ENGLAND’S GREAT LABOR AGITATOR.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1480, 16 March 1886, Page 3

ENGLAND’S GREAT LABOR AGITATOR.

Perhaps no public agitator ever met with more abuse than the agricultural laborers’ friend, Joseph Arcb, who is one of the new members of the House of Commons representing the agricultural interests. Working men have sat in previous Parliaments, but this is the first instance on record of a man making his way from the plough to the Senate. At the last general election Mr Arch was the candidate for the borough of Wilton, but was badly beaten by Mr Sidney Herbert. The new member for Norfolk was born at Bradford, Warwickshire, in 182f>, His father was a laborer, and he himself h»d from an early age to work for bis living in the fields. Ho married the daughter of a mechanic, and at her suggestion added to bis slender stock of book-learning. He used often to sit up late at night reading books whilst smoking bis pipe by the kitchen fire. In this way be contrived to acquire some knowledge of logic, mensuration, and surveying. He likewise perused a large number of religious works, and for some years he occupied a good deal of his spare time in preaching among the Primitive Methodists. When the movement rose among the agricultural laborers, ho became its recognised leader. In 1882 be founded the National Agricultural Laborers’ Union, of which he became President. He went through the agricultural districts of England, addressing crowded meetings of the laboring classes, and afterwards he visited Canada to enquire into the question of labor and emigration. As an evidence of Mr Arch’s popularity, even outside the rural districts, it may be mentioned that when the nows oi his electoral success was posted up in Fleet street, a large crowd assembled, comprising all classes of people, gave cheer after cheer for Mr Arch, and sang “ For he’s a jolly good fellow.”