The members of the Federation were not slow to recognise the vital nature of the issues at stake, and placed a credit of £1,000 in the hands of the directors to use as they might deem advisable for the defence of the Co-operative movement. At the Perth Congress, which was held when the boycott campaign was at its height, the delegates had decided in favour of Co-operative representation in Parliament; and later, when the Co-operative Union sent out a circular, with the object of ascertaining what support a Parliamentary campaign was likely to secure amongst the societies, the delegates to the Baking Society’s meeting, by a large majority, decided in favour of a Parliamentary campaign; mainly owing to the eloquence of the chairman, Messrs Glasse and MacNab, Wholesale, Mr Gerrard, and Messrs Low and Stewart of Kinning Park. Undoubtedly, the boycott had its influence on the decision. The chairman was particularly strong in his remarks at the meeting, and, in referring to the debate on the subject which had taken place at Congress, suggested that if their English friends had had a taste of the boycott they would put aside any party prejudices. With the defeat of the traders, however, and the apathy of the Co-operators on the other side of the Border, the agitation died down, and, except as a subject of academic debate at Congress, nothing further was heard of it for some years. RELATIONS WITH MASTER BAKERS. In the middle of 1896, the Master Bakers’ Association held a meeting to consider the price of bread. Out of 48 firms represented, 44 voted against making any reduction in price at the moment, while four were in favour of a reduction. After the meeting those four firms met and agreed to reduce the price. They got other three firms to join with them; with the result that on the morning of 15th June an advertisement appeared in the Glasgow papers which stated that these seven bakers had reduced the price of their bread. The committee of the Baking Society met that evening, and they decided that while the price of flour did not warrant the reduction, yet, in order that the Federation might maintain its position it was their unanimous finding that the price should be reduced by one halfpenny on the four-pound loaf. At the same meeting it was agreed that, as the sale of “common” bread was very small, the Federation should cease baking it altogether, and produce only the one quality of bread in future—“fine.” This decision was adhered to for six months, at the end of which period it was agreed to begin the baking of “common” bread again. At a later period this connection with the Master Bakers’ Association was called in question at a quarterly meeting, and gave rise to a lengthy discussion. Mr Glasse of the Wholesale board was the chief critic, and moved that the Federation be not represented at these meetings in future. Several of the delegates, in supporting this