The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-10-21 00:00:00

The WORKING v. the MIDDLE CLASSES.

A " Clerk " seinli the fll,ming common sense lettet
to The l'imes for publication :

The " working classes " seem to have hold of the public
ear, 31141 are loud in their complaints by mouth and pen,
on platforms in public parks, not to speak of public-houses,
clubs, 1111i4r13, and other places of resort. They keep re-
peating their wrongs, as they style their troubles in life, in
every possible manner in seas, in 334 out of Sea,ll. Editoll3
magazines print their liii lee, p overfill newspapAs
Insert their letters in conspicuous lyre'', members of Par-
liament. even, during the recess echo their grievances, till
4,lie might almost fancy they, the " working classes," are
some separate caste under special ill-treatment awl partial
legislation. It is difficult to define •• workiug. class' very
exactly, but, speaking roughly, It may be taken to mean
those who work with their bands at labour which dirties
them luid are pail weekly wages. The amount earned in a
year has little to do with the terms, as ninny clerks and
curates are hi receipt id much smaller incomes than many of
the "working classes."

In a small, old, awl populous country the pressure for
subsistence must lie great, and. :IS a few examples are worth
limy insertions. the writer of this letter, who is a com-
mercial clerk, will now furnish a few statistics of his own
and his cousins' families, thawing how large a proportion of
them have had to seek other countries for their living.
was horn in a entnl 411striet and have three bnithers. One
emigrated to Australia, another to America, and another
went to a large manufacturing town In England and engaged
in trade. (If a fondly of tire cousins two emigrated to Ame-
rica, I,lle went to intlia as an army doctor, and another re-
mained In this country and succeeded his father In a (atm.
not, ther family of five cousins one went to Australia, three
to India, and one remained in this country no a clergyman.
If another family .4 three Cousins, two went to Australia
and one is no army doctor and has been everywhere. of
another family of two cousins lath remained In this laundry
naturally, as their father left them something like .Cl,OOO a
year. These are all the cousins I hail except two huge
families, whose parents emigrated to America before they
were born. If anybody will take the trouble to think over
their own relatii.SOMleSS they ate either pretty high up or
very low down in the social scale), they will lind the propor-
tion of their mlations much the same who have to leave
their native places in se„arvis of ie-cupation. What, then, is
the hardship if the ''Whrking num,' when out of work, or
dissatisfie I with his wages or his hing hours, should-Imre
to seek Own e eieuitry where his labour will keep him more
profitably? A little money will tale. a man a Itmg way nowa-
days, so no need to ask for State aid, but only devote a year
two's savings or some club funds, and considerable nnnt.
hers yearly might try their fortunes elsewhere. But the
" working awn'' seems to expect to ho sent out 4,1 the coun-
try by those who stay In it, and to lie started in his new
country without risk if starvation or even discomfort. State
emigration on a tremendous scale is an impossibility, as
massen of population In anew country (supposing they could
be landed there) would be speedily ht a worse condition than
they were in their old homes, and would die of disease Rik
starvation before they eOIIIII learn the duties of a new life.
l'he only plan is, to let the "working classes" go on as they
are doing already, emigrate to America tor Australia, or any-
where, where they tow what they are about, and do as the
middle classes have toil°, save a little money to take In their
pockets to keep them till they find work.
Travelling by seals cheap, postage Is constantly becoming
cheaper, and surely h ire many 3-earn most of the working
classes s-ill have learnt to write a letter, and when they do
emigrate they will lot forget their relations left liehind them.
Meantime tt complain in 4ole breath think they are in a state
tot distress bordering upon starvation and in the next to say
that they wish to be members of Parliament is rather incon-
sistent. . .

For my part, thought have got, my living as a clerk for
army years, and have bad my own GrieValletS too. I have
not thought of looking for a seat in Parliament, neither do
wish to be represented there by a clerk, still less by a
° working man." The mail who has made pilities his study
and is prepared to devote Ids time to Fariiamentaryl ife is
little likely to be either the one or the other. Still, If a
working man ever appears who is evidently the best informed
and most honest man who can be found to represent a con-
stituency, then no donlit he would be elected by acclama-
tion, and it would be the height of folly to object to his occu-
pation.
On the whole, the laws of the country are in a satisfac-
tory state, and if the ° working classes " are ever to be
much better off tints they are nt present they can only
become at, by industry and economy. Their lot is a hard
one, but not unbearable if faced in a manly spirit. The
world is wide, and will provide food and clothing for all
ho rely upon their own lahour. For those who fold their
bands in their distress, and give up the struggle without
effort, there is no hope.