The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1885-04-02

teresting letters from Europe on the con
dition Of the laboring classes. Els last
letter treats on the situation in Liverpool
and the picture he paints Is very distress
ing He says: "with the single excep-
ton Of some parts of London, the poverty,
vice, and squalor Of Liverpool exceeds
that Of any English city. There are miles
OF streets in which the inhabitants seem to
live in the most abject wretchedness.
Walk down Scotland road and many OF
the thoroushfares leading into 1T and you
will meet the most repulsive, the most de-
graded, the most notwithstanding men,
women, boys and girls that can be found
anywhere. The tenements in which these
people live are shocking. 1t is not exag-
.geration to say that thousands Of these
nineteenth century slaves occupy less
space then is awarded corpse.
Low public houses, disreputable iodg-
ing houses, and noisome dens Of all kinds
abound in these vile neighborhoods. The
magnificent shops and show equipages OF
Bold, Church and Lord streets have In
deed their contrast in the filthy dens, the
poverty and misery, not to gay vice, OF
Scotland road and the lower quarters Of
the city. The industrial population OF
Liverpool is largely Of the nautical class.
Here we find, too, the prevalence of the
representatives OF unskilled labor, the
poorest paid labor in the kingdom. The
city on the Mersey is the depot and the
point Of departure Of imports and exports,
and the principal labor employing what
are called Jumpers, cotton portes and
carriers. No technical skill is required in
the industry, and this may in part explain
the cause OF the prevailing poverty. The
statistics Of the local government board
show that pauperism, crime and drunk
enness prevail in large degree in Liver
pool.
Among the most degraded and poverty
stricken classesin Liverpoolare to befound
large numbers Of women and young girls,
generally without shoes Or stockings, rag
ged petticoats, an old shawl tied around
their shoulders, and uncombed hair falling
down their backs, carrying round for sale
Jumps Of cooking salt, OF soap-stonc, Of
sand-bags for draughty doors and win
dows, and huge rolls Of deliberately cut
tissue paper for pantry shelves. The faces
OF these females only become less sodden
and brutal by contrast with those OF the
men and boys who peddle various cheap
articles which they either carry round
themselves or load on huge cart with a
tiny donkey, oftentimes covered with sores
brought on by brutal treatment and in
sufficient food. Compared with this class
in Liverpool the london costermonger is
sleek and well.to-do person"
Speaking Of the growth OF the British
commerce, which has not been more mar
velous than that Of this country, Mr..
Porter finds that the excess of imports
over exports continues to increase at an
alarming rate. He adds: 1.-THE new
school OF economists say this is sure
sign of prosperity. There arc those in
England who differ on this point, and de-
clare that England is living on her capt.
tai. However this may be, it is un-
doubtedly true that England imports
many manufactured articles that she
ought to make at home. 1t has been
calculated that the aggregate amount Of
value OF the ten principal manufactures
(silks, gloves, cottons, woolens. iron and
steel, boots and shoes, clocks, watches, pig
and sheet lead, and tanned leather) i'm
ported into the United Kingdom free Of
duty for ten years is 81, 4OO,OOO,OOO. These
goods England could Just as well have
made herself. lam unable to sec how.a
system which encourages the importation
OF goods which nation can just as well
manufacture itself promotes the welfare of
producers"