock-out brought at once to an end. We suppose something of the kind is at hand, from a bitter letter from Colonel R. Ruggles-Brise in. the Times of Friday. This gentleman, moderate on other sub- jects, seems on this to be carried out of himself, and a speech of his at Maldon will not be forgotten by the labourers when they get the vote. He now agrees with Sir E. Kerrison that if the .Union rules are altered there may be a basis of accommodation found, but morosely adds :—" If our labour is by these means reduced to a minimum, as a landlord I have little fear, as an occupier I have less. We shall grow less corn and more weeds, less meat will be produced, though thousands of acres will be laid down in grass ; more wages will probably be earned by those -who remain ; much work will be left undone, but the consumer will be the sufferer." Nonsense ! the price of corn is not ruled by Essex landlords, but by the farmers of Illinois and South Russia, while that of meat depends in a great degree on Ireland. The North-Essex farmers will lose nothing by dealing with Unions instead of labourers, though they may be compelled to farm a little better, and to remember that a crop of poppies, however heavy, does not pay.
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