The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1879-01-18
BRITISH PEASAxTRI.

ACsSus AhV~@1No ssSS - - 1"sos
living in houses stripped VI furni-
ture, without fire, aud are depend
cnt upon the generosity OF their
| ncighbors. So 1t is in Birming-
ham, Leeds, Manchester aud other
manufacturing centres. aud the
suffering is so unusually bad that
II is expected extraordinary meas
ures looking to relief will be i'm.
mcdiatcly taken by Parliament.
Among the contests now going
on is that between the agricultu.
raj labOrcrs of Kent and Sussex
and their employers. Your cor.
respondent visited number Of tho
villages in these counties the past
week, and, from personal obserya.
ton aud inquiry will endeavor to
give you an insight into the merits
Vi the struggle. Some $500 men,
women aud children affected BY
the lockout and IN many cases
LxTnEME DEsTITuTIoN EXISTS.
The proposition Of the tenant.
farmer and landlord Is to v.ducc
the laborcrs wages from p 6d per
day (62 cents) to 2s. This per day
does not mean Ia per week, but
2e per day when they ran work. !
will put one wet day week as a
moderate estimate, and the weekly
wages arc reduced to los. III some
cases, however, this sum is sup
plcmcntcd by extras during cer-
tain portions Of the year, making
up a fair average throughout the
twelve months Of Is. Generally
speaking the English agricultural
laborcr has u large family; but !
will say that four children are the
out come OF every marriage six
or eight would be nearer tho mark
or course, when these children
grow up they can go into the fields
il certain portion of the day, and
add to the family revenue, but,
owing TO the compulsory education
bill they cannot render much sub
s,anlial assistance until they arc
thirteen or fourteen years OF age.
In former times 1t was entirely
different. Then all the aericultu-
raj wages were always small, but
us soon US his children could walk
they began to earn their living.
Therefore you will see that tho
head Of the family, from beginning
to end, must have an incessant
struggle. lie and his progeny do
not live
THEY MERELY EXIST.
Poets have sung and moralists
seniimrntally descantcd upon the
British peasant; but strip him ol
his romance and look al him truth.
fully and soberly, and he presents
melancholy spectacle. lie Il
merely beast Of burden. His
condition is little better ihan a
scrf, ii indeed it is as good. lie
grovcls in poverty and wretchcd'
ncss--oftcn with an insufficicncy
Of food. And scarcely is lie able
to dream Of any more elevated
state Of existence, for the social
forces by which he is beset almost
entirely preclude him from break.
ing the bonds which hold him
lie is a drudge; his life is q life oI
drudgcry. From his cradle to his
grave 1t would be ditficult to see
whcrc llis cxis.ci &c could be illu'
mined by a ray Of prosperity OF
hope. AT the lowest rung of the
ladder Of labor, he Is forced to re.
main IN his thraldom, both intel
lcctual and social, which the Gus
tom Of ngcs has imposed upon hil
class.
At a meeting Of Farmers, ths
other week, one Of them said thu,
In the counties Of Sullork, Sussex
Kent and Norfolk the wages til,
year round
AVERAGE THIRTEEN sHILLrxGs
Let us say that this is q fair state.
ment. Take family composed o.
he laborer himself, his wife ant
four children-six people. Tn,
cheapest cottage he can got cost
ss Sd per week. Allow Cd fol
clothing. school fees for three
children, I'd each, which they arr
compelled to pay; 81 for boots, ant
the family are left with 9s per wccl
to buy food, which gives five cent
q day to each. British paupcr
arc allowed 10 cents a day to eacl,
Butcher meat is far dcarer than II
the Statcs. Mutton Is % cents pc
pound, aud beef Is about % cents
Butter, tea, sugar, coffee, Is quit
as high as III America. Fruit /.