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. itors . And in no class of persons was this ambi-1 * n more ardent , or more enthusiastically put in prac-+ than by the servants of the London and North-Western Company . Each vied with the other in endeavouring to secure regularity with safety . _ And it was this spontaneous feeling of interest in the industrial gathering , knowing that success partly depended upon themselves , that gave them the greater interest in their duties at that time , and insured the required attention . And it is the want of this feeling of interest towards the company ( which the Exhibition was enabled to draw forth ) that causes the carelessness and inattention that have since produced the opposite results—the destruction of property and loss of life .
The expansive idea of amalgamation has materially assisted ( though perhaps unconsciously ) to bring about that " concert" which will ultimately insure the general welfare of all ; a step so far in advance of the general administration , that it may be taken as an indication that the time is not far distant when the head that arrived at so clear and disinterested a conclusion of the requirement of the day , will also devise and introduce a policy that shall insure from the employed that feeling of interest and . devotion to the perfection and prosperity of the company , as was called forth by the great National Exhibition of 1851 .
That this feeling is required , no one will deny ; and that it is obtainable is equally certain , when the proper means shall be used to bring it out . Unfortunately , railway companies , and the North Western with the rest , do not yet sufficiently understand the human animal so as to govern it to the best advantage . The majority of railway managers have been schooled to the doctrine that man can be forced and disciplined into duty with the regularity of a machine . And they take the army as an evidence of that fact . But that institution itself would , if closely examined , disprove their conclusions in many particulars . That men have
feelings relative to their employers and employment , cannot be doubted ; and that those feelings may be made subservient to a particular interest is also true , according as that interest is made attractive or repulsive to the individual . It does not follow that in all cases it can be so successful as the railway liabilities demand it should be . But supposing the army to be the machine as represented , neither does it follow that it is desirable the railway staff of workers should be the same . There is this wide difference between the two , which should never be lost sight of—that while the whole of the movements of the one must be directed
by a superior or despotic power , to the other much must always be left to the jud gment and discretion of the employed : and hence the individual , who is in fact held responsible for his discretion and judgment ( or the want of it , ) cannot but feel that the exercise of these faculties of mind , and the services rendered by them , should at least demand an acknowledgment ; whereas , such services are practically treated as valueless , and men without these abilities ami good conduct , or without any real qualification , from private interests alone , are found receiving the advantage of an improved position to which the more deserving naturally prefer a superior claim .
With this want of appreciation , and the cold nnd formal language in which he finds himself addressed by those in authority over him ; denied tho right to think , or of offering an opinion adverse to thotjo who claim to be his superiors , tho railway servant is forcibly reminded of his inferior position , until his feelings become alienated and estranged from both his employers and liiH employment . And tho l-esult w , men to do the work—work the most responsible that a man can
undortak (! , if wo consider the lives that depend upon tho activity and correctness of his actions—who have no thought for tho company or the public interest , no thought for tho very great ; responsibilities resting on themselves , and who only value the situation as a means oi helping out u mere physical existence Such is tho result , of luan iM ; ing treated rather us a machine , than in a living , thinking , and feeling human being . Tho »'"«)(!( , of which in tho indiflerenco of tho men ,
inconvenience to tho public , and loss to tho company . And 'once arises tho appearance of " over-crowding tho lints , " which you allude to . Itcmoving theso appearances would no moro ivmovo tho increasing casualties Id life and property , than it would add to tho convenient ) of tho public , or clinch tho exchequer of tho company , while tho causcfH 1 have imperfectly alluded 1 ( > remain in operation , Although the , viow I havo taken in not usually
" 'know lodged , yot I havo a faith that ho hoou as tho K out idea of amalgamation—which is Hccking , by oxtundiiig tho powers of association , or concert , to impart to tho public and tho propriutom tho benufitu that only | ! **> ncort" a " » givo—ahull havo felt tho bonotita tunning ¦ rom th « dttitruotion of u «* l «»« eomx >« tlUou , it will then
direct this power to other improvements ; the first of which should be the securing the services of men—by acknowledging them as men , and you will thereby make them more interested in the success of the body by whom , they are employed , and our railways will then attain to the regularity and completeness we desire ; and their true and natural office will show itself in bearing a just value , to the proprietor , the public , and the worker . —Yours , most respectfully , North Westeen .
