Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1873-10-22
Poverty in Europe.
BY AUSTIN BIERBOWER.


The extreme poverty of the lower
classes in Europe is calculated to Gre
ate discomfort, and the vast difference
between them and the rich to suggest
a reimbursement of the social relations
Here we have at once the ground and
the motive of socialism.
The poor are miserable beyond any
thing that we of America can conceive
The worklngmen, owing to the lowness
of their wages, live from hand to
mouth, feeling themselves fortunate if
they can provide for the moment they
do not dream of laying mp anything for
the future. If they lose days work
they are accordingly on the verge of
beggary. In this misery, moreover,
they have not the consolation of poor
Americans, who, although they must
begin poor, never expect to remain so
long Nor have they any hope that
their children ever will rise out of their
condition; for the son conventionally
takes up the trade of his father, lives
in the same class of society, and gen
orally in the same town, for whole
decade of generations.
With this state of things they expe-
rience several very important evils. In
the first place, the people cannot gen
orally marry. Servants, walters, coach
men, and persons of that class, rarely,
if ever, think of marrying, believing
themselves fortunate if they can sup
port a single person. Most mechanics
do not marry, and those who do out it
off till late in life, the usual age for
marrying being from twenty-five to
thirty years. The sad necessity which
imposes this delay on many has given
rise to it as custom for all. The mar
rage of the workingman, when 1t does
occur, generally entails more misery
than comfort; for then not only him
self, but whole family stands in per-
petual fear of beggary. This evil,
moreover, gives rise to'a greater. TIE
unmarried, and SO all, during their
early manhood, are much given to Ii
centlousness. The state of mistress is
the common condition of servant girls,
poor widows, and often of shop girls,
who in this way alone can exc out
subsistence for themselves and their
aged parents, Or it may be orphan
brothers and sisters. A poor young
girl IN Europe is generally allowed to
be ruined until proved to be virtuous.
Again, the manner of living among
the workingmen is equally deplorable.
Their dwellings are garrets, cellars and
back buildings, all of which are small,
or else partitioned off into small apart
ments, dirty and unhealthy. Many
take up their abode in cabins in tie
open square, or along the wider streets,
where they sit during the day exposing
petty articles of merchandise. In
Rome, Naples, and other southern
cities, they often live out-of- doors alto
gether, lying about in the sun, and
sleeping at night in the squares and
parks. In Sweden, Poland, and some
other northern countries, they t.,ke up
lodgings in the stable with the cattle.
Those who carry on their own business
as shoemakers, often do all their work
In the streets. This is especially so in
the south. In Naples, for example, you
can see them arranged with their tools
along the pavement from one end of
the street to the other. I have noticed
whole squads Of sewing girls, some
times with sewing machines, thus
stretched along the pavements; also,
bakers, cooks, saddlers, coopers, cop
persmiths, ETC., all plying their bust
ness IN the open air for lack of shelter
of any kind.
The dress and general appearance of
this class are no better than their dwell
lings. Much of their clothing is Sec
ond-hand apparel that has been thrown
off by the rich. The general charac-
teristic of the poor mans dress in
Europe is good stuff in bad condi-
ton. Here we see persons literally in
rags. In Thuringia, the children often
go entirely naked; in Italy, the poor
children and beggars go nearly so. The
common blouse of the workingmen all
over Europe is what we would call a
coarse shirt. They largely wear wood
en- shoes, and bind their feet with "a gs
for stockings.
The food of this class is likewise
bad, and rarely ever sufficient for
them, there being much suffering and
weakness from this cause. Cheese
takes largely the place of meat in Ger
many, and fat of butter. It is not un-
common N the rural provinces for a
man to come home after hard days
work to supper of unbolted rye
bread and the salt water in which her.
ring had been picked. Only those in
better circumstances can eat the her
ring. The stems and leaves of cabba-
ges, turnips, and other vegetables are
eaten by this class; also horse meat,
blood, entraiis, snails, and the like
In Italy, they feed on coarse mush,
and are disqualified for any hard work
whatever This class do not generally
eat at tables, but take a piece" as
we would say, each one eating when he
feels like it, OF can get it. They do
not always eat in the house, but may
be seen at al hours eating in the
streets. A chief reason for so much
beer and wine drinking in Europe is,
that with something of this kind the
working classes can make out to swaI~
low their dry crusts.-Frona Old and
NeaU for October.
Statue Of Lord Nelson.