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 _ The truth is that Liberals have done so much for Labour that 
 _ tis very difficult briefly to answer the question. Here are some 
 4 FACTS of a general nature that will give you some idea of what 
 | the worliing classes owe to Liberalism. | 
 a 1, LIBERALS GAVE THE WORKERS THE VOTE, 
 There have been three Reform Acts (1832, 1867, and 1884), and 
 7 all were the work of, and were carried by, Liberals. Now, the 
 _ Vote is the great instrument of all Reform, and 
 it cannet be denied that it was the Liberals who, believing 
 in the right ef the workers to have it, put it into their 
 
 ’ hands. That really covers everything. The great period of 
 - Reforms for the benefit of the working classes began only after 
 the Reform Act of 1833. % : . 
 | 2, LIBERALS HAVE ORIGINATED ALL THE GREAT 
 | REFORMS WHICH HAVE DIRECTLY BENEFITED THE 
 7 WORKING CLASSES. This is true even when (as in the Repeah = 
 _ of the Corn Laws and Free Education) the measures were finally § g 
 » brougit in by the Tories. In both these cases the Reform was the | Me 
 ' result of long years of agitation by Liberals, and by Liberals _ 
 only, and in both it was only carried by Liberals 
 votes. | | oo 
 3 THE: FIRST STARTING-POINTS IN WORKING  — 
 _ CLASS LEGISLATION HAVE BEBN LIBERAL MEASURES. 
 
 In all the more important branches of working-class legislation the 
 
 _ honeur of having taken the first step amd passed the first measure 
 
 _ belongs to the Liberals. It was the Liberals who 
 
 , passed the Factory Act of 1833, and by so doing gave 
 
 the greatest Impetus te the movement fer humanizing the conditions 
 
 of Haetory Labour. It was the Liberals who passed 
 the Education Act of 1870, which established a National 
 system of llementary Education. It was the Liberals 
 who passed the Trade Union Act of 1871, the great 
 Charter of Trade Unionism. [It was the Liberals who _ 
 passed the Employers’ Liability Act of 1880, 
 
 which partially abolished the doctrine ef “commen employment,” 
 
 4, 
 
 the great barrier to Workmen’s Compensation. | 
 
 _ @be all-important thing to note and te realize is that in 
 every case these measures were either the first 
 of their Kind or the first that really counted. 
 
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 A Ass \ “4 d Tees ‘ Bais 
 
They have conscquently formed the foundation for all | 
 _ later legislation on the same subjects. The great thing 
 in politics is to get principles recognized and. 
 embodied in laws. I the cases given above (and they are 
 only samples) that is the service that Liberalism has | 
 rendered to Labour. ae a 
 4. LIBERALS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN SPECIALLY 
 IDENTIFIED WITH MEASURES THAT HAVE LIGHTENED > 
 THE BURDENS OF LIFE TO THE WORKERS. The 
 Liberal movement for the repeal of the-Corn Laws ended in the © 
 triumph of Free Trade, which, more than any other single measure, / 
 has been the cause of Working-Class Prosperity. But the step 
 gained in 1846 was only the firsts of a long series of 
 reductions of taxation that Liberals success-= 
 fully carried out. Between 1853 and 1866 they remitted | 
 taxes amounting to no less than 13 millions. Among the articles 
 on which duties were reduced were tea (from 2/2 to 6d. per Ib.), © 
 sugar, and coffee, while among those abolished were the duties on 
 Corn, Butter, Cheese, Eggs,and Soap. It is unnecessary to point out 
 how much this has meant for the well-being of | 
 the worHKing classes. The Liberals, too, abolished the 
 Window Tax (1851), the Tax on Newspapers (1855), and the Paper | 
 Duty (1861), thanks to which every working man can havehis cheap _ 
 newspaper. Two other things done by the Liberals that have — 
 proved a great boon to the workers may also be mentioned—Penny ay 
 Postage (1839) and the Post Office Savings Bank (1861). oe 
 
 owe 
 
 LIBERALISM AND LABOUR, 1892-1895, 
 
 When the Liberals were last in office (from 1892 te 1895) they — 
 were in a small majority in the House of Commons and in a large 
 minority in the House of Lords. Though in office they had but — 
 little power. Yet they succeeded in doing excellent 
 service for the workers both in improving the 
 conditions of their labour and in lightening their 
 burdens. Se 
 
 (1) The Liberals passed the Railway Sere 
 vants’ Act of 1893, which empowered the Board of Trade to | 
 compel the Railway Companies to bring their servants’ hours within — 
 reasonable limits, ee 
 
 (2) The Liberals passed the Factories and 
 Workshops Act of 1895, by which the lives and limbs of | 
 the workers were rendered additionally safe. = Bs. 
 
 (3) The Liberals carried through Sir William 
 
 Harcourt’s great Democratic Budget of 1894, 
 which, by placing more of the burden of taxation on those best able 
 
 to bear it, has increased the annual income of the country by 
 4 millions. 3 an e 
 
 Pee Fe 
 
 ees BIS Sh Eien IR ee 
 
10 years towards the interests of the workers—both relating to 
 
 , ever voted against any of the Bills. 
 
 credit a great record of work for the benefit of 
 
 | __ previous Government, 
 
 _ disease due to employment; (2) THE TRADE DISPUTES ACT, 
 
 _ (1) THE LABOUR EXCHANGES ACT. to lesten ie oun of 
 | Snemployment; (8) THE TRADE BOARDS ACT, attacking the 
 
