A minority of workmen by accepting low wages, or working over-time, are often able to compel the majority to do the same.

There is no labour-contract or other commercial act which merely regards the interest of the parties directly concerned.

How far a society acting for the protection of itself, or of a number of its members, is justified in interfering between employer and workman, or between competing tradesmen, is a question of expediency.

General considerations of the theoretic "freedom of contract," and the supposed "self-regarding" quality of the actions, are thus liable to be set aside by this socialistic legislation.
(3) These interferences with "free contract" of labour are not traceable to the policy of any one political party.

The most valuable portions of the factory measures were passed by nominally Conservative governments, and though supported by a section of the Radical party, were strenuously opposed by the bulk of the Liberals, including another section of Radicals and political economists.
These measures signify a slow but steady growth of national sentiment in favour of securing for the poor a better life.