A.D. 1776 
—1850. 
It appeared 
imprac- 
tacable to 
resntro- 
duce the 
assessment 
of wages, 
716 
LAISSEZ FAIRE 
becoming dependent upon his earnings, it was notorious that 
his wages were insufficient for the maintenance of himself 
and his family. The policy of a living wage, for which the 
cotton weavers vainly contended in 1813, had found many 
advocates in the rural districts in the preceding decade; there 
was a very general feeling in favour of reintroducing the 
practice of assessing wages in accordance with the price of 
corn?, and it seems to have been generally, if not universally 
agreed, that this was the fair principle on which to proceed”. 
There was, however, a great difference of opinion as to 
whether this should be done by authority, or whether it 
could be brought about in the ordinary course of bargaining 
between employers and employed. Arthur Young's corre- 
spondents were of opinion that the law would be inoperative. 
It was urged that the inefficient labourers, if they had to be 
paid the full wages appointed by law, would find no employ- 
ment at all>. Others feared that such a measure would cut 
down the earnings of all to the same level, and thus discourage 
the more industrious ment Besides this, it was clear that 
wages were rising, slowly but surely, and this gave some 
reason for hoping that they would reach a level which would 
serve to maintain the labourer in comfort, without legislative 
interference®. On the other hand, it was argued that “to 
sxpect that the farmers and other employers of the poor 
should generously come forward, and of their own accord vary 
and increase the wages of their workmen, in exact proportion 
to their varying and increasing necessities, is utterly hopeless; 
they will no more do it than they would make good roads 
without the aid of turnpikes, or the prescription of statutes 
enforced by the magistrates, though both one and the other 
would be often really and truly their interest®.” The Suffolk 
justices petitioned in favour of a legislative regulation of 
i Davies, Case of Labourers, 106; also Pownall, Considerations on Scarcity, 
reprinted from Cambridge Chronicle, 1795. 
2 Mr Howlett, whose opinion was worthy of great respect, held that corn did 
not form such a predominating element in the labourers’ expenditure that wages 
should be regulated by it alone. He was however strongly of opinion that the 
labourer's income should be regulated by law on the basis of the food, fuel, and 
alothing necessary for a family in each district. Annals, xxv. 604, 612. 
8 Annals, xxv. 618; XXXVI. 270. 4 Ib. xxv. 502, 626. 
5 Annals. XxXv. 565. 8 Ih, xxv. 612.