National Republican., 1883-04-26
MIR. PORTER SUSTAINED.
An English Newspaper that Investigated
the Condition OF British worLmcn.

~" hNhShh NeWspHper that InFesttRnteu
the Condition OF British wOrkmcn.
Kansas Cay journal.
Mr. Robert p. Porter has been vigorously
attacked by tho free traders both in England
and the United State for alleged misstate-
ments of the facts in regard to the industrial
situation in England. 1t will be remembered
that Mr.. Porter's story of suffering in the
nail-making district of England was espe-
cially denounced.
The London Daily Telegram investigated the
subject some time before Mr.. Porter and gives
its view of the situation as follows:
There ia no more wretohedly remunerated en-
ployment In the kingdom than Matchmaking, or
one that in consequence OF the starvation prices
paid, is more frequently interrupted by strikes,
hours can, in their small way assist, and the pow
erty of their parents makes them glad TO avail
themselves Of even their puny help delicate girls
women, bent and feeble, and who all thel lives
have been, in a manner OF speaking, chained
to the forge drudgery in the midst of smut and
smoke, still go on hammering and fling and tug
ging at the bellows until their strength utterly
falls them. Then they retire for a, brief spell
yard. It Is a marvel how on the scanty wages
they are enabled so earn they contrive 70 ex-
list at all l remembers poor soul at Cradley,
eldest daughter; girl OF 10, maintained by her
ohainmaking the entire family, seven Ia number:
the squaid little two roomed cottage where she
was supposed to reside but, to use her own words,
she might, except for sleeping purposes, as well
almost be without 1t, since II was only on Sundays
that she did not live with the children In the
smithy" And never did set eyes on more de.
plora6le little objects than the latter were. Not
one of them, including the girl who attended 10
the fire and the bellows, wore either shoes or
stockings, though no shoe leather could have been
blacker than their feet the remainder OF their
bodies being but few shades lighter in COM
pleXion. 1t was mere waste OF soap, their
mother aveTrod, even Il she had money TO SPAR,
Being next to naked, they could not go into the
street, and their only play place was among the
coal slack and ashes. On Sundays, however, she
gave them a "reg'ler good scrubbing," and on the
same day of rest she washed their rags whi lie they
remained in bed, and dried them, somehow, so
that they might wear them again on Monday
morning. She told me that working ut the forge
from In the tmorning until 10 or IL o'clock at
able to earn about FIVE iarthings an hour, OF one
and eightpence or ninepence day. Ten shillings
a week exceeded the average, and out Of this she
has TO pay two and ninepence rent for the cottage
and the hearth" " or smithy howell
In spite of this combined showing, feeble
attempt has been made to show that the con-
dition of American nail workers was little
better than thus shown by tho Telegram
Perhaps the best argument to satisfy the
people holding to this proposition will be the
result of an attempt to induce the nail work.
ers of this nation to vote for the free admit
tance into the United States of nails made
under the circumstances as related by the
Telegram.
In the meantime Lord Salisbury, who de-
clares himself free trader has addressed the
electors of Birmingham, England, and told
them that free trade owed its adoption in
England to delusion, and that it is his
opinion that it would never have been
adopted had it not been supposed that it
would also be adopted by all the other nations
OH the globe.
He said that he did not regard the doctrine
in the light of remarkable economic discov-
cry but rather supported it in the light of
expediency.
He admitted that the movement of other
nations toward protection had shut Great
Britain out of many markets to which it
formerly had access and he said that ii was
II matter which required grave and careful
investigation to see whether nothing can be
done by diplomacy or otherwise to change a
condition of things (which is acting with
fatal effect upon the commerce of Great Brit
aim"
So it seems that after forcing these wares
down 10 production at starvation prices, the
British statesmen have been unable to cap
ture the trade of the world to the extent
which they had imagined.