Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1870-06-22
English Free Trade and Poverty,

Those who seem to be desirous to bring
this country down to the level of England
by the adoption of the policy of free trade,
may read profitable lesson, if they please,
in the following extract from the New York
Worlds free trade organ) ''own correspon-
dent" across the big water. The letter is
dated at London, May IS, and may be found
in the World of the 18th of June. Here Is
the extract:
l left the cottage and walked down the
road that leads to the village OF Denham.
Seated on the ben ches before the Plough
Inn were groups of peasants, III sulock frocks,
corded trousers, and hobnaled shoes. A
long the road, at intervals, were a few Gotta
ges. all of them very old, very dirty, very
substantial, and still very picturesque. Pre-
sently the road took turn and wound down
a ravine and over little stream of water
clear as crystal. As | stood for a moment
on the big bridge tw men approached me,
and, taking off their hats and making an
awkward scrape with their feet, said:
Master, wud ye bestow on US penny or
so to buy Us some bread?'
what is the matter?' | asked.
I'VE can get no work to-do, said both
the men in breath.
One OF the men was very old, and the
other was young. They had clothing en-
ough to cover their nakedness, and that
was all The old man had stick in hi,
hand his few white hairs were matted to-
gether with dirt; his eyes had weary,
yearning, hungry look.
Why said to the old man, You
no.,II xxort- - ,bp,,iI pfTn IN
ploy you.
"Oh, yes, MASTER he replied in an eager
voice, Il am strong yet aim L Billy L
could do good day 5 work as any man.
We'll, why can you get it?
Master" said the younger man, "the
country hereabouts is all ID distress, and 1
do hear that it is no better in Berks, nor
yet in Middlesex. 1t is all among OF the
large farmers and the machinery"
And putting down the land IN grass,
Billy" interrupted the old man.
eyes master, and putting down the land
in grass, and turning farms into game pre-
serves. Where there used to be work for
"a score, there is Mt work now for one, and
il makes it hard This is the time of year
when We naturally look for work the old
man and have been in the 'workus' all win
ter but it is hard to be shut up between
stone walls when one thinks of the green
fields and the blue sky, and FIVE weeks ago
We came out and sought for work. We
have only had two days of work all that
time.
What do they do for you in the house?"
[ asked.
well, sir, first of all you has to break
three-quarters of yard OF stone day. and
il you come short Of that you has bread and
water-fye ounces of bread day and no
more. If you does your task-and 1t is hard
tOIl-you get SIX ounces of bread in the morn
ing, five ounces of meat and five ounces Of
bread for your dinner, and pint of broth
and five ounces of bread at night, and then
does for you in the house, master"
A police officer here passed by, and sharp
ly cycling the men, grufty ordered them ito
move on. | told him that tad asked them
to stop, at which he touched his hat and
begged my pardon, remarking that it was
his duty to prevent all 'cadging'' by tramps
but that if the gentleman wished to talk
with them he had no objection. He knew
those two men, he said, and they were hon
est fellows, but the law did not allow them
to beg If they begged they had to be shut
up 10 jail for month. The officer turned
lage put some money into the hands Of
the men, and hurried after him.
"Oh yes, sir said he, when | had over
taken him 1T is all right; we shut our eyes
to it whenever we can, but [ saw you were
a stranger, and we must do as the law di-
reefs Poor devils don know what they
told you, but they couldn't have told you
worse than the truth. The distress
is awful | don't know what We are COM
ing to. Things get worse aud worse cvery
year; and only last week three rate payers
on this parish went themselves on the rates.
Talk Of ireland Why, sir, if the poor here
hadn' t all the spirit ground out of them there
would be rising such as Ireland has never
seen. The Government takes credit for re-
ducing the national debt and diminishing
the income tax it is all right enough, no
doubt, but it don't help the people any.
They sink lower and lower every year. You
come down to our Union, sir, and l. Il show
you scores OF men who were rate payers
fcw years ago and who are paupers now.