That Lord Devonport and the employers generally will show no
vindictive spirit towards the men is, of course, abso- lutely certain. Not only can they be relied upon completely in regard. to any promises to this effect, but it would be also most clearly contrary to their interests to show such vindictive feeling. The last thing employers want is to " upset " their employees unnecessarily. If there is anything to be feared, indeed, it is that the employers in their desire not to appear vindictive may not be quite fair to the free labourers who have stood by them in their troubles. In our opinion no sacrifice is too great to convince the free labourers that their right to work will be protected to the utmost, and that they will never be allowed to be made the victims of trade unionism. Because trade unions are in many ways helpful to the men, and increase the dignity, if not the economic rewards, of labour, they must not be allowed to oppress those who stand outside them, nor must there be any yielding to the monstrous suggestion that a man is an enemy of his class and a virtual outlaw because be has the pluck and character to stand up to what Cobden said was worse than the tyranny of the Dey of Algiers, i.e., the tyranny of a trade committee.
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