Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1885-02-17

of the entire quantity cut during the past
year, and this, with the lumber at the dis
tributing markets, makes the total supply on
hand nearly 5000, 1000, 900 or three-quarters
of last years production The only explana-
ton apparent is that there had been gener-
al expectation of enormous increase in build
ing operations early this year, because of the
low rate of wages, and the cheapness of
nails, iron and other materials.
A letter from Mr.. George w. Cable to a
colored man who had written to thank him
for his Century article on 'The Freedman's
Case in Equity" has been made public.
After thanking his correspondent, and men
tioning that he has many similar letters from
colored men (and white men, too) north and
south, the distinguished novelist gives the
following practical advice: Let all colored
men patiently, persistently, and with all pos
sible Intellectual skill ignore their African
origin, and do, say and seek everything pure
ly, only and entirely as American citizens,
equally interested with all other American
citizens in all the rights of all. do not by
any means imply that they should overlook
colored mems interests and rights, but that
the part of wisdom is to let the greater-at
least the larger-include the less. Let color
ed men show such sagacious, active interest
in the rights and interests of all men that all
men shall gradually be won to regard them
as valuable accessions to the community,
and most valuable when most free.
Another attempt is made this winter to
ascend the Roraima mountain in British
Guiana. This mountain presents fascina-
ting problem. From vast low plain dense
ly covered with tropical forest the huge
mass of the mountain is uplifted to height
of nearly two miles. Its sides for many
hundred feet from the summit are walls of
bare rock, so nearly vertical to be quite
unscalable by explorers hitherto. Its sum-
nit, SO far as can be judged from below, is a
fiat table land of considerably more than
square mile in area, and is covered with for
est Several streams spring in cascades
from the top of the rocky wall. No doubt
on that wooded plain, separated by ten thou
sand feet of vertical wall from the forests
below, there is life, of beasts well as of
birds, and possibly even of man. But it
seems certain that whatever living
things are there, except birds, have
maintained their existence in
their peculiar environment for thousands,
perhaps many thousands, of years without
contact with the rest of the world.
How much better off the laborers of this
country are than those of some other coun-
tries is indicated by an account Of the condi-
ton of the workers of Dundee, Scotland,
Tn hat
city there are from fifty to sixty thousand
women and girls employed in the mills. The
time of work is ffty-six hours per week.
The average wages. are per week, from 81. 40 for
the lowest class of female operatives to 81. 06
for double loom weavers, piece-work. Of
the 140, 900 Inhabitants of Dundee, 11S, 600
live in one, two and three-room houses.
Strikes not of frequent occurrence, arb1-
tration being chiefly resorted to in case OF
difference between capital and labor. But
ssthere are very few opportunities offered for
the improvement of the operatives" That
is to say, there are no fee halls for social
purposes, no free reading rooms, no free
schools, practically open to all, and no pub
lie opinion which is ever alert in behalf of
the operatives. The hours of labor are
shorter than those in New England, the iv-
ing is much poorer, the houses are such as
would not be occupied by our workingmen
and women, and there is constant stream of
emigration to this and other countries. The
Scotch are industrious, as race prudent,
quite accustomed to plain living, but they,
as operatives, cannot save anything, except
by system of pinching which our opera
tives never would submit to- and which, un-
der present circumstances, they are not call