The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1905-04-06

half, which is equivalent to a great
rise in wages. One-half Of the family
may be out of work and the other
half, on account of the public owner
ship and cheap rates Of the public
necessities, can keep the wolf from
the door. 1t is along that line that
the reformers in England are working.
The distress is very great. But Eng
land will have to take hold of the
money and land system, that is, adopt
the full populist program, IL any gen.
eral and permanent relief is obtained
The Springfield Republican, in
speaking of this movement in England
says:
1.-THE countess of Warwick has
joined the social democratic fedora
ton, moved thereto by her distress at
the enormous number of people out
of work and actually starving. In
London the conservative estimate is
100000, and many reckon it as 100000;
and extreme penury is to be found in
every city of England. The countess
is now engaged in addressing working
mems meetings in the poorest quarters
of London, and at some of these the
more desperate have counseled eX-
IRENE measures, and advised that
mobs should take what is needed to
live, since nothing is done to relieve
the present want.
"The countess appeals to the gov
eminent and the wealthy classes, as
surfing them that they will be forced
to meet the demands of the desperate
if they do not help willingly. Many
leading citizens are awake to the
needs of the hour and are subscribing
literally, and committee has been
formed to carry out systematic
scheme for providing work, and it is
work that the selfrespecting poor
clamor for; they do not ask for aims.
London papers the past winter have
been full of cases where men and
women were, brought before the court
for being known to have children or
other dependents in a starving condi-
ton, only to be dismissed because the
so-called delinquents are able to prove
that they have been out of work for
weeks, or, in some cases, many
months, and the whole family is starv-
ing. Temporary relief is almost no
relief; soup kitchens do not restore
the self-respect that would rather
starve than beg or afford the comforts
of home or sufficient clothing
at is of interest to observe, in this
connection, the effect of the Brussels
sugar bounty convention, to which
England was a signatory, upon the
condition of the poor That the rise
in the price of sugar in the London
market, due to the abolition of the
bounty system in Europe, has in
creased the distress can not be doubt
full The London Daily News lately
gave two columns to the distress
caused in that one particular. 1t ap-
pears that many men no longer able
to do hard work, or widows left with
a few pounds, have resorted to the
keeping of a "sweets-shop" A front
room in the home, or small shop,
does not cost much, and little money
is sufficient to start in with stock of
confectionery; the trade is easily
learned and this has earned a frugal
living for many until now, when the
high price of sugar lately imposed has
actually killed this little business and
plunged many families into acute dis
notwithstanding the asserva-
lions of Mr.. Chamberlain that colonial
preference taxes on the necessaries of
life would fall lightly, even on the
poor"