the truck system which is a nefarious Robbery to the Workman and a Disgrace to the trade. This Worm has Been gnawing at the Root a great Number of years till he has assumed the form of a giant. When the Workman goes to the Warehouse of this monster, he has to submit to an extra Balance on the Weight side, and sometimes he Robs him of his tale, a Practice known only too well by the Work-man. He comes to the Books and then he has to suffer very often another injustice. Having done this business there, he as to find his Way to the tommy shop, and there he meets the giant. Who compells him to Buy his tommy at ten sometimes fifteen per cent, above market Price and of inferior quality. Some places this giant keeps a Public house, and the Workman Highly Blessed when seduced into the tap-room and is Riddled again. He tells him he must come on Monday for his Iron (another trick). He goes accordingly to order, but no Iron—you must go into my castle and have some beer to-day. So Monday is done. He applys on Tuesday—very often none that day. He is like the Fly and the Spider which he cannot extricate himself from. He is Bound hand and Foot by this modern Goliah.
"I don't say that all tommy Masters keep Public houses—they do not, but a portion of them. Some are more humane than others. Now this Class of men have found their way into the market and are underselling our honourable. Ready money Paying Masters, and Ruining the trade. The question is asked What is to be done to save the trade from Destruction. If a Workman lays an information he is looked upon 25 a Rogue and Vagabond, in the mean time he is Protecting his Fellow Workmen as well as himself. I ask now is there any Wonder that Poverty and distress exists in the Nail trade. Our Government have made a law, but that law has failed to meet the Requirements Demanded by the trade, there is so many intricacies. We have officers of Excise and Inspectors of Nuisances and yet not an Inspector of tommy Shops to see that the law as it now stands is carried out to the very letter and crush and annilate this abominable and nefarious traffic which is bringing Hundreds to a Premature grave and is a Disgrace to the Nation."
It is almost painful to see how patient human labour clings to a sinking industry, as drowning
