*THE
WORKER*
BRISBANE,
JUNE 1, 1895.
Michael
Davitt Interviewed.
Interviewed
in Melbourne, Mr. Davitt is reported to have expressed the belief
that Australia was not anything like as distressed as he had been
assured, and added that the condition of labour appeared to be
improving, and the unemployed were decreasing, although it would be
years no doubt before a complete return to prosperity would be
enjoyed by some of the colonies. Asked about the position of the
Labour movement in Europe, Mr. Davitt said that the workers were not
contented. The pictures of the socialistic future drawn by the
advanced leaders in Europe had accentuated their sense of
dissatisfaction and they were determined to make a bold move for
redress.
“In
what direction!” was asked.
“Well,”
replied Mr. Davitt, “I believe the solution of the Labour movement
lies in the nationalisation of the land. That is the crying need for
Labour in Europe. If the land were in the hands of the State there
would be no more of those agrarian outrages which made every
humanitarian grieve. The unemployed would be contented in work and a
large amount, if not all, of the misery now to be seen on all sides,
removed.”
“Of
course,” Mr. Davitt was asked, “the hours of labour are also
involved in the unemployed question.”
“Yes,”
replied Mr. Davitt, “the question of the regulation of hours is of
supremest importance. The eight-hours movement has made strides in
Europe and wonderful progress in Australia, and the more general its
operation the more beneficial both for the working classes and the
people generally.”
“Are
you a compulsory eight-hours supporter, Mr. Davitt?”
“I
am. I have always regarded the movement as one that should have the
most general support. Of course people say it is absurd to
arbitrarily impose the eight hours system in all classes of work; but
that is too often an adroit plea by which employers succeed in
keeping their employe's at hard labour for unconsciously long hours.
There are, no doubt, some cases in which eight hours would, perhaps,
be cumbersome, and in those cases common-sense should dictate action;
but generally I am for its compulsory application. I believe it is a
far more important question even than it is generally regarded. The
question of hours goes very close to the root of the labour question,
because involved in it is not only the unemployed, but also the
education and happiness of present workers, and the condition also of
the workers to come.”
“Is
it true,” the representative asked, “as Mr. Moreton Frowen has
stated recently, that in European labour circles the greatest
importance is attached to the question of Bimetallism, and that all
the Labour organisations have affirmed the principle?”
Mr.
Davitt's bright eyes glistened in a merry laughter. “That is
absurd,” he declared. “I do not believe in it, and I do not think
the workers of England and Ireland believe that at a time when gold
buys more of life's comforts than it ever did before. It would be
wise to remonetise silver, no doubt, but comparatively few English
workers believe in Bimetallism – that is because the question has
been boomed somewhat in the English press to my mind, though it is
far too complicated for the generality of English workers. If silver
were remonetised, gold would fall to the extent of silver's
appreciation, and there would be no guarantee under such
circumstances that the worker would be as well off.”
“In
Australia,” the representative said, “you are not regarded as a
Socialist as we understand the term.”
“In
England,” replied Mr. Davitt, “there are sections of Socialists,
and it is difficult to precisely bind yourself to any one of them. I
profess, without actually calling myself a Socialist, that I am
favourable to everything good and practicable in the Socialist
programme, while adhering to what I conceive to be good under the
present Individualist system. I would nationalise the railways, land,
the minerals, the canals and so on. I believe the nationalisation of
the land would destroy the competition now prevailing. Land is the
great primary source of production, and nationalised would be
absolutely at Labour's disposal, and if so the Labour problem would
be nine-tenths solved. I will not say that the same would apply in
Australia; in fact, I think the remedies applied in places of small
population should differ completely from those applied in congested
centres.”
“Of
course you believe, Mr. Davitt, in the minimum rate of wages?”
“I
do heartily,” was his reply. “It has been applied in the London
County Council and in other parts of England, and its working has
been most encouraging. The workers have benefited by its operations
considerably. The minimum is a weapon which Providence seems to have
put into Labour's hands to deal a fatal blow sooner or later to the
sweating masters.”
“You
have taken a keen interest in prison reform in England?”
“Naturally,”
replied the ex-resident of Portland, with a grin laugh. “There has
been a Royal Commission in England to inquire into the prison system,
appointed by the Home Secretary, in consequence of the startling
revelations of the Daily Chronicle.
I gave evidence. The article I wrote for the 'Nineteenth Century'
three or four months ago was my brief for the evidence I gave.”
“What is your attitude?”
“The old prison system, which has existed under the
regime of Sir Edmund du Cane – who has since resigned – is
founded on harsh repression and utterly inhuman treatment. One of the
worst features of it is that no prisoner during his sentence shall be
allowed to speak to any other prisoner under penalty of punishment.
It is a barbarous rule. It is a prolific source of prison offence
without having any compensating advantage or rational justification.
I also protested against compelling a prisoner, during the first ten
months of his imprisonment, to spend it in solitary confinement,
engaged upon hard, useless, and meaningless labour. I tell you”
(this with great earnestness) “ I have, during the time I was in
prison, seen men driven mad by this abominable and inhuman system. I
have advocated that rational industrialism shall be introduced into
our prison system. By that I mean that prisoners should be part to
useful industries, so that a man may know that he is doing good work
and improving himself, and fitting himself to be a better citizen.
Prison discipline should be reformatory, not merely repressive; and I
am glad to hear that a new system is to be inaugurated in England.”
Mr. Davitt, when questioned regarding the position of
the English Labour Party generally, said that the worst feature of
the movement in England was the division amongst the leaders. There
were too many sections, he asserted, and if they but combined they
would be able to effect for Labour reforms which would almost
revolutionise the condition of the masses.
_____________
The
following lines appear on the address from the Victorian Democrats to
Michael Davitt, and are by Mr. Drake:
Times
are changing, thoughts are ranging
Over
land and over sea.
Hearts
are beating, hands are meeting
In
the cause of Liberty.
Honour
speedeth, him who leadeth,
Brethren
on to win the fight,
Self-denying
or bravely dying.
In
the strife 'twixt Might and Right.
Morn
is breaking, Men are waking
From
the sleep of apathy.
Truth
is calling, chains are falling
From
the forms which should be free.
Now
united, wrongs are righted,
Truth
tho' crushed can never fail.
Foes
no longer, men are stronger
For
the cause that must prevail.
*
* * *
Letter
from Michael Davitt.
The
secretary of the Brisbane District Council of the A.L.F. has received
the following letter from Michael Davitt:-
Advocate
Office, Melbourne, May 22, 1895.
My Dear Sir, - I am grateful for the kind greeting
extended to me by the Brisbane District Council of the Australian
Labour Federation, and I beg to thank the members of that body,
through you, for this mark of their courtesy.
In
reply to your inquiry as to the probable date of my arrival in
Brisbane, I wish to say that I have wired to some friends in your
city 1st
of September next. This, however, is conjecture only, as my
invitations are so numerous in this and other colonies I am unable to
arrange with any degree of certainty the exact date when I can start
from New South Wales for Queensland. It is also possible I may be in
a position to reach your colony in August. I hope to be able to stay
for a month or five weeks. - Yours truly, MICHAEL
DAVITT.
_______________
THE English House of Commons has agreed to the second
reading of a bill referring to arbitration and the assessment of
compensation to outgoing tenants for permanent improvements effected
by them. This will very much interest some of the tenant farmers on
the sugar plantations of Queensland who have to sign such an ironclad
agreement, the like of which Irish landlords never dared to enforce
in the worst of times.
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