The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-04-19
AN ENGLISH MOB.
Scenes at Birmingham Meeting-Peculari-
ties of English Mobs

ties of English Mobs
Robert Laird Collier in Chicago Tribune.
At the hour of beginning the meeting. the
confusion and rowdyism in the hall were so
great that Lord Rosebery, the president of
the Junior Liberal Club made at least half a
dozen attempts to speak, and was compelled
TO sit down under the running fire of kissing
and badinage. There was a large police force
present under the chief constable, but for
more than half an hour the whole of the
constabulary were Intellectual in quieting
what was almost mob The mayor left his
chair on the platform and walked among the
audience, threatening to enforce the penalty
of the law upon those who were the Offend
ers. However, the offenders were so many
and so scattered throughout the vast audi
ence that both mayoral presence and threats
were in vain. There were comparatively few
seats on the floor of the hall, and the people
wete standing on these and shouting and ap-
plauding. Finally the back of the building
was pretty well cleared by the police, and
ffhe meeting went on.
n An English mob is unique. There is no
mob on earth anything like mob in Eng
land. In France, in Germany, in Italy, as
well is in America, there is a degree of self
respect and restraint among the lowest
classes. In England there is absolutely
none Whole masses of men and women in
England will crowd into all sorts of public
places with no aim or purpose whatever. but
as the idiest OF curiosity seekers and mongers.
When there is private funeral or wedding
hundreds of these people will follow, often
in most unseemly fashion, the carriage or
carriages. They will stand in the yard of
church or chapel, or crowd about the door of
private house. and keep up loud talk. and
pass remarks upon the appearance of the
bridal party or the funeral appointments.
No private gathering of people is safe from
their intrusion. These people will line
I. i IL Al.
aud stare and gape as the occupants leave the
vehicles, and often make annoying criticisms
upon the toilet of the ladies' This is habit
of the lower class. not only in London but in
all the provincial towns. The middle and
upper classes of England are very self-re-
specting and reserved, except in the presence
of their social superiors, or those who are
deemed their superiors, and then they are rs
cringing and servile of manner as the very
Lowest classes. The Englishman is toady
by birth and tradition. This mob business
comes from the same temperament. The
present writer has witnessed the gathering
and presence of great masses of people in
America and in many of the countries of
Europe, but nowhere has he seen such sense
less and aimless pushing, crushing, halloo-
ing self-assertion, forth-putting, and social
indecencies as among an English mob.
Up to now the masses of the people are
distrusted, not only by their rulers, but by
the upper classes. Englishmen boast OF their
liberties: and really enjoy as few as any peo-
pie in Europe. Ii by "Englishmen" one
means Englishmen whose income reaches
S. 600 or more annually, then certainly they
are free to do pretty much whatever they
like. But if by Englshmen one means the
bulk of the people-the millions who are
living on 5000 a year and supporting them
selves and families-then, practically, they
know no more about liberty than the
slaves of the South did twenty-five years
ago. In the very heart of London there
are landed proprietors who have the right
to have and use gates at both ends of the
street or thoroughbred These gates are
closed at certain times and hours. Most of
the parks, or what in America would be
called open squares" are rallied in and kept
shut the year through. All the parks and
open spaces are under such manifold police
regulations that life is too short for the full
and satisfying comprehendlng of them. The
lower classes are spoken of not as human be-
ings, but as a higher grade of the animal
kingdom.