Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1894-04-01
local affairs. At present things are bad

local affairs. At present things are bad
enough.
THE past winter" Mr.. Arch said.
''has been . most trying one for the
landless lrborers. Last summer was so
dry that the root crops turned out thin
and the straw crops were very light.
Where it took four men to pulling
mangels and turnips # took only two.
1t was the same with the threshing
machines-not having the quantity OF
straw they required less men.
"But II we can get the bill passed, :"
Mr.. Arch broke of suddenly and took
snuff.
What will be the efect?" asked.
1.-THE outlook to agricultural laborers
will BE- bright. The bill will be the
mightiest lsver the laborers have had
for raising themselves up. You les >
farm laborer get an acre OF land. |
got bit Of land from Lord Warwick's
steward for some OF them In our village.
or these twenty-seven acres some got
two. some got three. Now here is the
position OF o.e OF these men. He can
devote the greater part Of his time in
summer TO work for some else, but can
put in good bit Of work on his own
land. When September comes he
will have raised bread enough for his
family till next September. he has
got two or three pigs, which cost him
almost nothing to feed. he rates u
crop OF potatoes. l have raised IFS
bushels TO the acre, but the average IS
forty or fifty. How, in short, this man,
with his two acres OF land can raise
enough to support family OF three or
four and put money by. he has his
home. Ae has his interest in parish
affairs. He has no reason TO duck to
the squire or codge to the parson for
Christmas dole"
That is Jos Arch's forecast OF the
things to in rural England.
"You said il these measures had
been taken twenty. five years ago there
would be no unemployed to-day" l
suggested.
at is true" he replied, "there would
never have been the constant procession
TO the cities and the congestion OF
landless men there. Cut of this con-
naked lands tit to feed millions. Here
are thousands Of poor devils hungry for
bread in the cities. Restore the eQull-
brlum I say. This bill will do it,"
When Mr.. Arch gets excited he takes
snuff. AT this point he summoned
stately funky and said conidentially,
II say, old chap, have you" Be-
fore he could finish the funky pro-
duced a snuff-box from his waiSt-coat
pocket, tapped IL, and handed it to the
Hon. Mem Der for North West Norfolk.
The Hon. Gentlemen snuffed. and, as
always do as they do in Rome, l accept
ed q pinch. "Thauky, old chap" Mr..
Arch said, and the funky took himself
off.
"Where would ha' been, with my
ten or twelve shillings q week? Ay,
tell me that Like u man locked up In
prison. / have been through Wales
and saw men work for nine shilling a
week. struck against nine shillings
when was twenty-three years old, and
I never worked for IL after. l know
what 1t is with wife and three child
ren-nine shiIlings q week! Those poor
chaps have not the courage to 90 into
other business. or course, l made my
way, but they could not do 1t. When IL
come round to Christmas or Easter,
and the squire and parson distribute
their charity you can understand how
these people are glad enough TO take
crumb, a blanket or anythlng-and
afterward they are under the thumb OF
the parson and squire. I never cared
for parSon or squire moron l did for
two rats.
LET the government stick to the