Ragged Trousered Philanthropists | Page 8

to be a new set of
drains altogether, carried right out to the road and connected with the
main.'
Crass really knew no more about what was going to be done in this
matter than did Linden, but he felt certain that this course would be
adopted. He never missed an opportunity of enhancing his own prestige
with the men by insinuating that he was in the confidence of the firm.
`That's goin' to cost a good bit,' said Linden.
`Yes, I suppose it will,' replied Crass, `but money ain't no object to old
Sweater. 'E's got tons of it; you know 'e's got a large wholesale business
in London and shops all over the bloody country, besides the one 'e's
got 'ere.'
Easton was still reading the Obscurer; he was not about to understand
exactly what the compiler of the figures was driving at - probably the
latter never intended that anyone should understand - but he was
conscious of a growing feeling of indignation and hatred against
foreigners of every description, who were ruining this country, and he
began to think that it was about time we did something to protect
ourselves. Still, it was a very difficult question: to tell the truth, he
himself could not make head or tail of it. At length he said aloud,
addressing himself to Crass:

`Wot do you think of this 'ere fissical policy, Bob?'
`Ain't thought much about it,' replied Crass. `I don't never worry my 'ed
about politics.'
`Much better left alone,' chimed in old Jack Linden sagely, `argyfying
about politics generally ends up with a bloody row an' does no good to
nobody.'
At this there was a murmur of approval from several of the others.
Most of them were averse from arguing or disputing about politics. If
two or three men of similar opinions happened to be together they
might discuss such things in a friendly and superficial way, but in a
mixed company it was better left alone. The 'Fissical Policy' emanated
from the Tory party. That was the reason why some of them were
strongly in favour of it, and for the same reason others were opposed to
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