The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-01-04
HORRIBLE, MOST HORRIBLE!

The news from New York grows
worse and worse. The damnable finan>
cial policy of the money-sharks is work
ing out results of the most horrible kind
We quote a recent letter:
"NEw YORK, December 26. Your
readers who pick up your paper to-day
little know the misery that is widely
spreading throughout the length and
breadth of this great city. THERE ARE
SCORES OF MEN,
WOMEN AND CHILDREN DYING
DAILY FROM STARVATION. The
business depression. of course, is gene
raj not one in twenty firms that are now
settling up their books will show that
expenses are paid; but, such mistortunes
are magniied into brilliant successes
when c)ntrasted with the abject poverty
of the lower classes. There are $4,000
working people in New York to-day who
lie down tonight in station houses, in
tenement houses, in cutters even, who
without crust to eat, saw the morn
dawn which brought the Christ child
into the world,-5ut cannot tell where
the food for the day will come from.
am not overstating this horrible truth :.
The great metropolis is one vast starving
pen.
Only to- ght in going among TIM poor
| saw two wretched Deggars fighting
like dogs, over what? Christmas toyp
No, a muddy crust OF bread, and the
victor devoured it with the appetite of a
famished animal. Further on | mot an
old woman with hair streaming in the
wind and ragged shawl tied around
her scanty shoulders, who begged for
Gods sake tor ten cents. to give tour
children some bread for the first time
during the day. On getting it from a
baker shop, with the speed OF deer she
darted away without a word of thanks.
Alas the faces of dying children were
in her eye. Again, an old man reeled
against me. catching himself against a
railing with a hoarse apology. | took
him by the arm and looked him close ly
in the face. There was no rum on his
breath he was weak from starvation
il YOU could have seen him over plate oil
cakes and cup of coffee. you would not
have doubted that he had not eaten since
yesterday morning.
Again, before daylight this morning,
two tiremen brought senseless form
into one of the drug stores and laid il
upou the marble thing. Face and hand.
were soot black. 1t was only poor
devil who had no home last night SO be
crept into cellar to sleep. 1t took fire,
and before the daylight had come with
its hopelessness the sun of the neAl
world had slanted through the smoke
which had suffocated him before he coalt
be dragged out. | could not help bu
say thank God" when, latter an hour,
effort to resuscitate him, the doctor sale
it is no use. Then | went into number
of the many coffee and cake saloon!
peculiar 10 this city. There were in all
| OF them men VINO drew up their Goa
collars to hide faces OF refinement, and
who sneaked out for fear that their pow
ertv might be recognized.
/ MANY q man OF education is to>day
counting the scantv dollars that ;lr'
slowly dissip ating in this humble way
ten cents at u time. and shuddering a
the gaunt spectre OF want that is shaping
itself SO close to them Found brownies
name unknown. so often gazetted in tn
Herald. means not unfrequently tin
plunge of proud men who would no
stoop to the degradation OF solicitln.
aims. Yes. good readers, as you dane
your little ones around your gree
Christmas trees. as. your eyes spark
with the happiness OF the natal day Q
Christ, the black wing of suffering
sweeping over thousands of men her,
and the bony little arms OF many, man
children are stretched out in vain to
bread.
| There is growing out OF this almos
phere > form that has not taken definit
shape. 1t is more horrible to contem
plate than any devil summoned by tn
power OF necromannv. Toe look tina
comes into many a wild eye portend
danger. Did you ever hear OF brca