The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-03-03
THE NEWS MAIL BAG.
The "Ex-Englishman" Replies
PROVIDENCE, X. L., March 3, 1894.


To TnR EDITOR OF THE NEWS;
SIR want to thank you for in
serting my letter of March / in THE
NEWS and also ask you to indulge me
again with enough space for the reply to
Another Ex- -Englisnman."
cannot say was greatly surprised at
seeing an answer to my letter and figures,
for l have heard great many remarks
and criticisms concerning 1t, put was
surprised to read such an outburst OF
praise from one who subscribes himself an
tex -Englishman, as that implies that he
has renounced that country forever and
become an American citizen.
Well may The News head his letter,
"What Did You Come Here For?" and
may enquire, what do you stay here forY
The boats are running regularly. But 10
answer him. He calls my ideas "over-
drawn" They are not ideas but cold
facts and are proved by figures which
give, and he does not attempt to falslfy.
All he says is, ''It is a we'll known fact
that we live better in England than here"
Again, why does he stay here? But dis
pute it, for as j said before all "ackowl-
edge they live better here" and
substantiate that statement by adding,
at is style here and We have more
money to do WITH" and i would
like to remind "another x-Englishman"
that / am talking of averages" not
"individuals." lie may be a skilled me-
cbanic capable of commanding large
salary anywhere, but probably he Is like
the Englishman whom / met once, who
had been here about year. He was rum
do better in "t'Old Country than in
America. l asked him his business
and found that he was a gold cane head
maker getting $40 week in
this city. He said that he could earn ga
or e5 a week lsi9.2o or s2D in England,
and that would 60 great gw., deal farther ne
/" Mr.. - why did you leave such posi-
tion to come here 2" He answered:
"Why, only had work about six weeks
in the year, You can imagine
my disgust. This man left his
wife and two children there and
came here, worked a year, sent
them passes, and furnished his home for
them to come to, and his wife had TO work
in button factory To support herself and
two children meanwhile. AS for ''the well
known fact" he tells about, am sorry to
know that IL Is swell known fact" among
great many Englishmen in this country
who are not satisfied anywhere.
Further, repeat that clothes and shoes
worn by the average workingman in Eng
land are inferior in make TO those worn
by the same class here unless you pay
large prices for them and every one that
has been in England, or has seen any
English "workingman" that has Just ar
rived can bear testimony to the fact. 1
am sorry to say though, that there are a
great many Englishman here that talk
and really believe the same way that
"another x-Englishman" does--till they
go back.
"Another ex-Englishman" need not
feel sorry for me. l am all right, but
was not till came here; neither was he,
or he would have stayed there. 1t matters
not whether i lived in the "Scouts" or
where; il was in "free trade" country
called England, and have been in larger
cities than Manchester or Leicester, scores
Of times, and know as well as he does, that
fine grades Of shoes and clot hes and every
thing in fact are to be had there, but /
want to tell him that you have to pay for
them. The average workingman does not
wear them, and as for living there for zone
third" the cost OF living here why does he
not give figures as did?
am afraid am rather "long windcd"
but / would like To say that
L have heard remarks like this
from Americans concerning my
the same as here" What am getting
at" is this Why does it cost as much as il
does here to live in a country where the
wages are about one half that they are
here? For they tell us that IL we get
lower wages, provisions will be lower,
also. We shall sec.
Thanking you again for your trouble
and kindness, remain
Yours respectfully,
Ex- x-ENoLIsHMAN.