50

THE  PROBLEM  OF  THE  UNEMPLOYED

trades;  but  the  expanding  demand  for  labour  was  so
great  that  a  very  small  proportion  of  the  working  population ­
  was  at  any  time  out  of  employment.  Where  improvements ­
  of  machinery  occur  during  periods  of  “  booming”
trade  they  do  not  occasion  any  large  quantity  of  unemployment ­
  or  distress.  It  cannot  therefore  be  held  that
the  application  of  improved  machinery,  is  itself  a  chief
and  necessary  cause  of  unemployment.
§  4.  Estùnate  of  Minor  Causes.  Trade  Depression ­
  shown  as  Major  Cause.

These  machinery  changes  and  specific  trade  movements
are,  of  course,  extremely  numerous  and  of  continual  occurrence. ­
  For  this  very  reason,  in  taking  a  term  of  years
their  influence  may  be  discounted.  The  amount  of
“unemployment”  due  to  these  causes  must  be  taken  as
a  pretty  constant  quantity.  A  glance  at  the  statistics  of
unemployment  recorded  by  the  Board  of  Trade  during  the
last  ten  years  will  indicate  the  importance  of  this  conclusion.

All  Trade  Unions  Making  Returns.

1893  1894  1895  1896  1897  1S9S  18994900  1901  1902

At  end  of

Per  Per
cent,  cent

Per  Per  j  Per  ¡  Per  Per
cent.  cent.  cent.  cent,  cent

Per
cent

Per  Per
cent,  cent

8.2

January.
February
March  .
April
May.  .
June.  .
July  .  .
August  .
September
October
November
December

4-5

3-3

5-0

3-0

4.0

i0.0  7.0
9-5  6.3
8.76.5
6.9  ]  6.  i
6.2  6.3
5.8  6.3
6.2  1  7.4

4  4

3*

C.6

7-9

2.9

3-9

43

3-0

4.4

3-6

6-5

z-5

3-5

2.5

3-1

2-3

3-8

6-5

3  9

3-2

2-5

2-9

2.2

3-6

6.0

2-5

2-3

2.7

2.4

4-0

3-3

2.6

2.0

5-6

4  2

3-2

2.7

2-3

2.6

2.7

5-3

2.7

3-4

4.0

2-3

2.8

4.5

7-1

7-7

5.2

3-4

3*5

2-3

3-0

3-9

3-6

7-6

3-6

2.6

3-7

5-0

7-3

4-9

2.4

3-7

5-0

7-4

3-3

4-7

2-5

2-3

3  3

7-3

4.9

3-8

4-8

4.8

7.2

7.0

4  3

2.9

23

.'.2

3-2

4-6

4.8

2-5

5-5

7-7

5-3

4.0

7-9

3-2

2.9

3-8

6.9

5-8

Yearly  Mean

3-5

3-0

2-4

2.9

7-5

3-4

1-4