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DEFENCE QF THE TEMPERANCE CAUSE . ( To the Editor of the Leader ) Sib , — " The dangers of the Temperance movement " have been argued by " Ion" in your paper : I readily grant the justice of that writer ' s remarks , so far as they assail the coarseness and intolerance of Temperance advocates and committees , wherein they impute the worst of motives to our opponents , whether they be licensed victuallers or moderate drinkers . It is , however , well known that drunkenness is a great and unfortunate fact , and the Temperance movement was organized to destroy it : our object being reformation and prevention ; our conditions of membership , abstinence from all intoxicating liquors , without reference to creed , political or religious .
This is all that is meant by the " disagreeable designation , Teetotalism . " " Ion" in other places has taken some pains to show us / that for the sake of truth and progression we ought not to set much by a mere name . Then why object to it ?—we began with it—we have continued with it—and we now see no reason for abandoning it . We do not pretend that intemperance is the sole cause of all the distress , evil , and oppression , to which civilized flesh is heir , but we do say that there is a vast amount of evil in the shape of immorality , dissipation , disease , imbecility of mind , and wickedness the most gross , all attributable to drunkenness .
It is true that " thousands are hopelessly poor and rigidly temperate at the same time , " but " Ion" gains nothing by this objection ; for it is a fact that intemperance would render their condition still more hopeless ; and we say that Teetotalism , because it is the antidote for drunkenness , will cure all those evils which , as cause and effect , are the result of drunkenness . , We say next , that our work would only be half complete were we to rest here , for drunkenness being the effect of moderate drinking , we cannot as social reformers be content in tampering with mere effects , hence we wage war against all moderate drinking . Then if it bo a fact that much of the evil and
distress which at present afflict humanity is the effect of drunkenness , it is also a fact that drunkenness is the effect of moderate drinking , which Teetotalism consistently practised and carried out will cure . In arguing the question fairly , the analogy of " Ion " does not stand good , wherein he compares alcohol to a mutton chop , for any body knows , whatever may be the conscientious opinion or motive of the vegetarian , that a mutton chop is not a poison , and before " Ion" took this ground ho ought to havo shown that alcohol is not a poison .
" Ion" tells ua that " many havo well stored cellars which they supply to their friends , but never were nor ever will bo intoxicated themselves . " ( query ) . It is a fact , according to tho law of example , by which man is moro or less influenced , that whether such gentlemen bo educated or illiterate , inasmuch as they drink , or cause others to drink , they havo a oharo in tho great product of drunkenness . If it bo a fact that no man is born n drunkard , then moderation is tho only road to drunkenness , and all who drink havo a share in making and perpetuating drunkenness , whether they bo priests or philosophers , no matter what may bo their conscicntiousnesH of motive .
" Ion" tells us that Temperance hotel-keepers , although they bo abstainers themselves , ought to supply alcoholic drinks to , their customers ; why , to say tho least , this ifc defending tho grossest inconsistency . Does not " Ion" know that somo of tho most benign movements havo boon Bucri / ieed by their advocates on this very ground , at tho shrine of patronage and interest , perhaps for a menu of pottago ? Jf wo grant for tho sake of argument that tho " educated gohtloman , " on tho ground of moro opinion , lias u right to havo his tasto Hutisliod , surely ho ought not to insist that tho Temperance hotel-keeper , being an abstainer , shall bo a party to tho gratifying of u tasto that ho conscientiously thinks vitiated .
That Homo " drink moderately all thoir lifo without over being drunk themselves , " is quite tho exception , and tho fact would bo no proof that alcohol is not a poison . I knew a woman that lived to u good ago , who hud ooutraotedihe habit of taking landtumm . uutil uhc could
take as much at one dose as would kill three healthy men unaccustomed to take it ; but can it be said , therefore , that laudanum is not a poison , because what our opponents would call excess in the men did not kill the
woman . Then the same is true in reference to alcohol . All about the Homeopathist , the Allopathist , and the Hydropathist , can only have reference to invalids , whom the Teetotaler is quite consistent in leaving in the hands of the physician . Few medical men practise for tliemselves where there is danger , and although
inen may have a right to choose their physician , and the kind of medicine , we have no right morally to choose the use of strong drink as a beverage , seeing that it is but gratifying a vitiated taste at the expense of the best interests of society , especially where such practices have a tendency to train up the rising generation in the way they should not go . John Watt .
