The morning call., 1892-08-14
BY TIE WAY.
B0iIg a RamblGf'S Observations Oh Things
in General
weating-Executing Criminals-speculation
About Mars-Change Of Ministry
in England.
Written for THE MORNING CALL.

Written for THE MORNING CALL
4 report was recently issued under au-
thority of Congress on the cost of living
and the wages earned by workers. This
report was roseate. and il tended TO prove.
as is no doubt the fact, that the wage
Garner of Europe is very much worse off
than his fellow-toiler in America. 1t also
showed that while the prices of c0mmodi-
ties have decreased, especially of such COM
modities as are not in the nature OF luxuTies.
wages have at least not retrograded In
amount and in some cases have increased.
But there is one carking care the poor have
always 10 fight. House rent everywhere is
from three 10 six times what ii is in Europe.
A workman in any English town can obtain
a decent, self-contained house, often with
bit of garden attached, for from $50 to SIS
year. A mansion in Eaton square. London,
which Is good enough for the Duke Of
Bedford, might be rented for far less than is
paid Tor common clearinghouse of 30
rooms on Geary street, San Francisco. Yet
London Is exceptionally high In rents on
account of its abominable leasehold system,
by which all the buildings fail in to the
ground landlord after term of years. And
such men as the Duke of Westminster in
sist upon good architecture and substantial
structures.
While wages are undoubtedly higher in
the United States than IN any other coun-
try. unless South Africa, where, however,
the field is very limited. it does not appear
that We have entirely escaped from sweat
ing and consequent starvation wages. This
comes prominently into the front In the dis
coyerIes made by such body of phiian-
thropic workers as the College Settlement
Association, % Rivington street. New York.
\ number of college bred girls devote
themselves TO the amell0TatiOn If the life Of
the working poor by conducting clubs for
boys ana girls. teaching needlewOrk, giving
music lessons, telling stories to while away
The time among working people, visiting the
poor IN Their homes and giving assistance in
various forms both by practical help and
advice. children are allowed 10 come, 80 at
q time, TO play in the yard of the house.
They are admitted by ticket There are
sNdEsS for the older children and sand
he%ps for the very young. This is good
YORK among the very poor, and IL is enjoyed
by the glEers as well aS the recipients.
But there are some very sad revelations
as to the scale of wages paid workers who
are discovered and assisted by these kind
hearted, practical Christians. In fact these
revelations of the pittanees paid TO women
and giTls for hard work during long hours
indicate system which is a disgrace to the
age. They show that Hoods Song of the
shirt Is just as much applicable to New
York and probably other American towns
today as IL vas 10 London 30 wears ago.
What can be said OF operative industry
which allows a woman no more than II
cents for pair Of paniS-sewing-ma
ana material cut out OF course. provided
! hat Is evaporation Of human blood with q
vengeance Even Alton Locke was better
treated, 1Or penny means something IN
London and cent is nothing In New York.
Al bCok-bndeTy wOrk-Say fer the million
alTe HaTperS - girls can earn s. - per
week, certainly not more than they could
earn IN London. y girl who works from
80 a. II. 10 p. NJ. is fined % cents in some
stores should she have the presumptuous
aUuacHy 10 sit down. 4 woman who tolls
at the making of ehldren's nightgowns a
whole day and half of the night is able to
earn 30 cents! \ Is. and some of the women
" no cling 10 lie fOT this bloOd-curdiiDg
wage are mothers. 1t is as certain as any
thing can be that there Is sweating going on
ia these clothing industries justa bad as in
Europe, with the difference that there is no
Inspection OF inSanitary premises or regu-
atlon Of the hours Of labor The life of
man or woman who mas only 80 cents
day ia New ork must be well-nigh hope
less. Men and women who veal fine cloth
lng might sometimes give little thought TO
Tie dlstrOutlon Of the money they dispense.
In San Francisco there are a goodly num-
Ter Of muIderers awaiting punishment, trial
y liberty, and not one of The classes is
much more unhappy than the others. Our
system Of dealing with criminals OF
eminence Is such that hope beats strongly
in the criminals breast until the rope is
round his neck. When a coil of hemp or
manila has been adlu ted under the wrelch's
chin by the Sheriff, the hope that stirs him
or ealms him Is not of this world, earthly.
One OF the occupants of MuTdeTers' alley in
The County Jail a pears 10 have his doom
IN sight within q month. He would have
died with broken neck On FRIDAY had not
q g0ud-natured Governor inteTfered with
respite after he had pronounced the trial Of
the case just in every respect A respite is
advisable unquestiODabiy if there is fresh
advice tending 20 show that the condemned
man had reason TO fear attack from the man
lie Killed. but il must be confessed this
evidence has been singularly lung in CON-
ing out. McNulty has had four years of
prison life and excitement III court, and he
must be we'll tired of that humdrum exist
eDce. Yet Tor the sake of dear life what
would not 90 men cut of 100 endure? The
stenches of the cells in the County Jail are
cheerfully borne by men who object TO be-
ing lowered into their coffin at the end of
rope. If one may judge from the reports
McAulty Is impertuTDably Indifferent as 10
lis fate. What study for the moralist Is
man under doom OF death in two days
sitting up with his jailer playing cards and
wiling to discuss anything in politics or
affairs OF the world, but absolutely drawing
the line at the discussion of his own posi-
tiCn. To hang a man who has been four
years In jail almost suggests second mur-
der-a Judicial murder, In a different sense
fioE that usually understood by the term.
The longest period during which mur-
derer has a chance Of life 10 England, unless
acquitted, IS from three to four months.
Upon conviction he is only allowed three
clear Sundays for repose and reflection
before being led out upon the scaffold at s
IN the morning precisely, and the hangman
does his work within a minute thereafter.
There are murdeTers there as here who
escape-Jack the Ripper for Instance. The
number OF executions in Great Britain and
Ireland Is very small; not more than from
20 TO 30 per year. The number of murder
eTs is considerably greater, but it is by no
means possible TO bring home guilt always
and there are such things as accidents with
juries or individual JuTymen. The moment
prisoner leaves the court under sentence
Of death he is strictly watched day and
the Judge, who fixes the date of execu-
t0n- Very few persons are permit
ted access TO tho prisoner. AS a
reie only the relatives. the lawyers
and the clergymen are admitted TO the cell
and then only in the presence of an officer.
\ condemned man is thus encouraged to
think about the next world and not about
his, and generally speaking he goes TO the
gaiiows penlieut and subdued. Only few
persons are allowed to be present at the
execution, but after il is over a jury is sum-
mOned to pronounce upon the cause of
death. The jail governor, Jail surgeon and