The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-10

common 10 attract notice Tho ones which hay
been built during the last halt century will be a
good as new when $500 comes rolling along
The stone IL not white 10 begin with. and a ie,
years OF Londons SCOT and log render II al
most black, SO the city everywhere has a ven
| erablo appearance and always In its monuments
bridges, churches palaces and public building
that air oil tremendous power and perpetuity
II Is no wonder the Englishman is filled witt
amazement when no views some OF our Govern
mont buildings in Washington and especial,
! our Executive Mansion The ruler OF no othe
| civilized nation is housed 50 badly as ours il
| the United Statca
Additionally the buildings hero are mex
pressbly ugly. Notwithstanding the great valu,
OF land, in some places $3.50 square foot they
seldom rise 70 height Of more than four or Nv,
stories Tho Bank Of England Tor instance, /.
situated on land worth this price, Is only one story
high and covers nearly Eve acres This gives
them fat appearance which is relieved however
in some cases, by lofty and massive Corinthian
pillars The private mansions are especially
unatuacuve in outside appearance and can no,
compare with our best American residences,
but within, what a wealth OF pictures, sculpture,
tapestries and artistic furnishings! We have
nothing like II in our country and cannot have
for centuries II ever. They represent the collec-
families who have lived In the same house, each
adding TO its establishment And they have not
had 10 mako journey Of six or eight thousand
miles TO ther and carry home their treasures but
most OF them have been brought to their very doors
or made especially during the past centuries
for the very places they now occupy.
These advantages which have been described
are the high lights Of London, but there are many
and heavy shadows The question which con-
unually intrudes itself, when one observes the
power and majesty Of the law, is, "why docs il
not lay its hand on the liquor tradic?" Such
restrictions as Il does impose arc obeyed to the
letter and there is no effort 10 evado them but the
magnitude Of the business here and the amount
Of intemperance are appalling The saloons are
closed only few hours between midnight and
daylight and they are wide open on Sunday ex-
Dept during the hours Of church service Not only
the Government but the church itself derives an
immense revenue from the liquor business, and il
is said that high officials In both are directly con-
nected with it In blazing signs over the doors
OF the wine shops are the words: "Purvcyors to
His Royal Ilighness"-and the various names of
the Royal family given On many Of the church
doors are notices tackled telling when and where
the excise board will meet 10 grant licenses TO sell
liquors There are saloons every
where and all OF them crowded day and night
These conditions can he realized most fully by
riding about the streets on the tops OF the omni-
buses and looking down into these places swarm
ing with people. The most terrible feature is
that there seem to be almost as many women as
men, Behind the counter are the barmaids
dealing out the drinks AZ rapidly as the men.
and often among the bartenders are boys of
fourteen or fifteen years. Lined I'D in 'front.'
>lbow to elbow with the men, are women of all
bat
IF whiskey, gin, or bocr. Many hand over bottles
Ind pitchers to be filled Some are old and tot
ering and already halfdrunk. Young mothers
DAD in their children and give them a portion Of
heir own glass. Mothers sit at the little tables
With baby at the breast, drinking a tumbler Of
ein or whiskey. It's Just as common for young
elbow and his sweetheart TO stand up at the bar
n saloon and take their beer or whiskcy as il is 10
he United States for them TO go into soda four-
ain. which In unknown here
have mentioned nothing which have not seen
myself again and again, in all parts Of London,
lot in the "slums" but in respectable streets. on
mt tide OF 12 miles the bus driver stopped Eve
imeh in front Of saloons and we sat there and waited
While he and such passengers chose went in
md quenchod their thirst have seen women
Trunk on the streets too many times 10 count
everal times dead drunk in the middle OF the day,
u
block from fashionable thoroug hiare, one lying
IN a bench at tho very door OF Westminster Abbey
These women are bringing children into the world
from birth, who must inevitably be
,aupers II not criminals. AT the last CENSUS two
years ago, London was supporting about lO7, 900
'aupers. The number is rapidly growing larger
While II In said the increase OF insanity is almost
beyond belief yet the traffic which produces both
3 sanctioned by church and state. There seoms
o DO absolutely no hope II women also are to be-
,ome drunkards, and yet with the changed social
'ondions, this seems inevitable II the LIQUOR traf
lie in to continue unchecked.
The tobacco habit also il infinitely stronger and
more prevalent here than in the United States
Although that NAV not seem possible One meets
! hundred men smoking on the streets here where
le meets one there, and always pipe Cigars are
'oldom seen and cigarettes not often Nine men
nut OF ten smoke while walking on tho streets with
| lady, and do not remove the pipe even in con.
'ersaton II is impossible 10 get away from the
Nor of tobacco On top Of the busscs where every.
body rides in hot weather. all of the men, includ-
ng the driver, smokes every minute We went |
nto crowd one day 10 view q parade but had TO |
ONE away before it passed because every man |
vas smoking strong black pipe The women |
'cre do not seem TO mind it, hut take few wiiGs
themselves occasionally. II is said that in tie |
SUM quarters" IL is not an uncommon sight to |
cc them smoking On the streets Al a dinner O. |
he distinguished women writer's Of London given |
week or two ago, most OF them lighted their |
cigarettes after the feast In the smart sci" |
composed of the nobility, smoking among tho high |
'orn DANES is not an exception. am told that |
most Of the women r clubs here have their smoking
oom How far behind. or in advance are the |
'orien OF America in this new departure
The custom here II turning 10 the lefI has |
tendency 10 unhaInnce the reason nf a foreignc- |
n serious article this week the Daily Mail rrnyc-
y asserted that there is no excuse for people not
ong this as ii is the rule in most civilized coun
rieS including tho United States" But after
'uu finally have mastered this custom you learn
hat II applies only to driving, for in walking
'ou must turn to the right As the city is fun |
tourists there is most ludicrous lodging about
md frequent collisions which set people 10 swear.
ny in s"yen different languages The difficulty
4 finding ones way about the city also adds a
rood many gray hairs and wrinklca and causes
me u break several uf tn" Commandments
here ar" very few strcats ~ much AZ a mile lln-
md hundreds are only two or three blocks IN
fngth There are no numbered and no let
3 rcd haN hiatt