All very well, Mr Cohen. My answer is that
at the present moment the stockingers in Leicester are earning four
shillings and sixpence a week. It is not a question whether they are
better or worse than their rulers. They want something to eat, they
have nothing, and their masters have more than they can eat.'
'Apart altogether from purely material reasons,' said Dennis, 'we
have rights; we are born into this planet without our consent, and,
therefore, we may make certain demands.'
'Do you not think,' said Clara, 'that the repeal of the corn laws
will help you?'
Dennis smiled and was about to reply, but Marshall broke out
savagely, -
'Repeal of the corn laws is a contemptible device of manufacturing
selfishness. It means low wages. Do you suppose the great
Manchester cotton lords care one straw for their hands? Not they!
They will face a revolution for repeal because it will enable them to
grind an extra profit out of us.'
'I agree with you entirely,' said Dennis, turning to Clara, 'that a
tax upon food is wrong; it is wrong in the abstract. The notion of
taxing bread, the fruit of the earth, is most repulsive; but the
point is--what is our policy to be? If a certain end is to be
achieved, we must neglect subordinate ends, and, at times, even
contradict what our own principles would appear to dictate. That is
the secret of successful leadership.
Pages:
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169