The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1892-12-02
STARVATION.
London WOrkIngmen in Sore Straits
and Starving for Bread.

over the question of the unemployed.
In London the evidences OF sharp dis
trsss in tho poorer districts are far
greater than are usually observed at
the beginning Of winter Already the
Salvation Army is giving nightly lodg-
ing to over 1000 persons. Every day.
men, women and children are stand
ing patiently in line around certain
coffee shops which give away scraps
of food, leavings from the plates OF
diners. Of twenty-five trades unions
of this great city only two report.
though the labor bureau OF the board
Of trade, that work is good. A
London correspondent writes;
The great death has been devasta-
ting the continent without mercy this
summer, bat England must prepare
for the coming of specter only little
less terrible. A great hunger will in
wade Britain. The signs OF his coming
are everywhere. Those whose busl-
ness It Is to aid others in fighting him
say that he has already gained foot
hold In London. They explain that
not for many years until now has
there been genuine distress in the me-
tropolis due TO great commercial and
economic causes. Poor and destitute
there always are in large numbers,
but their suiferings for long time
have been due to individual and
special causes. Thousands OF skilled
workmen in almost all trades are now
idle through no fault of their own.
The evil has grown gradually. At
tention has not been called to it by
the sudden discharge Of great bodies
of men. Working forces have been
cut down gradually and the process is
still going on. The docks are half
deserted. The textile clothing and
printing trades are dull almost beyond
precedent. A larger proportion OF
men are idle in the ship building, en-
rineering and related trades than for
many years.
| took q cab with luggage on top
the other day from Holborn to Bays
Water. Two men followed the vehicle
on foot almost the whole distance,
thr0e miles, in hope Of earning few
pence by unloading the baggage.
They ran at brisk trot alongside and
reached the destination so much OK
hausted that they were unable at tirsl
to carry the trunks into the house
Their weakness was no extreme anC
the pallor Of their faces so unnatura
after violent exercise that l ques
toned them. Both said they ha,
families and that they had not TASTED
food chat day. l believe they told tn
truth.
The great battle that is now Oh be
tween the Lancashire cotton lords and
their employees is adding immeasur
ably to the sum total Of distress ir
England. "sixty thousand locked-ou
operatives and seventeen million silen
spindles" are the words in which on
picture Of this awful struggle is pres
ented. How awful u condition, an
how easily it might have been averte
had the golden rule and not the rul
of competition been applied to Il
Both parties in the struggle adm
that the market for the goods made
in bad condition. The operative
offered to accept a reduction in the
wages II the reduction came by shor
ening their hours. But the mani
tacturers insisted on 8 per cent r.
Luction Of wages, and would NJ
shorten the hours. The output on Il
gorgod market they would keep u
and their own loss thereby they won
make good by taking per cent
the meagre earnings of their slave
In reality. thoy calculate d on ju
what has como to pass. The oper
tives would not accept these term
They were locked out. The manufa
turers will have to pay out nothil
now, the cougesLed market will grad
ally bo relieved, The purchasers W
buy at advanced prices, the operativ
will DO starved into submission, al
then the cotton lords. richer than eve
can begin it all over again, This
the highly proper, universally a
proved, commercial method of "reg
lating supply and demand" The ID
OF supply and demand is one of
browning glories Of our nineteer
century civilization. Political econ
mists, makers and holders Of wealI
makers and enforcers of laws, b,
down in admiration before 1t. But I
devil in hell would be ashamed
avail himself Of It, and would repu,
ate the authorship Of it. 1t WAS
truth not born of wickedneSs, but
stupidity, and against stupidity
gods themselves fight in vain, vi
Vanguard
What Of Tomorrow