The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1886-02-25
Labor Trouble. 4. England.

Free traders Ia this country are wont
10 claim that all business depression and
distress 10 this country are directly
chargcable TO protection. But the fact
that free trade England is much worse of
at presen, than this country ever was
proves that their claims are not true.
England has arrived at point where the
government ia compelled to do something
in aid OF unemployed lAbcrers but just
what to do is hard question to answer.
We copy from the New York Tribune the
following article on the subjects
THE English Government has before IT
the difficult task OF dealing with large
body Of unemployed men. II the Gov
eminent were no more responsible than a
political economist sitting in his study, 1t
might say that IL Is not the province Of
the State to furnish work to distressed la
borers that all such matters must be reg
ulated by the laws Of demand and supply;
that to open Government works for these
distressed operatives would only be to de.
moralize them aud disturb the whole in.
dustral machinery; and that while il was
OF course sorry for their desperate condi-
ton, it could do nothing for them. 10
fact, the Government has already been ad-
yised TO take this position, and the case Of
the French Government. which In like
circumstances did open public works, and
which ands itself now compelled to keep
them 10 operation at great cost to the
taxpayers, is referred TO as dreadful il.
lustration OF what happens to rulers who
defy the teachings Of the Dismal Sci
ence, as Carlyle called it. But Govern
ments have to consider. not only the prin-
ciples Of political economy, but the prob
able consequences at leaving thousands of
ablebodied men, with their wives and
children, to starve in the midst of plenty
and no Government in these times can fail
10 perceive that these consequences may be
very serious.
II is true that the mischief done in the
recent London riotiDg was not the work
OF the unemployed, but Of the so-called
dangerous classes, who took advantage OF
the disorder to pillage the shops. But
though tho British workingmen are as q
rule patient and w-abiding, history con-
tains proofs that they will not, like the
meek Hindoos, sit down quietly and die
OF inanition IN default Of work and wages
Aud India, indeed, has already made it
evident that situations are possible in
which the provision Of work by the Gov
eminent is necessary. When the great
famine occurred in Southern India few
years ago nothing but the prompt estab
lishment Of the great relief works prevent.
cd the most appalling loss Of life. Had
the politicoecon omical view been held to |
there, the results would have been SO
dreadful that the English name would
never have recovered from the stain put
upon it. In England, however, it is no
so much the starvation OF the unemployed |
hat is to be feared as the driving Of
item to desperation and lawlessness.
II these distressed operatives are not re-
ieved, the probability is that they will be
come law. breakers and rioters. In one
way or another they can compel the Gov
,rnment to support them. Itcannot leave
their violation out Of account. Whether
I has 10 put them down as rioters, or to
ind work for them as laborers, it must still
Undertake, in part or in whole, the burden
II their subsistence.