Omaha daily bee., 1902-08-24

or IL cents, an hour, the loss in money
amounted to more than $4,000. 900.
The principal causes of strikes were
against the reduction of or for the ad-
vancement of wages, ninety-three of them
arose from the employment of people out
side the unions, or contrary to the rules of
the unions, and only six were for a reduc-
ton Of hours.
Trades Unions Are Strong.
All Of these strikes we're connected with
the trades unions, which are very strong
In Great Britain. There are thirty-two
unions here which have altogether n mem
bership of S93,00n. and. in addition, 81
others, the member of which make a total
Of almost 1,4O0,O 900 trades unionists. The
men contribute literally to the unions, ard
the union funds on hand in 1900 amounted,
1t is estimated, to about SIS, 00O, 900, or to
the income Of the members of the union for
almost two years.
One thing that tends to the injury of the
English manufacturing industries is what
is know as the Week Ends and also the
numerous holidays. The Week End is the
Saturday half holiday which is common all
over this country. No one works after l
o'clock on that day, and a large proportion
of the men, and of the women as well,
celebrate the day by going on a drunk,
which in many cases lasts until Monday.
The holidays of the English workman
amount to very nearly a month every year.
] speak of those taken voluntarily as well
as those allowed by the state. There is
but little work done during Easter week.
and in this region especially but little
during the week following Ascension day.
Then there is a holiday time about mid
summer, and also at Christmas and New
Year. The American would celebrate such
times in a rational manner, but In a ma
iority Of cases the English laborer cele-
brates them by getting drunk.
, Drunkenness I'm England.
Our people who have not visited the fac
; tory centers of England can have no idea
) of the terrible condition of the working
classes as regards the use of intoxicating
; liquors. Women and girls patronize the
= saloons almost as much as the men, and
( you cannot go into a public house without
4 finding from one to a dozen women drink
!. ing. There are saloons near all the fac
q tories. and at meal hours the hundreds Of
d factory girls rush from them and sit down
r with the men and have their beer, gin or
whisky with their meals. They drink at
( noon and at night, and many drink too
much.
The average man. when he receives his
wages, lays aside a certain amount for his
q drink over Sunday. II he makes $40 a week
q he may give his wife S. for the household
a expenses and reserve the other IS for the
a public house, where he sits and guzzles. In
v many cases he prolongs his spree till Mon
!. day. and the factory then looks for him In
v vain. This fact makes English labor very
: unreliable. The companies dare not contract
e to finish their jobs in a fixed time, and as
o a result much Of their business is going Out
$ of the country.
: Again, when the American capitalist ha'
K a big job his workmen will turn in and
|, work nights to help him. Here. 1 am told
N the average man works rather against tnar
q for his employer, and the more skillful
r man is the slower he works.
n For fear what l have said about English
: drunkenness may be disputed I have looked
L up the national drink bill for one year and
e 1 find that It exceeds that of any other ma.
10 tion. 1t amounts to more than $500, 900,
coo annually, or almost 500 per year fol
d each family of five. The amount spent TO
? liquors in 1900 was more than the govern
e ment revenue Of that year and more thai
IT the rents of all the houses and farms o
J. the country. Taking out the people VIII
Is II is estimated abstain from the use Of In
Do toxieants 1t amounted to about S35 pc
1t head, and two-thirds Of the whole wa
n drunk by the working classes. These fig
e. Continued on Seventh Page.)