But Mr. Ritchie's view as to the eight-hours day is
not shared by the mass of the Unions. The attempt made to get the Unions in general to proclaim their view on the subject has not been successful. Only thirty-three Societies, con- taining about 169,000 members, have made returns, and out of that number only 102,000 votes were recorded. As the Trade-Unions number in all 885,000 members, not quite one in eight of the members have voted at all; and of these, while 39,629 voted in favour of an eight-hours day, 62,883 voted against it. And even of the 39,629 who wish for an eight- hours day, only 28,489 wish to have the limitation of the day secured by Parliamentary legislation. In other words, the vast majority of they members of the Trade-Unions are too prudent to declare their minds on the subject at all, and of those who do declare their minds, not very much above a quarter favour the interference of Parliament in the matter. On Thursday, accordingly, the question was shelved for the present by the Congress, 75 voting to pass to the next business on the agenda against 49 who wished to continue the discussion. It is difficult to exaggerate the force of this testimony to the prudence, reticence, and conservatism of the great majority of the Trade-Unionists.
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