The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-04-12
Discomfort IN EUROPE.
A Condition OF Things Fifty Years Ago
and Not Since Improved.

Oohuiton OF Things Fifty Years Ago
and Not Since Improved.
In 1882, Washington Irving, having been
seventeen years in Europe, was rendered
public dinner in New York city, which was
attended by many of the notables of the
time, and the great author, In responding
| to toast, said
VI come from countries lowering with
doubt and danger, where the rich man
trembles and the poor man frowns, and
where all repine at the present and dread
the future. ] come from these to country
| where all is life and animation, and where
every one speaks of the past with triumph
and Of the future with confident apticipa-
ton. Is not this a land In which
one may be happy to fix his destiny,
! am asked how long ! mean to remain
here. They know but little OF my heart
who can ask this question. answer as
long as live."
That was half century ago, and those
memorable words are as fully expressive of
tie condition of Europe to-day, and even
more so, than they were then. The rich
man trembles and the poor man frowns.
There Is wealth in Europe-great wealth;
and there is poverty also, and great poverty |.
The rich are few and the poor are many,
and this lies at the bottom of all the
troubles that prevail. Bayonets do not feed
the hungry, and while the force proceeding
from concentrated power may keep men
in subjngation, II does not produce content
ment OF loyalty. The poorly-clad and lily
fed citizen is naturally restless. The great
| mass OF the population of those countries
are always frowning and repining at the
present while dreaming the future. There
IL no bright bow OF promise In the sky. All
around are poverty and wretchedness, and
what the people of the present suffer the
people OF the future may expect to suffer.
Much may be endured to-day If there Is
hope for tomorrow; but sad indeed Is
the lot of those who, half.
starved in their native land, are
dobarred from looking forward 70
better times or more comfortable homes.
The lot of the poor man In any European
| country is q sad one. Instead OF getting
out Of the meshes Of poverty, he gets more
and more entangled. and, hardly able to
stay where he Is, he is not able TO get away.
| Under such circumstances the rich are,
OF course, uneasy, and princes rest not upon
beds tf roses. Wealth surrounded by
poverty. stricken people, does not bring
happiness or c0ntentment.
Since 1882, when Washington irving
wrote, Notwithstanding the overflow to
| America, tne population OF Europe has
increased. and there has been no improve
ment, political or otherwise, In those coun-
tries, The war for bread goes on. Wages
are low, and millions Of people are not able
TO get employment at even starvation com.
pensation. Under these circumstances
there is no such thing as real liberty, aud II
is not worth while to talk about peace, con-
tentment or stability. There are socialists
and anarchists, and nihilists, for the reason
that there Is neither work nor bread for the
people, and an inability on the part OF mil.
lions OF sufferers to get away and escape
This Is the underlying cause of the trouble
In Ireland, France and Russia, and, while
outbreaks may be prevented for the time
by forces that are the outgrowth OF des-
potism, there is no real liberty, and conse-
quently no ecurity.-ICincinnati CONNER
cial Gazette.