Mr. Chadwick
once remonstrated with an apparently sensible workman on the expenditure
of half his income on whisky. His reply was, "Do you, sir, come and live
here, and you will drink whisky too." Mr. Leigh says, "I would not be
understood that habits of intoxication are _wholly_ due to a defective
sanitary condition; but no person can have the experience I have had
without coming to the conclusion that _unhealthy_ and unhappy
homes,--loss of _vital_ and consequently of _industrial_ energy, and a
consciousness of inability to control external circumstances,--induce
thousands to escape from miserable depression in the temporary
excitement of noxious drugs and intoxicating liquors. They are like the
seamen who struggle for awhile against the evils by which they are
surrounded, but at last, seeing no hope, stupefy themselves with drink,
and perish."
It may be said, in excuse, that working people must necessarily occupy
such houses as are to be had, and pay the rental asked for them, bad and
unwholesome though they be. But there is such a thing as supply and
demand; and the dwellings now supplied are really those which are most
in demand, because of their lowness of rental. Were the working classes
to shun unwholesome districts, and low-priced dwellings, and rent only
such tenements as were calculated to fulfil the requirements of a
wholesome and cleanly home, the owners of property would be compelled to
improve the character of their houses, and raise them to the required
standard of comfort and accommodation.
Pages:
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445