the ragged trousered philanthropists-第4节

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e　evil　that　some　people　say　is　is；　I　shall　be　one　of　those　who　will　suffer。　　I　say　you　have　no　right　to　vote　for　a　policy　which　may　bring　suffering　upon　other　people；　without　taking　the　trouble　to　find　out　whether　you　are　helping　to　make　things　better　or　worse。'

Owen　had　risen　from　his　seat　and　was　walking　up　and　down　the　room　emphasizing　his　words　with　excited　gestures。

‘As　for　not　trying　to　find　out　wot　side　is　right；'　said　Crass；　somewhat　overawed　by　Owen's　manner　and　by　what　he　thought　was　the　glare　of　madness　in　the　latter's　eyes；　‘I　reads　the　Ananias　every　week；　and　I　generally　takes　the　Daily　Chloroform；　or　the　Hobscurer；　so　I　ought　to　know　summat　about　it。'

‘Just　listen　to　this；'　interrupted　Easton；　wishing　to　create　a　diversion　and　beginning　to　read　from　the　copy　of　the　Obscurer　which　he　still　held　in　his　hand：

　　‘GREAT　DISTRESS　IN　MUGSBOROUGH。　　　HUNDREDS　OUT　OF　EMPLOYMENT。　　　WORK　OF　THE　CHARITY　SOCIETY。　　　789　CASES　ON　THE　BOOKS。

　　‘Great　as　was　the　distress　among　the　working　classes　last　year；　　　unfortunately　there　seems　every　prospect　that　before　the　winter　　　which　has　just　commenced　is　over　the　distress　will　be　even　more　　　acute。

　　Already　the　Charity　Society　and　kindred　associations　are　relieving　　　more　cases　than　they　did　at　the　corresponding　time　last　year。　　　Applications　to　the　Board　of　Guardians　have　also　been　much　more　　　numerous；　and　the　Soup　Kitchen　has　had　to　open　its　doors　on　Nov。　7th　　　a　fortnight　earlier　than　usual。　　The　number　of　men；　women　and　　　children　provided　with　meals　is　three　or　four　times　greater　than　　　last　year。'

Easton　stopped：　reading　was　hard　work　to　him。

‘There's　a　lot　more；'　he　said；　‘about　starting　relief　works：　two　shillings　a　day　for　married　men　and　one　shilling　for　single　and　something　about　there's　been　1；572　quarts　of　soup　given　to　poor　families　wot　was　not　even　able　to　pay　a　penny；　and　a　lot　more。　　And　'ere's　another　thing；　an　advertisement：

　　‘THE　SUFFERING　POOR

　　Sir：　Distress　among　the　poor　is　so　acute　that　I　earnestly　ask　you　　　for　aid　for　The　Salvation　Army's　great　Social　work　on　their　behalf。　　　Some　600　are　being　sheltered　nightly。　　Hundreds　are　found　work　　　daily。　　Soup　and　bread　are　distributed　in　the　midnight　hours　to　　　homeless　wanderers　in　London。　　Additional　workshops　for　the　　　unemployed　have　been　established。　　Our　Social　Work　for　men；　women　　　and　children；　for　the　characterless　and　the　outcast；　is　the　largest　　　and　oldest　organized　effort　of　its　kind　in　the　country；　and　greatly　　　needs　help。　　？0；000　is　required　before　Christmas　Day。　　Gifts　may　be　　　made　to　any　specific　section　or　home；　if　desired。　　Can　you　please　　　send　us　something　to　keep　the　work　going？　　Please　address　cheques；　　　crossed　Bank　of　England　（Law　Courts　Branch）；　to　me　at　101；　Queen　　　Victoria　Street；　EC。　　Balance　Sheets　and　Reports　upon　application。　　　　　　　　　　　‘BRAMWELL　BOOTH。'

‘Oh；　that's　part　of　the　great　'appiness　an'　prosperity　wot　Owen　makes　out　Free　Trade　brings；'　said　Crass　with　a　jeering　laugh。

‘I　never　said　Free　Trade　brought　happiness　or　prosperity；'　said　Owen。

‘Well；　praps　you　didn't　say　exactly　them　words；　but　that's　wot　it　amounts　to。'

