The New York herald., 1874-10-09
LIFE IN LONDON.
Condition Of the TOiling Millions During
the Fashionable Season.
Commerce and Finance-HOw Cap.-
tai and Labor Are Distributed.
THE DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENT.

QucCA oAu OVuEt IubtlC8tnG IN tue HIGHLANDS "
Scotland and Parliament has closed Its doors to 60
grouse shooting, there is little in the way high life
gossip in London. AS consequence OF this usual
fall season exodus Of the wealthy classes the shop
business Is dull Nevertheless, the vast surgtng
tide OF humanity IN this great metropolis appears
to the stranger and ordinary observer the same.
The artstocracy and rich who can get away are
but as few drops In bucket OF water compared
with the stay at-home Millions The gay equipages
In Rotton row and the parks are missed, but the
general movement Is not perceptibly less.
The business OF the large merchants goes
on as usual, for the commerce OF the
world has no seasons, except those OF
supply and demand, and many of the leading mer-
camille men, well as those engaged in financial
matters, avail themselves Of the railroad facilities
to live out OF town while attending to business In
IL, as many Of our merchants do. Then. the ever
wakeiul press works on the same and leaves no
subject OF public interest untouched though the
Queen, Cabinet and Parliament be absent Lon
don, In fact, is o world within itself at all times.
THE AMERICAN COLONY.
There are but few Americans or other foreigners
here now comparatively for most OF those who
visit London love Court and aristOcratic glitter,
and like to follow fashion as well as the English.
The greater part OF those who are not returning
nome before winter sets in are on the Continent.
Occasionally see an American or q group OF
Americans looking at the sights or investigating
things. The other day saw one in q comical p0.
siti0n. He climbed up the base OF one OF Land
seer's lions in Trafalgar Square to see how the
anima: was made, when q policeman rushed at
him and dragged him down py the tail OF his coat.
much to the amusement OF the cockney gamns
who watched the operation. He looked aston.
ished and thought no doubt such interference Vas
gross insult to the American eagle.
PUBLIC AMUsgMENTs.
In the way of public amusements there Is little
worthy Of notice or commendation except, OF
course, the splendid museums and the Crystal
Palace which are full OF objects both to amuse and
instruct and refer chiefly to the theatres and con-
cert halls. There Is no opera. That ts out OF
season at this time OF the year. The only musical
entertainment OF note is the nightly concert af
Covenr Garden. Here the music Is good enough,
but nothing extraordinary. Levy who used to
play with Theodore Thomas band Is the star.
The concerts are mixed, instrumental and vocal
The promenade shilling admission to the body OF
the theatre taxes great crowds. large portion
OF these, at other cheap theatres, are OF ques-
tonable character, though they are obliged to be-
have with something like propriety. These con.
certs are by no means as enjoyable or respect
able, as regards the audience, as those OF
our Central Park Garden. There Is scarcely
anything performed here now at the different
theatres but the merest trash hardly good enough
for our Bowery boys. let the Londoners enjoy
the stun amazingly. I have seen crowds Of re.
specially dressed people, and, to all appearance.
respectable tradeSmen, with their families, laugh
and applaud and enjoy the worst nonsense. spiced
with ttnge OF ndellcacy and certainly not calcu-
aea no ~ snet ha comon 1n
Sort The character OF theatrical performances
may be better in II the season, but now Il Is gene
London and New YORK, and both the plays ana
performance in the latter are far superior. In
not tolerate the trash accepted and applauded
here. The truth is, the classes most cultivated
aaa IN nssuc.ed 'n1 nidde class goes s4eas
deal. In both countries managers have
as e their 70 pao Win Mai the esoepos oS
OF very limited class aud some critics English
taste in theatrical art at the present time IS low.
eraL refer to the mass OF the people and not to
the exceptional few. | have inquired frequently
monuments and remarkable structures, and in
three cases ont o. four the persons politely ad-
mons one y about S 9ae ssnd nuSns
erected on Parliament street for the Foreign and
Colonial Departments. and all ne could tell me
was tnat 1t was .'the house in which Lord Derby
hved." The ordinary Englisnnan Is not OF an In
quirlng mind or aesthetic. Stil!, there Is basis Of
strong native sense, and the school education and
other means OF Improvement now provided for
the people may bring cultivation: The time may
mental culture as they do OF beef and beer.
THE DEMoCRACY AWAKENING.
There has been OF late, undoubtedly, remark.
able awakening among even the most ignorant
herd Seras1ne Ea Gurtas and md WamDas"wno Was I formerly
have felt the throb Of the telegraph and printing
press. These agents OF modern civilization have
stirred up their intellect and made them feel more
like men. Serfs they have been virtually, though
not In name; but now they organize and demand
we aHas es no. SGe
Gurth's CABIN, TO help these men. who are Of
the stock Of Shakespeare. TO acquire emancipa-
ton But It may not be needed for they begin to
feel their power and TO help themselves. Yes the
work IL going on. Even the leading conserva-
tive press-the Thunderer itself-wnie mildly
reproving the agricultural aborers for excesses
IN their ORGANIZATIONS and demonstrations, ana
lords and tenant farmers plainly that everything
must be done to amehorate the condition OF the
workmen. The strikes have resulted disastrousfy
being, out the moral effect in tho end Will be good.
The movement was an unexpected and surprts-
ing one. II has stimulated thought, dfnused tn-
tenigence created a sense Of power and awakened
aspirations which cannot be long suppressed. IL
yield II from time to % time to reasonable demands.
Henceforth the prosperity OF any country cannos
rest ON low or starvation wages 10 think II can
Is to have false idea Of political economy. The
more the means and well-being OF the mass OF the
people are multiplied the more prosperous ne.
ton becomes. More wants are created; iood ana
manufactures are in greater demand, and every
branch OF Industry ana trade Is increased.
THE COOPERATIVE GIVEN MOVEMENT.
movement calculated TO promote the material
welfare OF the working classes and to raise them
In the social SCALE is that OF cooperative societies
and stores There are some OF these combinations
in London, but more in the manufacturing cOun-
ties, and they are confined chiefly TO artisans me-
chanics, small traders and manufacturing labor.
ers. 1t would not be so easy for agricultural
laDorers to act together as they live further apart
aud have not the resources and fHcLtHes OF th0
0tner classes for cooperation. Stln there Is no
reason that the system which has been developed
In the towns should not be extended TO the VIZ
lagos. The workmen saw that each iamlly Duying
provisions, clothes and household materials In
small quantities at the ordinary stores or shops as
they wanted them, we're paying dear Tor poor ar
tlces and that host OF shopkeepers lived lar bet
ter tnan themselves, or got ricn by this business.
They concluded 10 cooperate by clubbing to-
get6er q certain amount OF their wages, and
with that aggregated sum buy at whole
common stock at wholesale prices, with the cost
OF management added. They found that they gos
everything much cheaper and OF better quality.
What one or two could not do many could. The
anrrea ated srnali meana OF many formed canital