Newcastle-on-Tj'ne . [ We readily insert the earnest letter of Mr . Watt , as we have those of others on this subject . Mr . Watt further prese nts the other side of the topic discussed , which we are willing should stand before our readers , who after perusing this letter and others in course of insertion , will not we think be of opinion that " Ion " has much mistaken the " dangers of the Temperance cause . "—Ed . 1
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THE RECENT CO-OPERATIVE CONFERENCE . ( To the Editor of the Leader . ) London , September 4 , 1852 . Sie , —As I am desirous of relieving , if possible , the perplexity of a " Looker-on , " concerning the subject oi the recent co-operative conference , will you permit me to say , in reply to his inquiries , that that conference was convoked ( as stated in my former note ) by the " Society for promoting- Working Men ' s Associations ;" and that the constitut ion of the conference was very similar to that of the one held at Bury , Lancashire , in Ap ril , 1851 , except that in issuing their " proposals " for the conference , the society stated that , " as it is desirable that as many co-operative bodies as possible should be represented at t he conference , it is proposed that any number of associated bodies should be at liberty to unite for the purpose of sending delegates ;" and it also being by the society considered desirable that a larger number of productive associations should be represented at this , than was represente d at the former conference , to effect this object it was proposed that such associations , though having a less number of members than distributive associations ( which have generally a much larger number of members ) should bo permitted to send delegates . The subjects proposed for discussion at the conference , and the conditions of representation were sent to every society known to bo engaged in practical co-operation , and in no one instance was any complaint made as to those conditions , or any suggestion received for their amendment .
Tho constitution of the " Society for promoting Working Men ' s Associations , " is contained in No . 5 of the Tracts on Christian Socialism , published by Mr . Bell , of Fleet-street , to which tract I must direct your correspondent for information as to ifc . s organization and management , at tho same time informing him that I believo it to be in contemplation to revise that constitution , in consequence of tho changes that will bo effected in tho working associations by tho pausing of tho Industrial and Provident Societies Act . Tho proceedings of tho society havo boon regularly reported in the Christian Socialist and the Journal of Association , until tho recent discontinuance ! of tho latter publication . A report of tho society will shortly bo published .
Tho resolutions of the conference , as contained in tho Moniiufj Advertiser , arc quite correct ; a full report is , however , in the press , and will bo ready in a few days . Tho request of your correspondent , and tho importance of a clear and oordial understanding between all friends of tho co-oporativo movement , must bo my apology for again troubling you . — I am , Sir , your obedient servant , Tiiomah Snoitricit , Secretary to the Conference .
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NOTIONS TO OOUHKHrONIMONTH . . 1 V . of limwioh . Wo omit hitt lottor of uorroboraJion andnoknowh )< l i « iont of tl . o nido ( iihrr . l > . y " Ion" on tho Tonmoriinoo qiWMtiun , , m wo nro imxioiiH < o >»«< 'rt us manyim j . ohhiI . Io horn < liHH < Mit . i « ntH . Wo huvo a vidmiMo ooiuiiniiiKmtion IVom Dr . Looh , of liO .-. JH-, lotUTH from Mr . l '« lli » tor , Mr . U . Hunter , and oMici'M , Htaii < liiitf . ovor . Wo m » i obliged to " A Hubwribor" for tho correction of a Hlight « rror of Htatoment in our hint imnreHHion . Wo reported tho diniinr lolho Uuild of Liloriitnro at ManeheMter _ to have been hold iu Mio I'W TiikIo Hall , whon-HB it wim only tho performance of tho Guild that took phiou in Iho l < re « i Trade ilidl , atid tho buiinuet given to the Guild by the members of the Manohca * tw Athimnxaxt took plane la tho rooms vftbut Iu « tituti « ni
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September 11 , 1852 . ] THE LEADER . 8 T *
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Leader (1850-1860), Sept. 11, 1852, page 877, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1951/page/17/
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