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-sLarks is work
ing out results of the most horrible kind
We quote 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
ABSOLUTELY 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 magnified into brilliant successes
when c 1ntrasted 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-nightin going among tim poor
saw two wretched beggars fighting
like dogs, over what? a Christmas toyp
No, 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 four
children some bread for the first time
during the day. On getting it from q
baker shop, with the speed OF deer she
darted away without word of thanks
Alas! the faces of dying children were
in her eye. Again, an old man reeled
against me, catching himself against 3
railing with hoarse apology. | took
him by the arm and looked him close II
in the face. There was no rum on hi
breath he was weak from starvation
it YOU could have seen him over plate o
cakes and a cup Of coffee. you would no
have doubted that he had not eaten sine,
yesterday morning.
Again, before daylight this morning
two firemen brought senseless form
into one of the drug stores and laid
upon the marble thing. Face and hand
were soot black. 1t was only poo
devil who had no home last night SO b.
crept into cellar to sleep. 1t took fire
and before the daylight had come wit
its hopelessness the sun of the mex
world had slanted through the smok
which had suffocated him before he coal
be dragged out. | could not help bu
say .'thank Cod when, LATTER an hour
! effort to resuscitate him, the doctor sal
it is no use. Then went into numbe
OF the many coffee and cake saloon
: peculiar 10 this city. There were in al
OF them men VINO drew up their Goa
! collars to hide faces OF refinement, an,
who sneaked out for fear that their pow
erty might be recognized.
Many man of education is to~da
J counting the scantv dollars that ar
slowly dissipating in this humble way
!, ten cents at . time. and shuddering :
, the gaunt spectre OF want that is shapin
itself SO close to them Found browne
] name unknown, $50 often gazetted in I'll
Herald. means not unfrequently til
plunge Of proud men who would nc
! stoop to the degradation OF solicitin
! 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
t Christ. the black wing of suffering
} sweeping over thousands of men her
: and the bony little arms Of many, mar
, children are stretched out in vain i,
bread.
D. There is growing ont of this almo
: phere form that has not taken defini
! shape. 1t is more horrible 10 conten
: plate than any devil summoned BY Il
D power Of necromalny. Toe look IN
]; comes into many wild eye porfen1
> danger. Did you ever hsar of brc: