athes. This being contrary to the rules of
the union, the men in the shop struck work. It is a usual course for men
of the union to "strike" in this manner against persons of their own
condition, and to exercise a force not resting in law or natural right,
but merely on the will of a majority, and directly subversive of the
freedom of the individual.]

It is not the want of money that prevents skilled workmen from becoming
capitalists, and opening the door for the employment of labouring men
who are poorer and less skilled than themselves. The work-people threw
away half a million sterling during the Preston strike, after which they
went back to work at the old terms. The London building trades threw
away over three hundred thousand pounds during their strike; and even
had they obtained the terms for which they struck, it would have taken
six years to recoup them for their loss. The colliers in the Forest of
Dean went back to work at the old terms after eleven weeks' play, at the
loss of fifty thousand pounds. The iron-workers of Northumberland and
Durham, after spending a third of the year in idleness, and losing two
hundred thousand pounds in wages, went back to work at a reduction of
ten per cent. The colliers and iron-workers of South Wales, during the
recent strike or lock-out, were idle for four months, and, according to
Lord Aberdare, lost, in wages alone, not less than three millions
sterling!

Here, then, is abundance of money within the power of
working-men,--money which they might utilize, but do not. Think only of
a solitary million, out of the three millions sterling which they threw
away during the coal strike, being devoted to the starting of
collieries, or iron-mills, or manufactories, to be worked by
co-operative production for the benefit of the operatives themselves.
With frugal habits, says Mr. Greg, the well-conditioned workman might in
ten years easily have five hundred pounds in the bank; and, combining
his savings with twenty other men similarly disposed, they might have
ten thousand pounds for the purpose of starting any manufacture in which
they are adepts.[1]

[Footnote 1: "The annual expenditure of the working classes alone, on
drink and tobacco, is not less than L60,000,000. Every year, therefore,
the working classes have it in their power to become capitalists
(_simply by saving wasteful and pernicious expenditure_) to an extent
which would enable them to start at least 500 cotton mills,