A.D. 1776 
—1850. 
The 
depression 
during the 
transition 
to power 
weaving 
wn the linen 
trade was 
1ggravated 
by the com- 
vetition of 
Irish, and 
of cotton 
weavers. 
194 
LAISSEZ FAIRE 
rregularity of employment. In periods of depression little 
vork was given out, but their earnings in good times 
were sufficient to keep them from recognising that the trade 
was terribly overcrowded. Instances of the organisation of 
hand-weaving in factories had occurred as early as the 
fifteenth century, and it is hopeless to try and obtain in- 
formation as to the gradual extension of that system. Some 
evidence has survived, however, in regard to the introduction 
of the power-loom, and we are justified in concluding that 
this would not have occurred unless a thoroughgoing system 
of capitalist supervision had already come into vogue. If 
will be convenient to consider the course of the changes 
in different branches of the textile trades in turn. 
i. The linen-weavers were reduced to as miserable a 
condition as any other class of weaver in 1839. Their wages 
had steadily fallen; they had resorted to strikes, over and 
over again, but always without success; several distinct price- 
lists had been issued, as in 1829 and in 1837, but the 
masters did not adhere to them, and each new list gave 
greatly reduced figures’. This depressed condition was partly 
due to the competition of Irish immigrants? but the trade 
was also overcrowded by cotton-weavers. The power-loom 
had been very generally introduced, so far as cotton fabrics 
were concerned?, and the cotton hand-weavers took refuge in 
the linen trade; thus, before the power-loom had been applied 
to linen fabrics, the artisans were suffering seriously from 
an indirectly induced competition®, The overcrowding of 
i Reports, 1840, xxi. 317. 2 Ib, 815. 
3 See below, 797, n. 5. 
+ See the statement in regard to Yorkshire linen-weavers. There are many 
causes that have been at work in bringing the hand-loom weavers’ wages to this 
starvation price, and we will beg leave to state our opinion of a few of them. The 
power-loom is one, and though but little progress has yet been made in working 
linen goods, yet, by having nearly destroyed the cotton-weaving, and greatly 
‘njured the stuff and woollen weavers’ trade, it has driven many out of those 
ranches into the linen trade, and over-stocked the market with hands; and the 
manufacturers have taken the advantage, and reduced the wages; but we believe 
it is nothing to their profit. Now, these power-looms contribute nothing to the 
revenue; on the contrary, they have been the means of throwing great numbers 
out of employment, and has (sic) brought thousands and tens of thousands to sup 
the cup of misery even to its very dregs, and, if not speedily checked, will, ere 
jong, bring the whole of the weaving trade to complete ruin. We think at any