The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1894-11-30
The ae,uorrat.
English Workmen's Diet
and Wages.

No one can study the welfare of the <o>
ing classes of Britain without being i'm
pressed by the fact that they have shared
in the advance that has been made in the
feeding, clothing and housing of the ma
ton generally. The prosperous decades
Of this century, the larger wages. and the
adoption ef free trade have brought better
food within reach OF the town artisan
better in the sense Of greater variety, and
in the amount of animal food procurable.
In many instances, however, they are for
saking the simpler foods, and are content
ed to live upon articles which tickle the
palate more than did the plain but whole
some food of our fcrefathers. The present
diet may be moro varied, and more easily
digested, but it is not necessarily better tit-
ted for making muscle. Besides. even In
oar food. the tendency of the age is toward
refinement. We seek for articles that
please the eye, as well as stimulate the ap-
petite. People, for example, must have
their flour beautifully white. BUT, in order
to accomplish this, the miller has, by means
of improved machinery, to remove from
the grains of wheat the rich nitrogenous
cells that lie underneath the bran-that
part of the wheat grain, in fact, which is
richest in proteid or nitrogenous material.
In bread alone, which forms the staple diet
of such large number Of people, there is
lest with every meal a large amount of
highly nutritious material, simply that the
sense of sight might be grati6ed.
There is stealing over this country u
widespread change in regard to alimenta-
ton. Wherever wages allow of it, the
coarse but wholesome food, characteristic
of previous age. is less par,aken Of. The
reduction il the price of tea, for example,
has allowed of its entrance into the eotter's
bone, and tea with bread and butter now
too frequently replaces the milk and oater
porridge of past days. In Scotland, few
years ago, oatmeal formed, at least, two o.
the meals of the day-frequenlly third
either in the form of brose or porridge with
skinned milk. OF late, there has been a
change. The consumption of bread made
from wheat IS increasing In the cotter't
family; the stronger foods ara gradually
being disregarded, and money is spent on
timed meats, jellies, jams, etc. Shep-
herds and hinds, in many parts Of Eng
land and Scotland, are less paid "in kind
than they were; they have, therefore. mors
money to spend. and. as this has larger
purchasing power than formerly, little del
icacies and Injuries are, today, more sough
after. II this is true of the agriculture
laborers, much more does it apply to ,h'
town artisan. With him, bhe tendency il
distinctly toward a reduction of coarse food
and substitution for it of the lighter, i
not less nutritious articles Of die, procura.
bic at his own door. and requiring it'll,
cooking. Contributing 10 this Is the !acl
of knowledge of cooking on The part Of ihi
wives of many OF our workingmen. The!
don't know how TO cook. Take for ex
ample female workers in the textile irdut'
tries of Lancashire AMI Yorkshire. Man,
of those employed work all day long in 10
factory before and after their marriage, an,
have, therefore. little or no opportunity o
learning cooking. Aulong the well-pai'
working classes. there is, prcportiorally
more waste than there is among the wealth
ier sections OF the community, and unit
women realize the value Of money. an
learn low to cDok, Tot simply a chop or
piece Of meat (fcr that is what they gerer
ally mean by cooking) but how to u'iIiz
the residue of previous meals. and parsio
ularly how to cook a.ad serve to the great
eSi advantage vegetables, the toilsrs them
selves cannot be said TO lie receiving thei
proper food, nor proper equivalent 70
the money spent on necssSities.-Thoml
Give. NJ. D.. in the Fortnightly Revieu
London, October.