The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-13
The Gospel of Drains.

A recent book on the life and work of
Charles Kingsley affords some rather
startling information on the condition Of
English laborers in 1850 and the years
preceding 1t used to be said by Southern
slave owners, especially in Kentucky and
Virginia. where the system was shorn of
most of its Objectionable features, that
their slaves were better off, physically,
than the English working people. and if
the testimony given by various English
philanthropists OF that time is correct
the Southerner certainly had the best of
the argument. The planter had at The
worst a property interest in the tenants
of his plantation; the English landlord
had none, and it was claimed that It was
impossible to build cottages which were
even moderately healthy, and not lose
money on them. Even nov it has been
stated by Lord Salisbury that only two
thirds of the cost of cottage building can
be considered a commercial inves tment;
The remaining third must be a charity and
benevolence on the part of the landlord
II would appear, in short. that in England
1t pays to house cattle and horses COM
fortably. but not to house human beings
so.
However, the condition of things is rot
as bad in England now as 1t was before
the agitation Of Kingsley Maurice. and
their friends fifty years ago. The story
Of their endeayors reads more like mis-
sionary movement in China than like part
OF the history of an Anglo-Saxon country
hey vii
inches below the level of the ground, and
no drainage SO that at least a part Of the
floor was always covered with water.
They found cottages with but one bed
room apiece, housing a dozen people !;
bedrooms with only one window; rot
ting and leaky thatch; an entire lack CT
even the eommonest sanitary convent
ences; leaks, overcrowding. foul air. foul
water, physical and moral dirt and de-
graduation everywhere. In the midst of
the agitation for the improvement of this
condition Of things. there was terribly
ing outbreak Of cholera, and Kingsley
preached and published series of ser
mons pointing out the fact that cholera
IS a filth disease. and that the way TO pre-
vent its spread is to be clean in person
and premises. Five years later there WAS
another outbreak OF the cholera ard
strong pressure was put upon Lord Pal
merston. then Premier, to-appoint a sani-
tary commission? No 10 decree a day of
national fasting and prayer, that the peo-
pie might repent OF their sins and not
provoke the Almighty to keep on cendng
cholera among them.
Such bat-like superstition and conserv-
atism seems almost incredible. and so does
the fact that when Kingsley reiterated
his earnest plea for better sanitation, he
was met with the sneer that In the Broad
Church "the Gospel Of Drains took the
place OF the Gospel of Salvation" 1t
seems as II the cavaliers might have
learned something TO their advantage BY
reading the Book of Leviticus. for the
number Of rules of health there solcInnly
laid down as religious laws ought to have
convinced them that the God of the Old
Testament. at any rate, believed in The
efficiency of Gospel OF Drains.
II is. perhaps, TO Kingsley and his CO.
adjutors that the people OF this newer
country owe some OF their common sense
in regard TO matters OF health. Nobody
nowadays thinks OF attributiug an out
break OF smallpox TO the anger oil the