The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-01-19

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and their trade character then began
to disappear. At present
| THE LIVERY COMPANIES
have almost wholly lost their ancient
trade character. Indeed, not more than
half q dozen Of them have any trace OF
this character left, and these only in
| limited degree. Among these last ara
the fishmongers, who have the power
OF ordering the destruction OF all bad fish
coming into London, and they continue
to exercise that supervision, though not
with the fish trade. In nearly all cases
the members OF these bodies have moth
ing to do with the trades they are sup-
posed to practice, and only two or three
Of theme. g., the apothecaries and
statiOners-make this condition Of
membership. Some Of the M ore power
full companies have each several hum
dred members, and the tie that binds
them together Is the social distinction,
influence, dinners, etc., that 60 with
membership. Should business mis-
fortune overtake them. they stand
chance Of 9 good fat sine
Of pension Of $500 to $45OO a
year. Membership was formerly OBJ
tanned mostly by servitude; that Is, by
going through an apprenticeship Of
seven years. Now 1t Is always by pay
| ment OF fee. In some of the minor
guilds o fee OF a few guineas will admit
to full membership, but in all the
Weather ones the freedom OF the COM
pany cannot, In any case, be had for
less than $500, and in many cases it
costs fully $1,000. Over 100 members of
the present House Of Commons are free
OF the various city companies. In most
n 0ao ho iav tod
for they are wise enough to know that
they cannot have too many friends in
Parliament.
These city guilds are among the most
Objectionable mOnopolies a civilized
country ever tolerated. In addition to
their property in the city, they own
vast property In other parts of Lon
don and many large tracts of land else
where In the kingdom. They have very
large estates in Ireland. There are
even numerous church livings in the
gift OF some Of them. There is no
means OF ascertaining the exact ag-
gregate revenues Of these Companies,
but enough is known to say with GER
tainty that the yearly revenue Of all from
real property is not below $2.50O, 900;
some venture to put the amount as
high as $4,000 a year. A commits
sion was appointed in 1887, by Parlia-
ment, to investigate the affairs Of the
guilds. The commission got we'll snub-
bed on nearly every hand, and that is
nearly all they did get. A few did
give some account Of their income and
expenditures. bat most Of them refused
to tell anything whatever. The diapers
condescended to inform the commits
sioners that their yearly revenue was
1920, 900; that they spent $25, 900 year
on dinners and entertainments, 800, zoe
on salaries and 1926. 900 more on pen
siOns and gratuities. The rest went
toward various charitable purposes.
There Is not one reata draper in the COM
panX, ,aand yet the membership is very
large. II their income was $4,000 in
1887, 1t may safely be put at twice that
amount now, for the property is mainly
IN the metropolis, and values have more
than doubled since 1887.
SOME OF THE WEALTH OF THESE COMPANIES
has been left to them without condi-
ton, but the greater part is in trust.
and Intended, either wholly or in part,
to go to stated charitable or educational
objects. Unfortunately the requests
do not generally direct that the entire
proceeds OF such requests shall 60 to
the specified objects, but name instead
liked amounts to be paid to this or that
object, or to several objects. In an
enormous number Of cases property so
left has increased so greatly that the
letter OF the requests may be satisfied,
and yet nine-tenths Of the proceeds re-
main unspent. Here comes In large
Incorporated balance, and 1t usually
turns out to be misappropriated bal
ance, for it usually goes in feasting.
Various writer's have tried to figure out
the amount OF this Incorporated bal
ance,. and the aggregate amount is
usuallyiput at over 100000 a year. A
me-decide that, where about the full
income OF q property at the time Of
making q bequest was directed to be
paid to certain object, the intention
must be that the whole proceeds should
always be 30 spent. In 1870 Robert
Donkyn, merchant tailor, left to that
guild some property in the guild of
Twelve poor men were
each year to receive gown Of Welsh
lrleze, at sixteen pence yard, and a
shirt to be worth two shillings each.
Twelve pairs Of shoes were also to be |
given at twelve pence the pair. Twelve |
FOR. It would be impossible TO liter |
ally fulfill tsuch bequest, but q good |
artist would define it to mean this: |
That an equal number Of poor men and |
women were to receive a full suit OF |
coarse clothing each per year, and he
would direct that the number OF people |
should be so increased as to consume |
he entire revenue. The merchant tail
'rs did not decide thus. They magnani-
nously doubled the amount directed to
% paid out, and turned the balance in
o their own fund, and so continued to
70 until quite recently. The value Of
mr. nrfvr fn al !
lines what it was in 1870. To another
company 100000 was left, to make
themselves comfortable" In 1888 the
ROGERS bought piece of land for
bout $3.50. 1t was sold within the pres
mt century for over 100000.
In another respect, the vast revenues
I these bodies are Incorporated.
Iany requests were left for the purpose
4 giving pensions to old, infirm and
'oor members OF those trades. Hun
reds Of these pensions are regularly
ri hrr& th1ry n 49,