AND ON THE CONTINENT.

49

a state of affairs which has survived for a longer period in thelower stages of society—the modern man now also grows up inthe worker of centralised industry. Just as the enterprisingspirit of the employer pervades the whole world, “insatiable”from the standpoint of a former condition of society, in the caseof the worker the limits to economical attainment also disappear.His wants, up to now limited by custom, encompass the wholeachievements of culture. That which he earns over and abovewhat his bare existence costs he adds to his standard of living.In order to satisfy his increased demands, he increases his labourcapacity. In this way he succumbs at last to the “ law of thegreatest possible profit,” which first pervaded the merchant, thenthe trade employer, and had produced the modem regime. Thebest worker of the world at present is the one with the highestneeds, just as the cotton worker in Lowell and Fall River excels,perhaps, all his fellows in labour capacity, but also in his wants(32).

It is true that this development in the “ thirties ” in England was only in its infancy. That, however, the later type of workerwas also just beginning to be evolved is proved by occasionalparticulars in the Blue-Books. He comes upon the scene as themule-spinner of Lancashire. Thus, for instance, attention isdrawn to the evidence of a certain Edwin Rose, who in the“twenties” or “thirties” was occupied for some time in aspinning mill at Mulhouse (33). In this town at least double thequantity of hands were necessary compared with Lancashire. Labour was therefore dearer, in spite of lower wages. In Mul-house there were, for low counts, mostly 3 persons per 200 ends;in England per 600 to 800. It is true, according to Ure, that

32. Compare Pidgeon: “Journal of the Society of Arts” (.Jan. 1885).Miss H. Martineau had already described, in her “ Mind among the Spindles,”the high and well-regulated standard of living of the old race of labour inMassachusetts. Compare, on the other hand, the following story latelyrelated to me. The proprietor of one of the largest and finest weaving-shedsin Germany wished lately to persuade the best of his weavers to mind threelooms instead of two, as formerly. But as this arrangement met with opposi-tion from the workers, he sent for one of them in order to inquire into thecause of the opposition. On being made aware that the new arrangementmeant an increased weekly wage, the weaver answered: He and his wifeearned 28s. per week; he did not wish to exert himself for more ; more moneymeant a “spree more.” That man stood, in the field of the customarystandard of living, as opposed to that girl in Lancashire who to-day mindsfour, and that in Massachusetts who to-day minds six looms.

33. Factory Committee: Report (1833), Part I., Tl. I., 121; also Mr.Cowell: Supplementary Report (1834), 119. Compare also Roscher:“ Nationalokonomie,” I., par. 40, and the therein quoted particulars of Mohl.Further, Senior: “ Outlines” (London, 18031, 142.