Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-06-12

ssace r. dsjak i caused. b. sveserovdins
| ~ ~ eo3n&1e evj1s, ard the po0f who itve
o6der de conditions descrfbed hsve IL
esessr1t diAlcuIfy - leading decent lives and
n maiaiaining decent habi1stione."
The ten Of this report slso shows another
cause, namely, that rents IN the coDeested
districts Of London are getting gradually
higher, which means that the landed aristoc-
rscy and the great dukes, who practically
own London, are getting richer. ana tnas
wages are not rising. which means that the
working classes in England are gradually
getting poorer, and further, that there IL .
prospect of the di.prop triton between rent
and wsges growing still 9rrafer. This report
shows, from an inquiry extending over nearly
/ 1000 dwellings. taken 1t random in different
paris If London. that nearly 80 per cent. OF
these poor tenants pay from one fourth 70
onf-haIf Of ibeir income in rent. Among
them 81. l03 l. "a cents) il the average
rent of one room let as q separate tenement,
g.. ISL ~ Of twO-roomed tenements and u.
54L Isl 49, Of three-roomrd tenements.
In noisome d~eiIings. in tenement- crumb-
ling u decay and saturated with fifth. amid
sqaalor and pyivatiop, men. women and emil
tren, who have to work for their bread, live
hndd ell together. occupying. as we have
shown, less actual space than they would be
ping the physical and mental vigor of the
worker, and every succeeding generation of
people thus housed and fed is less fitted for
Luxurious exertion.
In a speech before the Eighty Club" IN
London, the Right Hon Joseph Chamberlain,
who champions the cause of the masses in
England, said Tens Of thousands of house.
holds do not know the luxury Of milk. Chll-
dren are stunning their growth and dulling
their intellects for want of proper nourish-
ment and proper food. and the houses of the
poor are 80 scanty and insufficient that the
most horrible immortality prevails, which sell
dom comes to the surface, but which Is known
10 all those who move among the poor"
The problem Of house the poor in our
own great cities 10 q problem that must soon
engage the serious attention of our legislators.
Philadelphia 10 generally regarded as excep-
tionally well of tor q city Of It's size, and
we suppose fewer really wretched tenement
houses may be found here than in most large
cities. But PHILADELPHIA can spread into the
green fields on all sides. The conformation
Of New York, on the other hand, from the
beginning has been against extension except
in one direction, and here, if some vigorous
steps are not taken to check It, a condition
Of affairs may exist almost as bad as in Lon
don. In the United Kingdom, however,
wretched homes are not confined to the large
cities. The homes of the farm laDOrers in
many parts, especially in the southwestern
parts Of England, the North of Scotland and
IN Ireland are no better than pigsties. In
many of the manufacturing and mining dis |
tricts Of South Wales and Of England, and
in the lotteries and such places as Dundee, |
Scotland, they are little better. and the ROYAL
Commission have yet great work before
them Now that the probability Of war with |
Russia has lessened the British Government
will have more time to give to internal affairs
and, with 100000 more voters from the
masses, Parli ,ment may feel inclined to give !
additional attention to the demands of the |
latter tor better homes a d more favorable
legislation. - Philadelphia Press.