‘I　never　said　anything　of　the　kind。　　We've　had　Free　Trade　for　the　last　fifty　years　and　today　most　people　are　living　in　a　condition　of　more　or　less　abject　poverty；　and　thousands　are　literally　starving。　　When　we　had　Protection　things　were　worse　still。　　Other　countries　have　Protection　and　yet　many　of　their　people　are　glad　to　come　here　and　work　for　starvation　wages。　　The　only　difference　between　Free　Trade　and　Protection　is　that　under　certain　circumstances　one　might　be　a　little　worse　that　the　other；　but　as　remedies　for　Poverty；　neither　of　them　are　of　any　real　use　whatever；　for　the　simple　reason　that　they　do　not　deal　with　the　real　causes　of　Poverty。'

‘The　greatest　cause　of　poverty　is　hover…population；'　remarked　Harlow。

‘Yes；'　said　old　Joe　Philpot。　　‘If　a　boss　wants　two　men；　twenty　goes　after　the　job：　ther's　too　many　people　and　not　enough　work。'

‘Over…population！'　cried　Owen；　‘when　there's　thousands　of　acres　of　uncultivated　land　in　England　without　a　house　or　human　being　to　be　seen。　　Is　over…population　the　cause　of　poverty　in　France？　　Is　over…population　the　cause　of　poverty　in　Ireland？　　Within　the　last　fifty　years　the　population　of　Ireland　has　been　reduced　by　more　than　half。　　Four　millions　of　people　have　been　exterminated　by　famine　or　got　rid　of　by　emigration；　but　they　haven't　got　rid　of　poverty。　　P'raps　you　think　that　half　the　people　in　this　country　ought　to　be　exterminated　as　well。'

Here　Owen　was　seized　with　a　violent　fit　of　coughing；　and　resumed　his　seat。　　When　the　cough　had　ceased　he　say　wiping　his　mouth　with　his　handkerchief　and　listening　to　the　talk　that　ensued。

‘Drink　is　the　cause　of　most　of　the　poverty；'　said　Slyme。

This　young　man　had　been　through　some　strange　process　that　he　called　‘conversion'。　　He　had　had　a　‘change　of　'art'　and　looked　down　with　pious　pity　upon　those　he　called　‘worldly'　people。　　He　　was　not　‘worldly'；　he　did　not　smoke　or　drink　and　never　went　to　the　theatre。　He　had　an　extraordinary　notion　that　total　abstinence　was　one　of　the　fundamental　principles　of　the　Christian　religion。　　It　never　occurred　to　what　he　called　his　mind；　that　this　doctrine　is　an　insult　to　the　Founder　of　Christianity。

‘Yes；'　said　Crass；　agreeing　with　Slyme；　‘an'　thers　plenty　of　'em　wot's　too　lazy　to　work　when　they　can　get　it。　　Some　of　the　bs　who　go　about　pleading　poverty　'ave　never　done　a　fair　day's　work　in　all　their　bloody　lives。　　Then　thers　all　this　new…fangled　machinery；'　continued　Crass。　‘That's　wot's　ruinin'　everything。　　Even　in　our　trade　ther's　them　machines　for　trimmin'　wallpaper；　an'　now　they've　brought　out　a　paintin'　machine。　　Ther's　a　pump　an'　a　'ose　pipe；　an'　they　reckon　two　men　can　do　as　much　with　this　'ere　machine　as　twenty　could　without　it。'

‘Another　thing　is　women；'　said　Harlow；　‘there's　thousands　of　'em　nowadays　doin'　work　wot　oughter　be　done　by　men。'

‘In　my　opinion　ther's　too　much　of　this　'ere　eddication；　nowadays；'　remarked　old　Linden。　　‘Wot　the　'ell's　the　good　of　eddication　to　the　likes　of　us？'

‘None　whatever；'　said　Crass；　‘it　just　puts　foolish　idears　into　people's　'eds　and　makes　'em　too　lazy　to　work。'

