Daily Republican., 1886-05-01

to his brother. IL WAS not written for
publication, and 10, therefore, the more
valuable as frank expression Of views
from competent observer who Ii on
the ground ard knows what he knows.
1t Is worth columns of the trashy cor.
respondence In which European affairs
are discussed with a home bias in
tended for home consumption:
We have had . very long and severe
winter. and IL has told very hardly up
on the poor people who are out OF en-.
ploy, but not so hardly rs It would
have done had provisions been as dear
as they were formerly. But, thanks to
Free Trade. the prices of food and
clothing have been cheaper than 1 ever
remember before. We can now get
twenty pounds Of potatoes for 3D.; four
pounds OF good bread for 4d.; legs OF
mutton at 6Xd. per pound. Can you
match that in you blessed country
with all your protection, eh? Boots
and clothing Of all kinds equally cheap.
Bacon I'D. and ID. pound; cheese Sd.
to Sd. o pound.
provision shops SO tseming with food
Of ali kinds. The workingman was
never better off in England than he IL to-
day-better fed, better housed, better
clothed. better educated, less hours of
work and more time for improvement
and enjoyment-and ] am glad to say
that many Of them appreciate the i'm .
| provement In their positions and that
thrift and sobriety are increasing them
TO an extent that Is pleasing TO look
upon. Men who work four days q
week now are In comparative affluence
to what they were few years ago. But,
although there 10 this happy improve
ment with the many, We have still
among us o large number who cannot
get work to do and are in great distress
and you have no doubt hoard of the
riots that have taken place In London
and and other towns, but the reports
were very much worse than the reality,
as can prove, being in London at the
time,
The police were much TO blame fol
their want OF tact and energy. The
mob mostly consisted Of rouRhs and
| thieves, and only very small number
Of those who weie ready and willing &c
work. This was well known to the
police and they ought to have been pre-.
pared, but the usual red tape stranRled
all their efforts. But amid all these
contrarieties, viz, of well.to. do artisans
and starving ones, those who look ahead
can see the promise of better times
when the good things of this life shall
be more evenly bestowed than now. Ii
former periods Of depression in trade
such as we are passing through now, the
starving could be counted by millions
and their distress was dire in the ex.
treme. But to-day, thank God, W,
have hut little compared with thos'
former days, and, by Heaven, we vii
make IL less
There is begun in England a move.
ment that will brook no hinderanc'
until every man who ia willing TO tot
shall have the opportunity of earning
his daily bread. When they who de
the work shall live by 1t and ENJOY the
sweets it brings, and shall not be robbed
by class who toll not neither do they
spin, and who yet have enjoyed fol
centuries all the luxurIes that could bt
procured; who have robbed the pool
man of his schools and tainted him
with his Ignorance, of his land anC
tainted him with his poverty. Some
how the aristocracy have managed t.
possess nearly all the land, all thu
mines and minerals, the salt, the birds
the fishes, and think they would hav,
been greedy enough to have bottled vi
the air If it had been in their power
and have doled 1t out at so much pc
foot.
But the people have now received
power to effect the reforms in the
abuses that exist, and there are sign
OF approaching comfort and joy on ever,
hand. In Parliament motions have
been brought forward to enfranch Isl
the !ease-holders and enable them tt
purchase at fair valuation the propert,
they have improved 40 that it shall no
all pass into the hands of the landlord
motions to tax ground rents which
have hereto escaped all taxation; for re
ductions in royalties on minerals, etc.
for the restitution of all lands that hav,
illegally been inclosed during the las
fifty years; for recovering fishing right
which formerly belonged to the people
for compelling trustees to let to tn
laborers the land which has been lef
for their use, but which has up to nov
been occupied by farmers at very Low
rents.
Our civil service is now open to every
one of good character who can pass tn
examination. No patronage required
now: brains and ability have fair play.
Our army, also, is open to all, tn
highest positions being obtainable b.
proved ability to fill them. We viii
have all free that should be free b.
right; free schools, free church, fire.
land, free scope for every man to affair
any position to which his talents NIGH
raise him. We are working for al
these things here; We shall obtain then
and we will extend the right to all on
colonies, and Ireland, too. By remov
ing these injustices We hope to remov,
discon tent and poverty, aud to bind Il
one loving bond Of union all the vAri
GUS people Of this great Empire.