The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-08-21
FARM WORKERS In ENGLAND
The Use They Are Making Of Their New
ly-Acquired Privilege Of Voting.
Some Large Districts in Which the Wages They
Receive Do Not Exceed So q Week-Good
Results Reached by Organization.

Special Correspondence Of the Sunday Journal
LONDON, Aug. 10.-"Honest Hodge, is
what the townsfolk call him. and this
quaint parsonage has shot recently into
remarkable degree of prominence over
here. For long years the agricultural
tion not far removed from absolute serf-
dom. They were mere appendages of the
soil, the natural and inaliensble serv-
ants of farmers and landowners. their
chief function in life. outside of the
drudRery of that daily toll which brought
them scarcely more than q crust. being to
60 to cnuroh on Sunday and to worship
their "betters" during the week. OF educa-
ton they were afforded hardly any,
and as to the functions of citizen
ship, they were held to be entirely
Incompetent for such things. They only
duties which we're not beneath them were
those OF submission and ACCOMPLISHING do
cility, and the charter of their privileges
may be said to have consisted solely in the
bare permission to subsist. This is how it
Jared with honest hodge in years gone by.
To-day, however. his situation is quite diff
fereDt. The last half century has been q
period of remarkable progress in England,
and il was only natural, while the country
generally was receiving such floods of en-
lightment, that few struggling beams
should find their way into the obscure
abode of the agricultural laborer. A little
knowledge creates o thirst for more, and in
1870 this was met by q universal diffusion
throughout town and country alike of the
advantages flowing from the common
school. Then, latter fifteen years more
when Parliament. having enfranchised
every other class of British labor, could
brook no longer the scandal of refusing the
ballot to only this class. honest hodge was
exalted at last TO the full dignity of vot-
ing citizen. This occurred in 1885. since
been much thought of by many of those
who formerly held him to be beneath no.
tice. The truth is, indeed, that this mod
ern arbiter of elections, who has twice
turned the scale against bis former masters,
the realm. None are too rich to do him
homage. SO far fattering expressions
may serve that end, and 80 wisely, from
the and-point of number one. has be used
his newly ACQUIRED privileges as voter
that it has become o serious questionable
IF some additional SOD must not be
thrown to this cunning old whale before
the Irish question can be safely tackled.
HODGES ADVANTAGE.
Politically the agricultural laborers are
on top in this country, and we may we'll
believe that it 10 only q question of time
until justice will be done in other regards.
How much room there is for improvement
in the social and material situation of this
worthy but down trodden class Of her
Majesty's subjects is SO fiagrantly apparent
On all hands that one who is familiar With
the better conditions OK American life
hardly knows, while studying the prob
lem, which of two feelings is the stronger
within him, q sense of compassion towards
those so odiously Disseminated against, or
a sensation of utter disgust with the insti.
tutions and people which make such things
possible. To say that the agricultural la
bOrers OF England, as class, are in state
of abiect dependence does not express the
whole sad truth of the case. They are. gen.
orally speaking. little better than out and
out paupers. Their meager pay has never
sufficed to meet even the most rudimenta-
~ of their wants. and the result has been
that they have had TO depend in large
measure upon the aims doled out to them
by public and private bcnevoience. IL does
not relieve this dark picture to say that
their masters and so-called superiors have
boon willing to help them when the pinch
has come. Those who have lived luxurious.
ly upon the fruits of their toll could we'll
afford to do this. and. considering how
poorly they havo requited their hirellngs
in wages, it would have been worse than
hearhenism in those leisured classes to
have acted otherwise. But charity which
is given to supplement inadequate wages is
only a wicked sham. and as TO it's effect mp
on che recipients, while it may be effectual
enough In allsyIng hunger. it's final iuilu-
ence upon the manhood of those relieved
by IL could only be corrupt and debaslng
one. In proof of this; one has but to reflect
how little dIsgraced these laborers feel
when they fall finally for their subsistence,
as snch nultitudes of them do. upon the
parish, and how generally they regard il
as matter of course-something TO be
vision calling almost for gratitude that
the last days of useful and hon orable life
should in so many cases find their final
solace IN the parish poOr-house.
WHO Is TO BLAMEf
1t has been repeatedly alleged since the
election that the agricultural vote was won
over to tho Liberals by species of bribery.
In a division where we happen to be we'll
acquainted, and whore the Liberal candi-
date was reelected by largely increased
majority, the charge is made that this gen.
tleman for six years past has been maxim
himself solid" with the laborers by judis
cious gifts of money in answer to begging
letters. There is hardly q villager. they
say, who IN that time has not brought to
this Qentleman's notice some real or imag-
mary crisis calling for help, and
hardly any, theI tells us, have ap-
psaled in vain. All this we can readily be-
lieve. We are not inclined to doubt the
judicious benevOlence of the average can
didate for Parliament, aud as for discount
ing hat Is implied in regard to the beg
ging propenstes of the rural laborers we
know too much of the prevalence of this
tendency, from our own acquaintance in
various constituencies, to think of doing
such thing. But. granting that the laborer
generally Is not above asking aims and
that kindness to him along this line may
influence his vote notwithstanding this
and what. after all. does it supgesti Upon
whom does the blame fall for such thin gsS
If honest hodge has had largely eveloped
within him the instincts of a pauper. where
is the responsibility for such sad re-
put into his toll-hardened hand to be all
which Iii alleged to have. who can be
is remembered that he has never received
that much--perhaps never moro than
three-ffths that amount-for q hard week q
work In all his lifef And as to bribes the
naked fact Is that he has been bribed con.
tinually to good behavior, to proper re-
spect for his superiors and TO q due esti-
mn ate of hia own aoCial insiuur fica nv