Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1892-03-10
AN AWFUL. FACT.
Tho Extreme. Of Wealth and Poverty 4.
Free Trade England.


Free Trade England.
Let me here give few illustrations
OF the present position Of affairs In this
so.cullcd Christian country, and In do
ing So, let IL be clearly understood that
do not condemn individuals, but tho
laws under which such things exist
According to the Doomsday Book, we
fnd that the Duke of Northumberland
owns 1871 ,lsl acres OF land, with year
ly valuation, or income, Of 1872, 500
pounds: the Duke OF Devonshirc, i92,-
pos acres, with nm annual value of liO,-
$50 pounds; tho Duke OF Bedford, s7,5lS
acres with an annual value OF i4l,o5O
pounds, and the Earl Of Derby $4,000
acres. with an annual value OF iGS,SaI
pounds II we search through the rec
ords OF our merchant princes md bank
crs, we find many OF the millionaircs
living In the utm ost splcndor and sur
rounded by every conceivable luxury.
The st. stephens Review, In July last.
calculated that II cost the wealthy class
In the West End OF London the inn
mense sum OF I, 900, 900 pounds In three
months during the fashionable season
for society entertainments, dinners and
play parties Contrast all this gaicty
and high living with the awful destitu'
ton that was shown up in every news
paper OF our land when the sensational
murders OF Jack the Ripper, In the East
OF London were communicative have
seen three awful extremes VI poverty
and riches
OF the wealthy classes, and their de-
scendants, as we'll as representatives OF
the law. tho army and tho navy, and
other privileged professions, our legis-
latures are principally composed, and
by such our In WIS are made. Mr. John
Z. Morley, NJ. r., one OF the leaders OF
the Liberal party. In addressing the
Amalgamated society OF engineers at
Newcastle, In May, 1889. declared; ut
Ia nn awful fact--it is really not short
of awful-that in this country, with all
its wealth, Its vast resources, and all Its
power, a. per cent that Is TO say,
nearly one-half Of the persons who
reach the age of 0O-arc. or have been
paupers" In these illustrations we
have wide extremes between capital and
labor, and between them there IN q
great gulf, which widens daily, and bit
ter hatred, which intensifies as the gilt
grows wider. Can this gulf be bridged'
or must II continue TO widen till crisis
comes, and anarchy, bloodshed and
financial ruin are the sequel2 Such Is
the state OF things In free trade, Prot
cstant and liberty.loving England In
republican and protectionist France
we find very different state OF things
existing, and NJ. DE Foville proves from
statistics Of death duties, that only II
per cent. OF the adult population who
die fail to pay by their executors legacy
duty TO the government Legacy duty
il paid for 400, 900 out Of every $40, 900 OF
deceased adults. DIR, Rhodes stated at
the social science congress held Mt Leeds
IN September, 1890; "There are in En'
gland to-day sufficient number OF pau
peers TO form procession four deep OF
,, over Il hundred miles long, their cost In
poor law re lief last year being no les'
= than s,44O, s2l. or Cd per head OF the en-
tire population" All this In free trade
, wealthy England. Essay by Jame'
Hunt, Bristol, England.