emselves.

When the House is asked to contemplate gloomy pictures of what will
follow on this Bill, let them recur to the example of Parliaments gone
by. When the Ten Hours Bill was introduced in 1847, a Bill which
affected the hours of adult males inferentially, the same lugubrious
prophecies were indulged in from both sides of the House.
Distinguished economists came forward to prove that the whole profit
of the textile industry was reaped after the eleventh hour. Famous
statesmen on both sides spoke strongly against the measure. The
Parliament, in 1847, was in the same sort of position as we are to-day
in this respect, but how differently circumstanced in other respects.
That Parliament did not enjoy the wide and accurate statistical
information in every branch of labour which enables us to-day to move
forward with discretion and prudence. They were not able to look to
the general evidences of commercial security and expansion on which
modern politicians can rely. They could not show, as we can show,
overwhelming examples of owlish prophets dazzlingly disproved; they
could not point, as we can point, to scores of cases where not only
increased efficiency, but a positive increase in output has followed
the reduction of the hours of labour. The principle was new, the
future was vague. But the Parliament of those days did not quail. They
trusted to broad, generous instincts of common sense; they drew a
good, bold line; and we to-day enjoy in a more gentle, more humane,
more skilful, more sober, and more civilised population the blessings
which have followed their acts. Now it is our turn. Let us vote for
the Second Reading of this Bill, and in so doing establish a claim
upon the respect of Parliaments to come, such as we ourselves owe to
Parliaments of the past.[12]

FOOTNOTES:

[10] Mr. J.F. Mason.

[11] Mr. Bonar Law.

[12] This concluded the debate, and the Second Reading was carried by
390 to 120.

UNEMPLOYMENT

KINNAIRD HALL, DUNDEE, _October 10, 1908_

(From _The Times_, by permission.)

What is the political situation which unfolds itself to our
reflections to-night? I present it to you without misgivings or
reserve. For nearly three years a Liberal Administration, more
democratic in its character, more widely selected in its _personnel_,
more Radical in the general complexion of its policy, than any that
has previously been known to British history, has occupied the place
of power. During the