the ragged trousered philanthropists-第3部分

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　it。　　Some　of　them　were　under　the　delusion　that　they　were　Conservatives：　similarly；　others　imagined　themselves　to　be　Liberals。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　most　of　them　were　nothing。　　They　knew　as　much　about　the　public　affairs　of　their　own　country　as　they　did　of　the　condition　of　affairs　in　the　planet　of　Jupiter。

Easton　began　to　regret　that　he　had　broached　so　objectionable　a　subject；　when；　looking　up　from　his　paper；　Owen　said：

‘Does　the　fact　that　you　never　〃trouble　your　heads　about　politics〃　prevent　you　from　voting　at　election　times？'

No　one　answered；　and　there　ensued　a　brief　silence。　　Easton　however；　in　spite　of　the　snub　he　had　received；　could　not　refrain　from　talking。

‘Well；　I　don't　go　in　for　politics　much；　either；　but　if　what's　in　this　'ere　paper　is　true；　it　seems　to　me　as　we　oughter　take　some　interest　in　it；　when　the　country　is　being　ruined　by　foreigners。'

‘If　you're　going　to　believe　all　that's　in　that　bloody　rag　you'll　want　some　salt；'　said　Harlow。

The　Obscurer　was　a　Tory　paper　and　Harlow　was　a　member　of　the　local　Liberal　club。　　Harlow's　remark　roused　Crass。

‘Wot's　the　use　of　talkin'　like　that？'　he　said；　‘you　know　very　well　that　the　country　IS　being　ruined　by　foreigners。　　Just　go　to　a　shop　to　buy　something；　look　round　the　place　an'　you'll　see　that　more　than　'arf　the　damn　stuff　comes　from　abroad。　　They're　able　to　sell　their　goods　'ere　because　they　don't　'ave　to　pay　no　dooty；　but　they　takes　care　to　put　'eavy　dooties　on　our　goods　to　keep　'em　out　of　their　countries；　and　I　say　it's　about　time　it　was　stopped。'

‘'Ear；　'ear；'　said　Linden；　who　always　agreed　with　Crass；　because　the　latter；　being　in　charge　of　the　job；　had　it　in　his　power　to　put　in　a　good　…　or　a　bad　…　word　for　a　man　to　the　boss。　　‘'Ear；　'ear！　　Now　that's　wot　I　call　common　sense。'

Several　other　men；　for　the　same　reason　as　Linden；　echoed　Crass's　sentiments；　but　Owen　laughed　contemptuously。

‘Yes；　it's　quite　true　that　we　gets　a　lot　of　stuff　from　foreign　countries；'　said　Harlow；　‘but　they　buys　more　from　us　than　we　do　from　them。'

‘Now　you　think　you　know　a　'ell　of　a　lot；'　said　Crass。　　‘'Ow　much　more　did　they　buy　from　us　last　year；　than　we　did　from　them？'

Harlow　looked　foolish：　as　a　matter　of　fact　his　knowledge　of　the　subject　was　not　much　wider　than　Crass's。　　He　mumbled　something　about　not　having　no　'ed　for　figures；　and　offered　to　bring　full　particulars　next　day。

‘You're　wot　I　call　a　bloody　windbag；'　continued　Crass；　‘you've　got　a　'ell　of　a　lot　to　say；　but　wen　it　comes　to　the　point　you　don't　know　nothin'。'

‘Why；　even　'ere　in　Mugsborough；'　chimed　in　Sawkins　…　who　though　still　lying　on　the　dresser　had　been　awakened　by　the　shouting　…　‘We're　overrun　with　'em！　　Nearly　all　the　waiters　and　the　cook　at　the　Grand　Hotel　where　we　was　working　last　month　is　foreigners。'

‘Yes；'　said　old　Joe　Philpot；　tragically；　‘and　then　thers　all　them　Hitalian　horgin　grinders；　an'　the　blokes　wot　sells　'ot　chestnuts；　an'　wen　I　was　goin'　'ome　last　night　I　see　a　lot　of　them　Frenchies　sellin'　hunions；　an'　a　little　wile　afterwards　I　met　two　more　of　'em　comin'　up　the　street　with　a　bear。'

Notwithstanding　the　disquieting　nature　of　this　intelligence；　Owen　again　laughed；　much　to　the　indignation　of　the　others；　who　thought　it　was　a　very　serious　state　of　affairs。　　It　was　a　dam'　shame　that　these　people　were　allowed　to　take　the　bread　out　of　English　people's　mouths：　they　ought　to　be　driven　into　the　bloody　sea。

