The Sun.
London, England, 1870-04-23 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, APRIL 23, 1870.

things of this life were monopolised by the
favoured few, and all the hardship and
toil fell to the prostrate multitude.
Nevertheless, improvement is to be noted, though it
is slow and meagre. Wages are increased, education is
improving, culture and refinement are extending,
and the just influence of the masses is everywhere
being exerted in favour of their rights. It is need-
less to expatiate on the growth of wages
in England and the United States. In
France and Prussia the same tendency is manifest,
though to a slighter degree. Low as are wages- in
the last-named country, they are higher than even
so recently as in 1866. The burdensome laws
which hampered the action of the labouring
ranks, especially in the matter of trade
combinations, are rapidly disappearing. In
France, for instance, the severe enactments
against coalitions on the part of workmen " tending
unjustly or improperly to force a fall in wages" are
now much relaxed. Strikes are quite common, and
some of the legislation affecting them is allowed to
remain a dead letter. In North Germany a
vast variety of laws against freedom of
industry were all effaced from the statute
book only a few months ago, when an
Industrial Code was enacted by the Federal Parlia-
ment for the whole of the Confederation. In England
the trades' unions will soon be legally recognised.
America, in this respect, as in all others, is the home
par excellence of the working man. Everywhere
the principle is gaining ground, that the best course
is to leave workmen to their own devices in the
matter of combination, provided they refrain from
violence. In respect of education similar progress
is noticeable. The Austrian Parliament last year
passed a magnificent law in favour of
national education, such a measure in fact
as puts to shame all our own squabbles. The
system is denominational, and on a footing of
impartial equality for all religious sects. Attendance
at school is compulsory. Every child must begin at
the age of six, and continue at school without in-
terruption until be is fourteen. Even then education
canilut be discontinued, unless there be certified proof
that he has thoroughly mastered the requisite standard.
This standard is a high one. It comprises reading,
writing, and arithmetic, a sound knowledge of the
native language, history, geography, all the more
important branches of physical science, geometry,
singing, and athletic exercises. Here is a list to
make the Englishman stare. The mere notion of
such a measure as this passing the test of our "Par-
liamentary palaver" is enough to provoke mirth. In
France the amount of money spent on education
has rapidly increased, though it yet remains insuffi-
cient. The first Empire devoted a budget of £l6O
to public instruction; the Restoration one of 2,000 ;
the Monarchy of July one of £200,000 ;
the Republic of 1848 retained this sum ;
the Secand Empire grants £720,000. Prussia
and America are the two first States in the world in
respect of popular instruction. Others are working
onwards, some with much zeal. The progress of the
industrial clases in the attainment of political power
is the most significant sign of the times.
The United States is again .foremost
in this particular. In the great Republic
the working man has at least his full share, perhaps
more, of influence in the conduct of Government.
In England, the newly enfranchised classes have
only to feel their strength in order to make those
above them feel it. In France, universal
suffrage, but for the system of official
candidatures, which cannot long be maintained,
would make and unmake d) nasties. Bavaria is re-
forming her franchise; Spain has declared the lowest
suffrage; and fierce battles are now being fought over
this question in both Austria and Prussia.
What has been the effect of these material changes?
Does the working man live on better terms with his
employers ? The answer may be given as briefly as
surely—a state of war between master and man is
everywhere springing up. Every item of
power and wealth which the industrial
classes acquire is thrown into the scale
against the more fortunate of society. But this is
too great a topic to be discussed here. The great
strife between capital and labour, the means by
,hich it is carried on, and the means by which it
may be averted, will appropriately furnish the
matter for another article.

BER MAJES7'II.-

OSBORNE, April 22.

The Queen, accompanied by her Royal High-
ness Princess Louise, walked and drove this morn-

lug.

The oiher members of the Royal Family also

went out.