The associated operative cotton-spinners of Lancashire have carried their contemned
counsel to the official presence of the Premier. The precise aim of their doing so scarcely appears, al- though the general grounds are obvious enough It is well
-known that for some time the millowners of Lancashire had been working "short time," and that instead of improving, employ- ment was getting worse. The next move would naturally be what all desired to avoid—a reduction of wages. The associated operatives wished, instead of that reduction, a total cessation of
work ; their reason evidently being, the old experience that when once wages are reduced the masters are in no hurry to raise them
again, whereas a cessation of work would be a thing which the masters would have no interest to prolong unnecessarily. But there are two great objections to a total cessation : when ma- chinery stands quite still for any considerable time it deteriorates ; and the immediate suffering to the body of workpeople, unless the cessation were accompanied by some extraordinary and im-
practicable guarantees of credit, would be far greater than what is caused by short time even with reduced wages. The masters therefore resisted the demand. And it seems that even the work-
people at large do not enter into the project with any warmth, for a
general strike which was to commence at Hyde on Monday. obtained very few adherents. Under these circumstances, the associated
spinners, who comprise, we believe, some of the trading agitators of the factory districts, find it expedient to profess very conciliatory views ; and although they appeal to Ministers, they do so with moderated phrase and a modest reliance on the official fertility in devising remedies ; for they have not much to suggest in the way of measures.
One fact which they point out is the subject of sound animad- version. It is the extravagant system of speculation at Liverpool, which, instead of facilitating the transmission of raw cotton to
the mills' positively hinders it. The purchaser of cotton advances a small fraction of the price in cash, giving bills for the re- mainder; and the cotton then passes from hand to hand, not as the subject of bonit fide purchase for use, but as the subject of spe- culative gambling in the price. The deputation hint at a mea- sure to stop this kind of credit ; which does not seem very feasible : but it is to be remarked that the recent loosening of the Bank Charter Act is precisely the measure to be received as sanc- tioning and facilitating that sort of speculation.
The chief use of the deputation, perhaps, has been to bring this instructive fact before Ministers ; but it has also done some good in showing the better and more moderate spirit which prevails in the factory districts.
