Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-04-27
TIE SITUATION I'm ENGLAND.

The position of public affairs in England
at the present time is gloomy one. The
Afghanistan, Transvaal, and other outside
questions are at rest, but trouble nearer
home is great and embarrassing. Much has
been done of late years to remove causes of
discomfort. The corn laws and the whole
protective system have been abolished, and
many political grievances have been removed,
yet the whole country, including Scotland
and Wales, is dissatisfied with the existing
state of things. The country is overlooking
with riches, yet the amount of poverty is
immense, poverty that, whenever trade
becomes inactive. sinks into restitution. A
large proportion Of the people live "from
hand to mouth" and when work fails, dis
tress and hunger compel a forfeiture of per-
sonal Independence by resorting to "the
parish" reliance upon public sup
port, as the only means of escap-
ing starvation. The English working
classes are industrious, give them employ
ment and they will maintain themselves, but
their gains are not sufficient to enable them
to improve their condition. If they are
born hewers of wood and drawers OF water,
such they must remain until DEATH their
only deliverer, comes to their rescue. This
country has ample wealth for all, but that
wealth is so i'll distributed that by the side
of the naughty aristocrat and the well-fed
capitalist the famished workman suffers
from deprivation, seeking in drink a solace
that only adds to the hopelessness of his
misery. Under such circumstances how can
the country's condition be other than gloomy
except when temporary activity in trade
ightens up, for a temporary interval. the
abiding shade of woe and consequent dis
content? The only effectual remedy for the
ills that affect England is such changes
in law and custom as will favor
the distribution of capital and dis
courage its undue accumulation. Such
changes the English are no more Disposed
to make than the East Indian is disposed to
cast aside the system of "caste," which is his
baue and destroyer. The utterance of dis
content, the danger that il may become
despair and result in lawless invasion of es-
tablished rights, has not, however, been
without its effect upon the titled and
wealthier classes, and political concessions
have been made from time to time that
have thrown increased political power into
the hands of the people. While the founda-
ton evil remains-the unjust distribution of
wealth-these concessions produce only
temporary lull of agitation, and the feeling
of discomfort ever continues to break out
anew, and with added power to make those
demonstrations formidable, and increased
disposition to render them threatening.
Under these circumstances the upper
classes are troubled with vague sentiment
of alarm lest the spread of democratic SEN
timent and the growth of popular strength
should become intensified under some occur
ring excitement, and endanger the artificial
scafold-work which supports the whole
social edifice of the country. This under
current of indefinite apprehension embitters
the political situation, and the Tory party
entertain toward Gladstone bitterness OF
hatred whose gall is too intense not to lead
to occasional acts of opposition that are i'm
prudent and unwise, such as the recent at
tempt Of the House of Lords to institute
parliamentary inquiry into the working OF
the salutary land law in Ireland, so as to OBJ
struct if not counteract Its benefcent opera
ton. There is danger that this burning hate
toward the present government may some
day eliminate in acts that will arouse the
ire OF the people against the whole body of
the aristocracy, and so the very crisis be
brought about by themselves that the