The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-01
Quaint Regulations to which Britons
Cling, Despite the Wrongs That
May BE Bound Up i'm Them.
EVIL FEATURES THAT CROP OUT
QUEER CUSTOMS AT wINCHELSEA,
ONE OF THE "ANCIENT TOWNS"
Methods of che Long Ago That still
Prevail i'm Churches, Cemeteries
and i'm Imposition of Taxes.
&c Of the Indianapolis Journal.


LONDON, Nov. 20.-In searching for what
Is new and progressive in English life, one
certainly in these days does not have TO
search in vain, yet he constantly meets,
amid overwhelming evidence OF improve
ment, customs and practices of the hoary
past which seem to defy change, and make
their up-to-date surroundings. the product
OF long years of reform, look as though
they were no more than a stage setting
for what is eccentric and Anticipated. To
the mind Of a refOrmer the lord mayors
show. grotesque as it is in some of its fea-
lures. is pageant far more likely TO sad
den than amuse, for it strikingly illustrates
the English tendency TO cling to what is
old, despite the wrongs bound up in it, and
Notwithstanding that new times clam
orOusy calling for new methods London
ers themselves take little interest in this
third-rate circus parade. 1t is almost
wholly a spectacle for the amusement of
children and country cousins and foreign
ers. To the ratepayers Of Greater London
1t is an exasperating exhibit of a city with
in a city, which. owing to it's privileged
isolation. does not bear it's just part of the
local taxes and thus adds to the financial
burdens of those sections of London which
are poorer than itself.
From his conspicuous position and this
fuss and feathers investing him and the
mark Of royal favor he usually takes with
him when his year is up. one might sup
pose that the lord mayor of London was
the chief mogul and controlling factor in
this great city government But there are
twenty-eight other mayors in this me-
tropolis and the same number of borough
councils, and each of these centers of ad-
making the city what it ought TO be as is
that which poses in so much state at the
GuildhaIl and the Mansion House. Be-
cause. too, the Mansion House section of
the city's administration is not rated at IFS
full value, all the others, and especially
those having iE them the largest represen-
tation OF wage-earners, are assessed for
the city's support considerably more than
they ought to be. Then, too, there is the
London County Council. That is the real
governing body, and TO that is London in
debted for nearly all the measures that
have lifted this worlds metropolis out OF it's
ruts OF old fogyism. Perhaps in years TO
come there will be annual parade of the
civic forces of London which will render
honor where honor is due. A spectacle of
that kind would be worth seeing and it's
yearly recurrence would be great stimulus
10 civic progress. In such procession the
chief place would be given to the London
County Council and then would come the
twenty-nine mayors, attended by their
borough councils. the lord mayor taking
his rightful place as no more than one
amongst many.
THE FIFTH OF NOVEMBER
But we must not expect old customs to
die out in England very rapidly and it is
perhaps as well that they should not Peo-
pie ought not to forget what their past has
been, and, after all. the way in which
at unexpected turns some practice hoary
with age hobs up to meet you, is part Of the
excitement If not one Of the charms OF
living here. 1t was only a few days before
the Lord Mayors Show that this writer.
having forgotten the old cry, Remember,
remember. the fifth Of November" came
dangerously near making a fool OF him
self by calling the police to put a stop
20 what seemed to be an act of street ruff
fianism. A gang of boys, armed with all
sorts Of sticks and cudgels, were cruelty
belaboring old man who was being
drawn along in hand cart by some other
boys who seemed anxious TO pull him as
quickly as possible out OF the reach OF these
street miscreants- For a moment my blood
boiled but the next moment. fortunately,
a revived recollection turned anger into a
smile, for it was Guy Fawkes Day, an
nually observed In England for three hum
dred years TO commemorate the fact that
as long ago as that certain enemies Of the
state were intending to blow up the King
and his Parliament, but were prevented.
The poor old man to whom my sympathies
had gone out was only 1 found, a stuffed
hfrf 1 w faIf fbat
pathies had seen wasted when saw. upon
coming closer that this butt of so many
boyish blows had been labeled Kruger.
The eGigies which figure on Guy Fawkes
day are at night made part OF a bonfire
and go up in smoke. Formerly they were
never supposed to be other than rag and
saw-dus, representations Of Guy .Fawkes
himself. but OF late years this national ceIe-
bration has had in it an element of vicious
ness. 1t has been quite too brutally mod
ernized. Twelve months ago. when by
Lord Roberts and the government the
South african war was declared to be
ended Ii was almost universally an anti
Kruger demonstration The English people
at that time burned at least as many eff
gies OF Dom Paul as Krugers men had
killed OF their soldiers That. however, no
more brought the war 70 a real end than
did the ecclesiastical pronunciamentoes OF
blundering government, and il is pleasant
20 know that there was ''let up" this
year toward the G.. o. NJ. OF the Transvaal
II was exceptional for the Guys OF a
week ago 10 figure before the populace as
either Kruger or any Of the Boer COM
manders In many cases our own all too
Infamous CzOlgOcz had to bear in efhgy
the execrations OF the people. But in many
other instances the Guys" were OF local
Significance. In one district OF London the
school authorities are trying TO revive cor
pOral Punishment, and naturally. since boys
are 10 the fore on Guy Fawkes night. the
figure that went up IN smoke in that local
ity was a schoolmaster with birch rod in
his hand
1.-THE ONE EXCEPTION.
Despits the survival OF so much that is
ancient there IL sin strong tendency
throughout England to bring things to an