The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-11-13
England's Future.

high roads and by roads. Though brief
my time has been spent in varied circles
representing all phases of society. By
reason of briefer space l have had to
merely glance at the great moving
events around in the centre Of England
However, l have said enough to indi-
cate to the intelligent by a paragraph
the whole story. | am not unmindful
of the fact that in "the land reform cry
but one or two interests are touched Sc
verely. England is essentially manu-
featuring country, and in this feature
the depression is most severe. There
are many persons to whom the downfall
of Englands home wealth is wish
father TO the thought. That the dis
couraging conditions under which nearly
every department of British trade now
labors and have for long time labored
are very severe, there is no doubt. But
we must not assume that ''the bottom is
knocked out of things" here. When all
branches of business are suffering, and
local government appeals are going forth
for help to the hungry, We are apt to
fancy that the whole country is "gone to
the bad"
This is an error There are immense
reverses here. but not total ruin. Some
industries have been absolutely destroyed
and gone forever from this land. But
others will come up. Farmers and man.
ufacturers alike complain, but the all
ments of the former are only compare
tive In some Instances Of industrial
pursuits their illness is radical, and will
lead to death. Take the sugar trade.
Of some thirty manufacturers of sugar
who fourished in 1864 but one firm now
exists, and that is lettering Take the
farmers. There are not ten per cent. Of
them with enough money in their
profits" TO buy the necessary natural
posphates of South Carlina, and the less
expensive artificial ones Of Maryland.
1t may be grim humor to allude to
profits at all in any single instance. l
am offered small farms of 100 to $50
acres for the first year on condition that
| will pay the taxes, tithes, etc, and
properly work the farm. | am offered
pleasure farms for one-half the rent paid
last year. But Of what avail is the
offer to me and to others like me To
be farmer in England just now means
to be a man of courage, capital and small
expectations Foreign industrial thrift
barred by "union" laws will creep in here,
and insular prejudices will be kicked out.
The English artisan will unlearn
much, and the great land owner more.
The long and fast lines between classes
must be modified, and each man become
more of man. Cooperation, the healthy
igament between the industrial, the pro
ducing and consuming classes, Will be
the keynote in the chorus for reform
for Englanh of the future. This coop
Grafton will kill the universal distrust in
this land between all classes. This CO.
operation will bring about the realiza-
tionS of six of one and half dozen of
another. While we are absorbed with
material panics, We forget the moral
pains and penalties. | have never be-
held so much distrust as prevails in this
country between the two classes, vendor
and vendee A prevailing opinion is
that each is going to ''best" or cheat the
other have not met with an excep-
ton, from the highest to the lowest
walks in life To my view, this is the
growing evil of the country-lack of
confidence ant looseness of morality. /
never experienced such a battle of life
as is going on here in every class on the
defensive to get their rights The moral
atmosphere is bad, worse than the ma
terial, and in this regard the future Of
England pre- sents the worst feature.
This lack of honesty in every branch
of industry is painfully manifest.
need not point again to the roguery of
the English ring importers Of Amcri-
can breadstuffs and meats, even in ''the
hour of hungry calls and rioters bawls.
The public consumers Of cheap food are
more "in the papers than in the mar
kets. Why a systematic method of
ring frauds by The dealers, from the
immediate importer down to the shop
keeper, prevents the consumer seeking to
economize from having the opportunity
Of doing so. Anti-American meat
rings, anti-manufacturing cotton
rings are at this moment some of the
immoral features that are annoying the
interests of England; and however brief
they may be, still they are severely felt
Millions of human beings are restricted
-, laaltl,ar food - 4boso Iis,l ,,-iac ,,r