AND ON THE CONTINENT.
173
the case, which, as to England , has been statistically proved (6).At the time when the industrial employers socially and politicallyconquer the highest positions, new middle classes begin to risebehind them, which at first gain economically in importance, thenpolitically. That, indeed, in this later stage of development thecentralised industrial operative has to be counted with the middleclasses is proved simply enough by Atkinson from the fact thatimportant callings, which hitherto 1 were generally connected withthe middle classes, have gone in income far below the level of thecentralised industrial working class of New England. This isespecially true of large portions of the teaching and religiousclasses.
That Germany still by no means stands economically in thesame advanced position is shown by the movement of the people’sincome. It can be taken, according to Ilerkner, that the poor atpresent do not become poorer ; on the other hand, the rich becomericher, and the middle classes in many cases decrease.
“ Prosperous Lancashire!” Under this title the “ Spectator ”published the following article, which the organ of the operatives,the “Cotton Factory Times,” of 23rd. pet,, 1891, reproduced : —
“ According to the testimony of a late United States Consul atManchester, the district of which that city is the centre enjoys agreater measure of prosperity than any similar community in hisown country, therefore in the world, for in no part of the Continent are the working classes so well off as in Lancashire; nowhere arewages so high, hours of toil so short, and the cost of living somoderate, None who 1 knew the district in the ‘ forties ’ and 'fifties’can revisit it without being struck by the signs of improvementand progress which he sees around him. It is not merely that thepopulation has doubled, and tall chimneys multiplied beyond com-putation; these are signs of increasing wealth, and wealth mayaccumulate while men decay ; the veriest pessimist must acknow-
Q K. Giffen: “ Increase of Moderate Incomes ” (Koval Stat. Society, 16thDec.,1887). Compare ray book. “ On Social Peace,” vol. II., p. 491. Atkin-son accepts a similar relation for America , which is. indeed, known as thecountry where fortunes roll together into a few hands. (“ Distribution ofProfits,” p. 356.)