New-York tribune., 1870-11-15
POPULAR REFORM.

~ night with an audience representing all classes OF cti-
xens gathered to listen to Mr. A. j. Mundela Member Vi
Parliament for Sheffield, who lectured ON strkes Apf
traton and the Civil Service in Great Britain" The pat
form was occupied by a number OF prominent o'lno''
LAWYERS merchants, and Others among whom were III
Vinton Dr Prime, DR.. Bellows Dr. Schsh Dr' IL M
Field Judge DAILY, Prof Dwight, David DudIey Iiou'
chancellor Ferris f. W. stoughton' j. W. ucraiu, 80.
Cooper A. A. Low, DR.. Feuchtwanger. wm f. Dooge'Jr"
Isaac IL Bailey A. T. Stewart, Prof. DriSieI' III ''''
Iaunt Thompson, and Prof Botta
Ats Mr. A. s. Hewitt, Secretary OF the Cooper Union
called the meeting TO order and introduced MI "uiu
He referred the object for which the ihsli'"'io
fcunded and said the principal difficulty experienced p9
the managers had been finding proper instructors :"
ial and politics science He congratulated the auu
epce on the opportunity Of listening TO so pracucs "
earnest a thinker Mr.. Mundella
MIR Mundeua was greeted with great applause ana
sad
when. two months ago, 1 landed on your shores
! had 10 thought or expectation OF adureSSihs an
American audience. came to study, not 10 eApouhu
"a learn and not 70 teach and feel that my auieSs
this evening requires brief prefsce' During my 700
,or, s,av among YOU have endesvored diligently to
acouaint myself with institutions ana 70 FORM an
inpartia estimate OF the political and social eondtoh OF
vonr country shall carry away with me-besides much
,h,t viii le useful to legsatora profound con-
ti,n of the vast which If in store for you,
,orr ro,ple and government rightly appreciate, and
wisely use the glorious inheritance with which God has
endowed YOU have seen much to excite wonder some
nr TO deplore most to admire one distinguishing
characteristic which has presented itself TO me In
every town and city have entered, and which must
Command the unqualified admiration OF every impartial
tudeut UnbOunded muDicence and public spirit OF
your citizens. wiser and nobler example OF this can
not e found any country than the institution in the
fau OF which are now assembled and when its
rrrsteos requested 20 supplement the lecture Of my
friend Mr. Hughes did not feel myself at liberty to
decline especially subjects were touched upon in that
lecture of which Mr.. Hughes could only give sketohy
outlne. the more complete details Of which he urged
upon supply. This is my apology for addressing
son tonight l feel honored by the presence OF
shis audience, representing so well the capital,
labor, and intelligence Of the New World. know
,ou would prefer that should speak 20 you with
nness and unreserve, and should words escape me
which jar upon the susceptbiities Of my auditory
must pray you in the words of Shakespeare, 10
-iember that all ofenses from the heart" and
any from mine that might offend"
TEXT.
My text, which was selected for me- Is hardly 40 wide
and comprehensive as could wish shall therefore take
he ubcry-folowing the precedentOf certain excellent
iivnes-of occasionally wandering from 1t. propose
90 briefly Of OF those social problems which in
England have exercised the hearts and minds Of all
thoughtful men; 70 show you how far we have sue
eeded in our attempts their solution. and whenever
q snggosts itself TO that usefully point out
dangers and pitfalls which the light Of experience
would you TO shun shall humby venture to do So
Probably there are some within the sound Of my voice
recoect the state Of England prior TO the passing OF
Nhe first Reform bin in 1882. The Government OF the
country was mainly in the hands OF the aristOcracy
Rotten borOughs and landlord influence returned
considerable proportion of the members Of the House Of
Commons. GatOn and old sarum returned two, and,
believe, had more than two houses In them
Brambcr also sent two although its population scarcely
reached hundred souls There dozens Of constit-
uences for which the Lord OF the neighb0ring hall or
10 his or
groom had it pleased him. while the great industrial
centers suoh as Manchester Birmingham and Sheffield
altogether unrepresented Is 1t surprising that the
social condition OF people such as we now look
back upon with horror and almost with ncreduty In
factories and workshops, chldren-often mere IN
rantsand women toied all hours OF the day and night
under cruel taskmasters. Boys and girls. men and
women worked together in mines nearly In state OF
nudity TRe working classes generally were badly paid,
badly housed clothed, aud fed. Education was almost
wholly unprovided for. What little there was
result of private DenevOlence The recipients OF
a were often made to feel it dOled ont 10 them In
charity and servie obsequiousness was exaced IN re-
turn The records and parliamentary blue-Dooks OF the
time present with pictures little short OF hideous OF
She prevalent and suffering Ignorance and deprav
ftv This although greatly ameOrated, is far from be-
ing extirpated. With spirit and resolution worthy OF
your sires Enslishmen manfully graphing with
these evils and l believe with the help Of God. the
struggle will not until they have rendered
porous and free
The Reform bill Of 1892 enfranchscd the middle. and
tair spfnkng Of the working class Although pract.
tany. il gave the power 10 the middle class,
81 enabled the unenfranchised 10 make their
qoices heard sympathetic ears. Mr.. Ludlow, one OF
our abet liberal writers treating on the progress Of the
working classes during the thrtyhve years following
h first accession Of political power thus describes IT.
Nor do we pretend say that the progress which we
Affirm to have taken place has been as rapd-that 1t mas
teen carried as far-a II might have been; that the
workngman has made the fullest use OF the opporuni.
lies offered him. But we believe nevertheless, that the
history Of no peoplender the sun viii show period OF
Che same duration in which, without any great political
or social revolution, so great au advance has been
achieved by the workingeass and that chiefly through
Influences which God has been pleased to evolve from
the bosom OF the class itself"
POLITICAL AND SOCIAL PROGRESS.
II il needfu that should thus advert to our political
advaoc,tpent because with us political and social
.,roore.. march side by eide. In proportion as
We have extended the basis OF political power
we have given increased intensity and activity 10
The national life. in 1893 the cry OF the factory chdren
rst reached the OF the Legislature, and scarcely
session has passed from that time to the present In which
laws for the protection OF children young persons ana
,voue engaged in various employments have not been
extended and strengthened Beginning with the factories
md mine. we have length reached the WorKroom OF
The door seamstresses the fashionable niiner ana the
ourt dre.smsker. No woman young person male OF
under IL years Of age engaged In the occupations
affected py the Factories and Workshop acts can be en-
ployed more than hours in any day. ana aIer 'ne
hour. of in most and 4 some on the afternoon or
Gnrday No child between the OF eight ana thir-
Teen can work than half time, ana during nd '.
must attend two hours "A day at school NO woman n
enter mine or engage in certain other occupations Tor
which nature units her. Never has Legislation PIV.
,iuced more beuehcent results The improvement
nh