Barrington；　who　took　no　part　in　the　conversation；　still　sat　silently　smoking。　　Owen　was　listening　to　this　pitiable　farrago　with　feelings　of　contempt　and　wonder。　　Were　they　all　hopelessly　stupid？　　Had　their　intelligence　never　developed　beyond　the　childhood　stage？　　Or　was　he　mad　himself？

‘Early　marriages　is　another　thing；'　said　Slyme：　‘no　man　oughtn't　to　be　allowed　to　get　married　unless　he's　in　a　position　to　keep　a　family。'

‘How　can　marriage　be　a　cause　of　poverty？'　said　Owen；　contemptuously。　‘A　man　who　is　not　married　is　living　an　unnatural　life。　　Why　don't　you　continue　your　argument　a　little　further　and　say　that　the　practice　of　eating　and　drinking　is　the　cause　of　poverty　or　that　if　people　were　to　go　barefoot　and　naked　there　would　be　no　poverty？　　The　man　who　is　so　poor　that　he　cannot　marry　is　in　a　condition　of　poverty　already。'

‘Wot　I　mean；'　said　Slyme；　‘is　that　no　man　oughtn't　to　marry　till　he's　saved　up　enough　so　as　to　'ave　some　money　in　the　bank；　an'　another　thing；　I　reckon　a　man　oughtn't　to　get　married　till　'e's　got　an　'ouse　of　'is　own。　　It's　easy　enough　to　buy　one　in　a　building　society　if　you're　in　reg'lar　work。'

At　this　there　was　a　general　laugh。

‘Why；　you　bloody　fool；'　said　Harlow；　scornfully；　‘most　of　us　is　walkin'　about　'arf　our　time。　　It's　all　very　well　for　you　to　talk；　you've　got　almost　a　constant　job　on　this　firm。　　If　they're　doin'　anything　at　all　you're　one　of　the　few　gets　a　show　in。　　And　another　thing；'　he　added　with　a　sneer；　‘we　don't　all　go　to　the　same　chapel　as　old　Misery；'

‘Old　Misery'　was　Ruston　&　Co。's　manager　or　walking　foreman。　　‘Misery'　was　only　one　of　the　nicknames　bestowed　upon　him　by　the　hands：　he　was　also　known　as　‘Nimrod'　and　‘Pontius　Pilate'。

‘And　even　if　it's　not　possible；'　Harlow　continued；　winking　at　the　others；　‘what's　a　man　to　do　during　the　years　he's　savin'　up？'

‘Well；　he　must　conquer　hisself；'　said　Slyme；　getting　red。

‘Conquer　hisself　is　right！'　said　Harlow　and　the　others　laughed　again。

‘Of　course　if　a　man　tried　to　conquer　hisself　by　his　own　strength；'　replied　Slyme；　‘'e　would　be　sure　to　fail；　but　when　you've　got　the　Grace　of　God　in　you　it's　different。'

‘Chuck　it；　fer　Christ's　sake！'　said　Harlow　in　a　tone　of　disgust。　‘We've　only　just　'ad　our　dinner！'

‘And　wot　about　drink？'　demanded　old　Joe　Philpot；　suddenly。

‘'Ear；　'ear；'　cried　Harlow。　　‘That's　the　bleedin'　　talk。　　I　wouldn't　mind　'avin　'arf　a　pint　now；　if　somebody　else　will　pay　for　it。'

Joe　Philpot　…　or　as　he　was　usually　called；　‘Old　Joe'　…　was　in　the　habit　of　indulging　freely　in　the　cup　that　inebriates。　　He　was　not　very　old；　being　only　a　little　over　fifty；　but　he　looked　much　older。　　He　had　lost　his　wife　some　five　years　ago　and　was　now　alone　in　the　world；　for　his　three　children　had　died　in　their　infancy。　　Slyme's　reference　to　drink　had　roused　Philpot's　indignation；　he　felt　that　it　was　directed　against　himself。　　The　muddled　condition　of　his　brain　did　not　permit　him　to　take　up　the　cudgels　in　his　own　behalf；　but　he　knew　that　although　Owen　was　a　tee…totaller　himself；　he　dislik