The Tupelo journal., 1905-12-01
OVERWHELMED

government open factories for the en-.
ployment of people out of work, gave
some political color to the demonstra-
ton that was deprecated by the
premier, who announced that while
sympathizing most keenly with the
| victims of poverty he much regretted
the socialistic suggestion of govern
ment industries, "as calculated to de-
stroy the springs of enterprise and thu
energy of the nation" Few of the
starving, doubtless, look at the large
national aspect; hunger is very apt to
place a personal bias on matters.
A city of greatest contrasts is the
worlds metropolis; of wondrous com
MERGE, and of want of work for will
ing hands; of a fashionable and beauti-
full West End, and of an East End
where myriads live in misery; a city
whose mortality as a whole is small
compared with many other large CEN
ters OF population; but with an East
End that has an annual death rate of
from 80 to go for every 1000 persons.
want of work and lack of bread fore
ing down those that fall in the strug-
gle. The procession of the poor, how
ever, did not draw all its recruits
from the notorious East End; the
poor huddle also in the narrow streets
of the Rotherhitthe. ~Bermondsey and
Lambeth districts south of the
Thames. H. az
In 1901 the population of London
was 6,5S1, 900, over one-fifth of the total
population of England and Wales. AS
a whole the city is ugly and dingy,
The streets narrow and dark; the tene-
ment districts are so sunless and so
densely populated as to be impossible.
No wonder philanthropists organize
farm colonies, inaugurate various
colonization schemes to relieve the
overcoming, seek a better distribu-
lion in King Edwards wide domains.
Anyone that has read Richard White
.ng's mo. 5, John Street" or his ''Yel-
low Van" gets some realization of
conditions in this city of apparently
hopeless poverty.
In an article in the Cosmopolitan
Lady Somerset writes or the subject
Poverty in the Worlds Greatest Me
.ropolis," and dwells on the children
If the London slums. This lady of
high degree who spends so much
thought on how the "other half" lives,
speaks thus of the little nes of Lon.
lon: sit is difficult to realize until
me lives among these children what
heir constant suffering means. In
The winter, always cold and hungry.
they sit upon the doorstep with blue
fingers trying to wrap their little scan
ty rags around them. going to school
pinched and underfed often faint for
want of food; but, perhaps, when sum.
mer comes. the trial is almost greater,
for / have seen them wilt away like
flowers, when the pavement is hot
and their houses are unbearable, sit
ting upon the doorstep with heavy
heads laid in little grimy hands. look
ing the very picture of despair"
In slums everywhere the "littie
mothers are a feature, the very young
girls doing the big part of bringing
up the babies; the mothers often away
earning the days bread; sometimes.
and in London very often, away spend
ing the family pittance in drink. The
curse of drink Is a common n among
the women of the London poor, deepen
ing the wretchedness. But there are
the numerous homes of the sober and
industrious, -those that are able to
work and willing but can find no EN-
ployment.
Well may one speak of the plague
OF the great city, the madness that
would mass human life.
ALFRED WHITEHOUSE-