 Sation Act of 1897, The Liberals proposed many amend- 
 ments in order to bring the Bill up to the 
 
 the Taff Vale and other decisions of the Law Courts; (3) THE 
 
 ening the hours of labour in Laundries; (5) THE MERCHANT ; 
 SHIPPING AOT, securins to seamen increased accommodation and ad 
 
 _& proper supply of food; (6) THE COAL MINES REGULATION a 
 
 LIBERALISM AND LABOUR, 1895-1905, 
 
 For 10 years (1895-1905) the Liberals were out of power, They 
 were, therefore, unable (so far as carrying Laws is concerned) to 
 do anything for Labour, But during all these years, and in the face 
 
 of huge majorities against them, they proved true to the 
 great record of their Party in the service of ey 
 Labour. Here are two illustrations (the number might be ae 
 indefinitely increased) of the attitude of Liberals during these ~~ 4 
 
 matters of vital importance. 
 
 (1) Liberals and the Workmen’s Compens 
 
 ! standard of. the Liberal - 
 Bill of 18 4, and thus make it of real value to the working classes, 
 
 (2) Liberals and the Legal Position of Trade 
 
 nions. In 1903, 1904 and 1905 Bills were brought in to 
 restore to Trade Unions the legal. position they enjoyed up to the 
 ‘time of the Taff Vale and other decisions. These Bills were | 
 approved by the Trades Union Congress Parliamentary Committee, | 
 and, to prove how entirely the Liberals are with 
 the workers in this demand, two facts alone need be 
 ‘Sstated—(1) Of three Bills, two were introduced by 
 Liberal members, and (2) No Liberal member 
 
 LIBERALISM AND LABOU R, 1906-1912, 
 ; Since 1906 a Liberal Government has been in power, with 
 (for the first time in our history) a Labour Member in the Cabinet. 
 Faithful to their creed and traditions, they have put to their 
 
 abour—a record unequalled in the same length of time by any 
 
 LEGISLATION.—The present Liberal Gov. 
 ernment have passed (1) THE WORKMEN'S COM. 
 PHNSATION ACT, which includes six millions of workers previously 
 denied the right of compensation for accidents at their work, 
 and provides for compensation, wherever practicable, in cases of 
 
 replacing the Trade Unions in 
 
 the legal position they occupied before 
 
 NOTICE OF ACCIDENTS ACT, for the better prevention of 
 Accidents ; (4) THE FACTORY AND WORKSHOP AOT, short- 
 
 AOT, limiting a miner’s work below ground to 8} hours a day; : i : 
 
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 : iN 
 
 5 Published by the LIBERAL PUBLICATION DEPARTMENT (in connection with the 
 eval Federation and the Liberal Central Association), 42 Parliament St., S.W., 
 je A: Eriated by Page & ThORas, Ltd., Chesham. 
  Learuer ug 2429.) - 14/3/12 ERrice 4s, 6d, per een 
 
 evils of sweating; (9) THE SHOP ACT, providing for a weekly 
 half- -holiday, securing regular meal times for Shop-Assistants, and 
 promoting early closing; and (10) THE COAL MINES ACT, 
 
 making thorough-going provision for the health and safety of miners, ~ ae 
 
 In addition, the Liberal Government has mains 
 
 tained Free Trade; has taken a penny off the 
 
 Tea Duty and more than halved the Sugar Tax; 
 and has passed— the OLD AGE PENSIONS Act, 
 
 ‘giving pensions to more than 900,000 old folk ef 70 and over; 
 
 (2) the People’s Budget, which puts the Biggest 
 Burden of Taxation on the broadest bach, taxes 
 Land Values, and provides money for the Navy, 
 
 - Old Age Pensions, and National Development; and 
 
 G) the NATIONAL INSURANCE ACT, which 
 sets up a system of Insurance; (a) by which no 
 less than some 14,000,000 workers will to a large 
 
 extent be protected against the loss, expense, 
 
 and anxiety caused by SICKNESS and 
 
 - BREAKDOWN, and (b) by which 2,400,000 
 workers in certain industries will be ‘insured la 
 against UNEMPLOYMENT. ee | 
 
 ADMINISTRATION,—But it is not only by ted | 
 
 lation that the Laberal Government have rendered incalculable 
 service to the workers, They have also most vigorously used their 
 - Administrative powers for their benefit. We can only indicate one — 
 or two of the ways in which they have donethis. They enforcemore © 
 strictly the Law in regard te Railwaymen’s Hours. They have 
 very greatly increased the number of Factory Inspectors, They — 
 have further recognised Trade Unions. They have considerably 
 improved the conditions of employment of Gevernment rorkoee 
 
 They have greatly increased the wages of Postal Servants, 
 This, then, in outline, is the answer to the question, What 
 
 has Liberalism done for Labour ?’’ Many reforms closely affecting 
 _ the lives of the workers (such as Temperanee, Land and Miners’ 
 
 questions) thai the Liberals have fought for and carried through 
 
 have not even been mentioned, and a long list of Liberal measures _ 
 
 ef all kinds in the interests of the workers could be given. But 
 the great, essential facts of the Liberal Record 
 in regard to Labour have been stated, and they 
 
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 ee WRG Noe Boor aye Mego: ’ prea a ue : 
 Lh pte PT AR ree a EAA Wi Pedr ee pe tS 
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 form a sufficient answer to the question. With 
 
 all these facts in mind you must agree that it 
 is hardly too much to say that the measure of 
 
 political and industrial freedom, and ef social 
 well-being and prosperity that the working 
 
 classes enjoy to-day is due, directly or in= 
 directiy, to the Liberals. 
 
 N ational Li