dual freedom, and that to overlook it, or to bring
the smallest interference in restriction of it, unless under
absolute necessity, would be a sad mistake upon the part of
the working-classes."--_Mr. Gladstone to the Deputation of
Miners from Durham and Northumberland._]

I stand between you--Capital and Labour,--
And each of you invokes my "sacred name."
Sacred! Were love of freedom and one's neighbour
Cooeperant, claim would not conflict with claim.
But heed my words, outspoken yet meant kindly;
_I_ suffer whilst ye stone each other blindly.

Solicitous--in speech--of my intactness,
Ye damage and deface me in your strife.
Your aims, expressed with full and fair exactness.
Mean fratricidal strife, war to the knife.
Encounter hot, and fierce retaliation
Must vainly prate about conciliation.

Union is strength; but banded for oppression
Toilers are tyrants, and employers--knaves.
Plain speech! Monopolist wealth in high possession
Treated its scattered thralls as serfs and slaves.
And now the lesson of the scourge and fetter
Emancipated toil would learn--and better.

Divide and govern! That, beneath all glosing
About Free Labour, is Wealth's motto still;
Ingenious fudge on shallow wits imposing,
On banded Labour to impose its will,
Capital needs (and lauds) Labour _unbanded_.
The Many-headed dreads the Many-handed!

But set one half his hands against the other,
And e'en Briareus may be safely tackled.
Whilst "Unionist" is foiled by "Blackleg" brother,
Labour fights Capital with limbs half shackled.
Hence Federations chant, in sweet communion,
Hymns to the blessed Liberty of _non_-Union!

And Labour, which loves Liberty--of striking,
Hates "Blackleg" freedom with a furious hate.
"_Make_ all men do according to _my_ liking!"
Seems now the cry all round us in the State.
Monopolist, Miner, Temperance fanatic,
All crave compulsion with a force emphatic.

But Legal Eight Hours Day, or Local Veto,
"Blackleg" suppression, Anti-Union law,
Mean "make the others to myself say ditto!"
"Restriction" is the newest ass's-jaw
For slaying all our foes, from Wealth to Drink,
Hailed with applause, save by the few who think.

If from proved ill to legal prohibition
Were step as plain and proper as some deem,
To diagnose (and cure) the State's condition
Were easy as some Socialistic d