The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-11-14
1.-THE swEArER,s HELL.

There comes across the ocean q crushing
reply to those who chant the praises of Free
Trade and dilate upon the happy condition Of
the mechanic and laboring man in England.
A reporter-he is grandiloquently styled a
" Commissioner "-sent out by the London
Telegraph, has been studying the condition
Of the work-people in one Of the principal
manufacturing quarters of London. His re-
port has been republished in O pamphlet,
under the awful but properly descriptive
title Of The Sweaters He'll" We take one
little cameo from it 10 show to what condi-
ton the Free Traders would reduce the
laboring people Of this country:
The white slaves Of Shoredilch are forced by the
fear Of starvation to make gross az dozen insdcs
and II dozen outsides) OF match boxes for I'D out
Of that finding their own PASTE IL IL usually cal
cuiated that man aud woman working II or IA
hours a day, Sundays included because for these
weary toilers there can be no Sabbath or repose)
may make, II BID fortunate as 10 he ia regular EN-.
ployment g. at the end Of one week weary
frame and exhausted energy. one long monolony
. ~
the rent Of filthy il 81. Cd; aud this too
Is only a sample Of many kindred local industries.
The hairbrush-makers, the weaVers rabbit pull
ers the cabinet-makers and the costermongers-
which Of these can get a fair days wage for more
than q fair days work. Out OF 80 men taken at
random IL has been ascertained that eight only
worked from 10 10 II hours a day, and that Of the
rest 10 men worked Is hours Out Of the "a seven
worked I6 hours, and others worse still.
As regards woman's labor, the case Ii more aw-
full Ia shirt-na1Ing a woman makes 3D. or Is for
days work Of 10 hours many work for I'D. an
hour and find their own needle and cotton. Sol
diers' leggings are made for q. dozen, and lawn
tennis aprons. elaboraiely frilled. foE dozen.
Think Of what this means: A man and
his wife working from 12 70 IA hours a day
for whole week-Sundays included-to
make six shillings, $1.5O, out of which they
must pay three shillings and sixpence, 81
cents, for rent, leaving them but 70 cents for
food and clothingl
A clergyman. who made his way into the
district at great risk Of personal violence
writes TO the Manchester Guardian concern.
ing the children he saw on the streets:
The dog cannot steal with success for iis owr
ends In this Parish; for, should II succeed In IL,
nefATious aims far to leave the butchers shoI
with its quarry 'twixt lis Jaws, 10 will be followed
by q crowd not al all anxious 10 restore to the
butcher what Is his bat 20 ACT receivers of sloieI
property from the active quadruped, with whom
they will ferOcOusy dispute the right 10 the bares
bone. Scarcely child can boast Of O garment
from head 20 foot that was made for it, and yer,
| seldom Of one that was bought for H. In m sadly
EaiiricA sense, one looking at these children oRI
well say, Solomon ia all his glory was not ar
rAyed like one Of these" and though Joseph's Goa
OF many eoiors was doubtless brighter Ia hue thar
their garments. IL scarcely contained more color
than are 70 he found In the get up" of these III
clad, fatnishing and semi-sayage children tina
within 20 minutes walk Of the heart Of the cit,
whose wealth can be counted by hundreds of mil
lions. and the income Of whose merchants Offer
rivals that Of Prince and noble present with thei
surroundings "A scene that no other nation civil
lied or barbaric, could present.