Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1892-03-02
OUT OR WORK.
Nearly 10000 WOrkmen Out Of
Employment in Vienna.
Relief Committees Circulate Appeals
for Donations.
The Real State of Affairs Not
Known Heretofore.

Alleged That the Mckinley Bill is Re-
fering-A Pointer for People Who De-
clare This Country is Going to the
Dogs-Can America Furnish Picture
of Privation and Suffering Equal to
This?
VIENNA, March 2.-The authorities OF
this city have at last been compelled to
recognize the urgency of the situation
among the poor, and now permit the So
cialists' relief committee to circulate ap-
peals, hitherto prohibited, for donations.
Contributions are consequently flowing
in more freely. At the last socialist do
nation of bread to the poor 5000 per-
sons assembled. The distribution was
attended with some turbulent scenes,
which were repressed by the police. 1t
is estimated that 5000 shoemakers, 3,OO0
carpenters, / 500 metal workers, 1000
stone workers and $4,000 unskilled la
borers are out of employment.
A reporter, who accompanied the re-
lief committees on their rounds, wit
messed scenes of abject poverty and
misery which it wonld be hard to match
in the squalid courts of London.
Blaming the Mckinley Bill.
As an alleged result of the Mckinley
law, IL, 900 pearl workers were thrown
out of employment, and are now classed
as unskilled workmen, the Austrian
laws preventing their embracing a new
trade without serving new apprentice
ship. which is impossible in the case of
adults burdened with families.
The chamber of commerce and the
municipal authorities together voted
$4,000 to relieve the trade association
formed to supply raw material at
cheaper rates, but the benefits are con-
ferred only upon those able to subscribe
twenty-five horins. The result is that a
majority of the button workers are left
in pitiable plight.
Driven to Desperation.
Whole families are living and work
ing in single room, earning a few shil
lings weekly, and in daily fear of being
evicted for arrears of rent In one in.
stance the father of family declared
he would commit suicide if his family
would do the same.
In The Been1Ve.
Ina so-called model dwelling, called
"The Beehive" from its cellular struct
ure. roo souls were found occupying 2lS
rooms. Hungry, stunted children
swarmed at the entrance. The air IL
the rooms was fetid, and in many cases
the rooms were bare, the furniture hay
ing been pawned to provide food. AL
the occupants appeared to be suffering
from grinding poverty.
Sweating"
Many shocking cases of sweating
were brought to light. A blacksmith
who received sixteen pence for making
/ 600 screws or nuts, earned 6s Sd week
ly and paid out 3s Sd for rent and {
yearly tax to the government of l6s Sd
Five years ago he earned three times a.
much for the same amount OF work. II
another case "sweater" paid 5d for thu
making of dozen brushes.
Many similar cases are told OF case
of parents and children engaged II
ceaseless toll earning an aggregate wag,
of IS to Is weekly, and of widows will
children in worse plight earning 6t
daily. The fact that women work a
laborers in the building and other trade
makes unskilled labor valueless. Th
poor seldom taste meat-even hors
fl h. which is sold at Sd or 4d pc
., ind, and fuel is very dear. The celia
dwellings, are often loathsome dun
geons, only separated from the sewers b,
few bricks.