The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1866-06-30


Mr.. Ruskin, the eloquent art critic, and a
friend of the la6oring classes, was asked to
go to Bradford, Eng, to talk with the mer-
chants about the new Merchants Exchange
they were going to build. But when be got
there, he declared that be must talk about
something else. They wanted to get an
idea from him as to the architecture Of the
building. In the course of his remarks be
sketches some Of the designs suitable for
pagan, money getting Bradford, in this sar-
castle strain /:
| suggest decorating it's fIieze with pen
dant purses; and making its pillars broad
at the base for the sticking of bile. And
in the inmost chambers of it, there
might be a statue of Brittania of the market
who may have, perhaps RdUisably, a part
ridge for her crest, typical at once of her
courage in fighting for noble ideas, and of
her interest in game and around its neck
the inscription in gold letters, Perdir forii
quo non psrPern. Then, for her spear, she
might have weayer's beam; and on her
shield instead Of her cross, the Mlanese
boar, semi-heeced, with the town of Gen
ncsaret proper, in the field and the legend,
" In the best Market" and her corsIet of
leather, folded over her heart in the shape
Of purse with thirty slits in it for piece
of money to 60 in at, on each day of the
month. And doubt not that people would
come TO see your Exchange and it's Goddess
with applause.
Having gone so far with drawing the Ex-
change, he suggests plan Of life. He
says:
Your ideal of human life is, think, that
it should be passed in pleasant undulating
world, with iron and coal everywhere under
meath It. On each pleasant bank of the
world is TO be beautiful mansions with two
wings and stables, and coach houses; a
moderately sized park; large garden and
hot houses, pleasant carriage drives through
the strawberries. In the mansion are TO live
the favored votaries Of the Goddess; the
English gentleman with his gracious wife,
o nd his beautiful family; always able to
have the boudoir and the Jewels for the wife,
and the beautiful ball dresses for the
daughters, and hunters for the sons, and a
shooting in the highland for himself. At
the bottom of the bank there is to be tbs
mill not less than quarter of a mile long,
with steam engine nc each end, and two in
the middle, and chimney three hundred
feet high. In the mill are to be in constant
employment from eight hundred to a thou
sand workers, who never drink, neueT strike,
always 70 to church ON Sunday, and always
express themselves in respectful language.
In speaking Of Judas Iscsriot he says,
We do great injustice TO Iscariot in think
ing him wicked above all common wicked
ness. He was only common money lover,
and like all money lovers, did mot UNDER
stand Christ could mot make out the worth
of Him, or the meaning Of Him. He did
mot want Him 10 be killed. He was horror
strusk when Nc found that Christ would be
killed threw his money away instantly and
hanged himself. How many Of our present
money seekers. think you, would have the
grace 10 hang thsmsslvss, who ever vas
Killed. Bot JadAs was common, selfish,
MIDDLE -headsd, pilfring fellow; his hand
'dwsysi IN tie bas d he poor, nes caring