And　so　the　talk　continued；　principally　carried　on　by　Crass　and　those　who　agreed　with　him。　　None　of　them　really　understood　the　subject：　not　one　of　them　had　ever　devoted　fifteen　consecutive　minutes　to　the　earnest　investigation　of　it。　　The　papers　they　read　were　filled　with　vague　and　alarming　accounts　of　the　quantities　of　foreign　merchandise　imported　into　this　country；　the　enormous　number　of　aliens　constantly　arriving；　and　their　destitute　conditions；　how　they　lived；　the　crimes　they　committed；　and　the　injury　they　did　to　British　trade。　　These　were　the　seeds　which；　cunningly　sown　in　their　minds；　caused　to　grow　up　within　them　a　bitter　undiscriminating　hatred　of　foreigners。　　To　them　the　mysterious　thing　they　variously　called　the　‘Friscal　Policy'；　the　‘Fistical　Policy'；　or　the　‘Fissical　Question'　was　a　great　Anti…Foreign　Crusade。　　The　country　was　in　a　hell　of　a　state；　poverty；　hunger　and　misery　in　a　hundred　forms　had　already　invaded　thousands　of　homes　and　stood　upon　the　thresholds　of　thousands　more。　　How　came　these　things　to　be？　　It　was　the　bloody　foreigner！　　Therefore；　down　with　the　foreigners　and　all　their　works。　　Out　with　them。　　Drive　them　bs　into　the　bloody　sea！　　The　country　would　be　ruined　if　not　protected　in　some　way。　　This　Friscal；　Fistical；　Fissical　or　whatever　the　hell　policy　it　was　called；　WAS　Protection；　therefore　no　one　but　a　bloody　fool　could　hesitate　to　support　it。　　It　was　all　quite　plain　…　quite　simple。　　One　did　not　need　to　think　twice　about　it。　　It　was　scarcely　necessary　to　think　about　it　at　all。

This　was　the　conclusion　reached　by　Crass　and　such　of　his　mates　who　thought　they　were　Conservatives　…　the　majority　of　them　could　not　have　read　a　dozen　sentences　aloud　without　stumbling　…　it　was　not　necessary　to　think　or　study　or　investigate　anything。　　It　was　all　as　clear　as　daylight。　　The　foreigner　was　the　enemy；　and　the　cause　of　poverty　and　bad　trade。

When　the　storm　had　in　some　degree　subsided；

‘Some　of　you　seem　to　think；'　said　Owen；　sneeringly；　‘that　it　was　a　great　mistake　on　God's　part　to　make　so　many　foreigners。　　You　ought　to　hold　a　mass　meeting　about　it：　pass　a　resolution　something　like　this：　〃This　meeting　of　British　Christians　hereby　indignantly　protests　against　the　action　of　the　Supreme　Being　in　having　created　so　many　foreigners；　and　calls　upon　him　to　forthwith　rain　down　fire；　brimstone　and　mighty　rocks　upon　the　heads　of　all　those　Philistines；　so　that　they　may　be　utterly　exterminated　from　the　face　of　the　earth；　which　rightly　belongs　to　the　British　people〃。'

Crass　looked　very　indignant；　but　could　think　of　nothing　to　say　in　answer　to　Owen；　who　continued：

‘A　little　while　ago　you　made　the　remark　that　you　never　trouble　yourself　about　what　you　call　politics；　and　some　of　the　rest　agreed　with　you　that　to　do　so　is　not　worth　while。　　Well；　since　you　never　〃worry〃　yourself　about　these　things；　it　follows　that　you　know　nothing　about　them；　yet　you　do　not　hesitate　to　express　the　most　decided　opinions　concerning　matters　of　which　you　admittedly　know　nothing。　Presently；　when　there　is　an　election；　you　will　go　and　vote　in　favour　of　a　policy　of　which　you　know　nothing。　　I　say　that　since　you　never　take　the　trouble　to　find　out　which　side　is　right　or　wrong　you　have　no　right　to　express　any　opinion。　　You　are　not　fit　to　vote。　　You　should　not　be　allowed　to　vote。'

Crass　was　by　this　time　very　angry。

‘I　pays　my　rates　and　taxes；'　he　shouted；　‘an'　I've　got　as　much　right　to　express　an　opinion　as　you　'ave。　　I　votes　for　who　the　bloody　'ell　I　likes。　　I　shan't　arst　your　leave　nor　nobody　else's！　　Wot　the　'ell's　it　got　do　with　you　who　I　votes　for？'

‘It　has　a　great　deal　to　do　with　me。　　If　you　vote　for　Protection　you　will　be　helping　to　bring　it　about；　and　if　you　succeed；　and　if　Protection　is　the　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。'