The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1879-01-05
MISERY OF ENGLISH FIRM LABoRERs

Poets have sung and moralists senti-
mentally descanted upon the British peas
ant, but strip him of his romance and look
at him truthfnlly and eoberly, aod he pre-
sents a melancholy spectacle. He is mere
ly q beast of burden. His condition is lit
tie better thau that of q serf, if, indeed, it
ia as good. Hesgrovels in poverty and
wretchedness-often with an insufticiency
of food. And scarcely is he able to dream
of any more elevated state of existence, for
the social forces by which he is beset al
most entirely preclude him from breaking
through the bonds which hold him. He i'd
drudge, his life is life OfdrUdgery; and
nom his cradle to his grave it would he
difficult to see where his existence could
be illumined by ray of prosperity or hope.
At the lowest rung Of the ladder of labor,
he is forced to remain in his thraldom, both
intellectual and social, which the custom
of ageB has imposed upon his class.
At meeting of farmers, the other week,
one Of them said that in the counties of
Suffolk, Sussex, Kent and Norfolk the
wages the year round averaged thirteen
shilliDgs. Let us cay that this is a fair
. statement. Take family composed of the
laborer himself, bis wife aud four children
six people. The cheapest cottage he can
get costs 2s 81 per week. Allow Cd for
fuel Cd for clothing; echool fees for three
children, I'd each, which they are cOmpell-
ed to pay; 81 for boots, and the family are
left with % per week to buy food, which
gives Eve centa day to each. British
paupers are allowed ten cents q day to
each. Butcher meat is far dearer than in
the States. Mutton is 25 cents per pound,
tea, eugar, coffee, are quite as
high as in America. Fruit is more
expensive; 30 is -four; and the com
mon qualities of clothing are not to be
bought for less money than at home. At.
tached to the cottages are little plots of
mn kn1 nit fhn a linz
rented for 2a 81 being about fifteen feet
s4nare-upon which q small eupply of
garden stuff can be cultivated. Externally
there is generally the appearance of cleau-
iness, which is apt to lead one to the belief
that comfort and plenty dwells within
but yop have merely TO enter TO be Jude
ceived.
How do they live at all, one would
naturally ask. I put the question to
resident of Kent the ether day, and he gave
me few points, which, upon investigation,
were fully corrOborAted.
"Well, SIR" said he, "they have q hard
struggle TO make ends meet"
"But what do they live on 7" l ssked.
"NOt tea OF coffee, poached eggs or broiled
steaks, can tell you. Upon the tables
OF the reasonably prosperous you will see
butcher meat once week-on Sunday
rarely twice a week."
"And even then it must be in email
quantities Z"
"Yes; a man viii go to the village
butcher on Saturday, and buy perhAps Is
Cd worth. That is about as far as he can
go. Soup is made with it on Sunday"
"What do they generally eat Z"
"The or dinary fare consists of bread and
eneese, so metimes porridge, boiled vegeta-
oles, and beer, which can be bought for o
penny glass throughout these counties"
had noticed lots of game on my journey,
and asked this gentleman if hunger did
hoe often tempt the lAborer to it's sppro-
priation.
MANY" he continued, "supplement
their larder by poachiBg; bat, owing to
the severity Of the game laws, such
hing is very risky It is q common