The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-07-20

twenty varieties OF It brewed in Eng
land. There is never vegetable IN
the morning and never a irult except
upon the most holiday occasions.
HOW DO THEY LIVE AT AILP
''Can they live on this fOOd2 Can
you call mere existence living2 Could
our wOrkmen live on half rations day
in and day ont for years upon years,
and raise q healthy family, and earn his
wages2 Yes, they live, but what arc
they coming to? They are not q hardy
race, as they used to be. My first inn
preston when I walked through the
/ streets OF London was that was among
the people of Gulliver's Imagination.
The men are short and wizened, their
faces are yellow and their eyes heavy.
Tho women ara old before they are out
OF their teens, aud the children show
the elect Of their blight. Perhaps the
best argument that shows that the Eng.
| lish race is deteriorating is TO be found
in tho army reports. For some years
the EnClish military authorities have
agreed that the standard Of manhood in
England is going down, and to-day 1t is
an open secret that the. grayest Tears
are entertained lest the day will come
when tho English army will DO weighed
land found wanting from q mere lack OF
physical strength. The London Star
recently remarked upon this, and said
that tho minimum standard aof height
aud chest measurement required for the
army has boon reduced more than once
until men arc now accepted who stand
five foot thrce inches, with q chest
I measurement OF tllirty-three inches.
Even Wolsley himself has admitted
that the raco Is growing shorter and
moro narrow chested, and 1t is prac-
tically accepted as. a fact that the COM
mon people arc wasting away.
"rhe future OF these people, who
barely earn enough'to live upon, forms
an interesting and vital problem III
England to-day, aud whatever impor-
| lance the homo rule question may have
| in politics, there is always in tho mind
| Of the average Englishman, the stun
ming fact that tho army OF paupers Is
yearly growing. Joseph Chamberlain
recently made series OF reports upon
this subject to Parliament. and he DEM
onstratod that 40 per cent oil the aGE::
cultural laborers who live to tho ago OF
sixty 60 to the poorhouse, while 90 per
cent OF all tho laborors who reach the
same ago become charges upon the
community. Indeed, tits not concealed
that the country looks forward to car
ing for at least half OF its population in
tho very near future.
.'I am almost tired OF talking, but l
can give you few more thoughts that
may serve as warnings to the people OF
this country who are chasing the free
trade phantom. Tho pressure for place
in England is beyond credence. The
Pail Mall Gazette recently contained on
advertisement for woman cashier in
restaurant, She was offered the
princely sum OF ten shillings week,
and the next morning there were over
300 letters in application, with moro in
the next mail. In all the trades the
pressure Is so great that premiums are
paid by parents in order that their sons
may learn trades, working without wage
for several years in tho hope that some
day they may earn ten sAilllngs week.
"Unless / were backed by English adj
missions ! wsuld not'make such state
ment as am now going TO advance, but
it is very true that there are more me-
chanics and laborers living in this city
OF Brotherly Love who own thcir own
homes than in the whole OF Europe.
They are better homes, too, by far, for
in England, where are the best dwellings
for the poor, there is no such thing as
furnace, or circulating boiler, or q
bathroom, or, in fact, none OF the very
commonest conyenienCes without which
our workingmen would think them
selves unable to i've.
OUR CAR DRIVERS AND THEIR MERCHANTS.
"You ask for comparison between
the classes here and there. Well, that
is very hard thing to give, of-hand,
but have been thinking OF it, and !
will venture this statement, the correct
ness OF which can vouch for, and
denial OF which would welcome as q
challenge: Our street-car drivers and
conductors, getting an average OF Sl2
and $l4 week, live just as we'll, and
even better in some ways, than the
average good, well-to-do English mer-
chant OF the middle class. l do not
mean the small shopkeepers but the
merchants, who own thei. own places.
Our people live better, for they have
delicacies occasionally upon their tables,
Of which tho others only dream. With
that scale in mind, you can picture to
yourself the relations between the
other classes here and in England.
"And now" concluded Mr.. johnson,
as the reporter rose to go, "hear tho
howlers who shrek that the Homestead
riots are the result OF the low wages paid
here, and that the English workingman
is fur better of, because .he gets moro
and can buy more with what he gets.
Good-bye! Give my compliments to
any of your tree trade friends whom you
may meet, and send them down to me-
You can, furnish them with my address.
and can furnish them with tons upon
tons Of thinking material."
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